Company Of Angels || Adam Park

six

I never fell asleep, but a few hour later I opened my eyes to see Adam staring at me. I didn't say anything to him as I started to stare back. My stomach had started to hurt a little while ago, but I was trying to ignore it as I laid there. Adam reached up and cupped my face, using his thumb to softly stroke my cheek just below my left eye.

I needed to stretch from laying in the same spot for so long, so I sat up slightly so that I could stretch my arms without hitting Adam. When I sat up, I glanced at the door out of a habit and I went right into a panic attack. I had completely forgotten to tell Adam that I couldn't handle the door being closed right now because of what happened to me, so it was not his fault that this panic attack was brought on – it was completely my own fault.

"What's wrong?" Adam asked when he realized that I was not okay.

I couldn't answer him because I was freaking out. I shut my eyes tightly and tried to breath because I was fully aware that I was having this panic attack, but Adam didn't understand what was going on and I couldn't get the words out of my mouth quite yet. I ended up holding my breath as I grabbed onto Adam's arm.

"Danielle, tell me what's wrong." Adam urged.

"T-The..." I tried to form the words, but my mind was racing so fast that all I could think about was being locked in the basement, "T-The T-The door! Open the door!" I managed to spit out the words, but I was still freaking out.

I hear the door swing open and then suddenly Adam grabbed me and it made me flinch. I think I put my hand up to block him, but with his quick instincts he stopped me from blocking him and wrapped his arms around me. If this was his attempt to calm me down, it was working. I don't know why something so simple was calming me down, but I couldn't complain.

I rested my forehead on his shoulder as he started rubbing the back of my arm. I felt stupid for freaking out the way I did. I shouldn't freak out just because someone closed a door. I felt bad that Adam didn't even know what was wrong. How could I have forgotten to tell him something so important?

"Are you okay?" Adam asked when I lifted my head up.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"What just happened? I'm really confused..." Adam looked at me.

"I forgot to tell you that I can't handle being behind closed doors right now. They frighten me... It reminds me of being down in the basement... I go into a panic attack every time. Even when I was in the hospital." I explained to him without making eye contact.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Adam told me.

"Exactly, you didn't know – so don't be sorry. That was my fault for not telling you." I sighed.

"I hate that you had to deal with any of that..." he cleared his throat.

"Yeah, me too." I sighed again.

"I know it's a lot for you to deal with." He continued watching me, "But you're safe now and nothing is ever going to happen to you again."

"Yeah, everyone's been saying that a lot... We said that the last time and look what happened."

"Listen, I know nothing I say right now is going to convince you otherwise, but I promise that I will not let anything happen to you again. She will never hurt you again." Adam told me.

"Can we talk about something else?" I asked.

"Sure." He nodded, "Let's go see if my grandma is home yet. She should be, or at least on her way home."

"If she's not home yet, can we sit outside? It's cold in here..." I told him.

"It's not cold at all. It actually feels really good in here." Adam commented.