hypochondria // tate langdon

breathe

tate and i have become friends, but we can only hang out in secret, because of my lunatic dad. tate doesn't mind though. he's the first friend i've truly had and i don't think he knows how much he means to me.

when we normally hang out, we just chill and listen to music, or talk about anything and everything. but i think i like tate. i mean like like tate. but i've never had a boyfriend and i don't even know how relationships work. i'd probably end up hurting him unintentionally, so i best keep to myself.

soft rock music played as i waited for tate to arrive at my house. when i heard the familiar rocks being thrown at my window, i couldn't help but beam with excitement. i carefully moved my curtains and opened my window.

"hey stranger," i smiled down to tate, him returning the gaze.

"meet me down here,"

"outside?" i furrowed my brows, intrigued.

"i wanna take you somewhere,"

i bit my bottom lip in a smile and nodded. i quickly closed my window and only grabbed a pack of cigarettes before tip-toeing out of my room. i picked the lock so my bedroom door would lock behind me, just in case my mom or dad tried to get in.

when i would sneak out in my old house it was a lot easier. this house is a lot older and the floorboards were a lot more creaky. but my parents were fast asleep by this point, so i could successfully escape from the front door, also locking it behind me. i let out a sigh of relief and walked to the side to find tate, hands behind his back.

"for you," he said, handing me a rose that was painted black.

my heart fluttered, electricity shocking me as i accidentally touched his hand while taking the rose.

"tate, i love it," i blushed, however, he couldn't see it in the midnight sky.

"i knew you would, now c'mon," he smiled proudly, interlocking my pinky finger with his.

we walked for a little, with me having no clue where we were going, not that i cared. as long as i was with him, i was happy.

but it was only a short while later until we arrived at a children's playground. i tilted my head to tate, cracking a small smile.

"we're here," he leads me into the playground area.

i laughed lightly, "what are we gonna do?"

"you're it,"

and he took off running in the playground.

"oh so that's how we're gonna play," i scoffed, grinning.

i followed, running after him, a giggling mess.

i hadn't been this happy in a long time.

i caught up to him, running at full speed. he caught me into his chest, as i sheepishly looked up to him, quickly feeling embarrassed. but he just smiled, his smile lines prominent in the few lamps we were given around the playground.

"tag," i whispered, lightly pushing him away before running off.

he followed, quickly, but i was determined to put up a fight. i climbed the playground, running on the platforms swiftly. i then slid down the slide and continued running when i felt an arm around my stomach, pulling me back.

"gotcha, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear, as i was pulled against his chest.

this would have been the best moment of my life if only i wasn't wheezing.

"hey," tate said, worryingly. he turned me around to see me gasping for air, hopelessness in my face.

"lydia, hey, hey, breath baby." he sat me down at the bottom of the slide.

in my mind, this was pretty normal, especially when i had just been running around a lot. 

but tate thought differently.

his hands began to shake, his breathing too began to speed up, he looked like he was frozen in panic.

as i gasped, my lungs fought against the limited air i was given. the sound of my wheezing, aching lungs, breaking not only my heart but now tate's. and it sent him overboard. 

"breath, just breath, it's not that fucking hard," he gasped, shaking my shoulders. he bowed his head into my shoulder, whimpering while holding back his sobs as if these were my final seconds with him. 

at this point, my breathing began to return, a little bit of hoarseness in my lungs, but that wasn't important. tate was having a panic attack, because of me?

"tate," i whispered, lightly stroking his hair.

"i'm okay, you're okay. everything's alright, i promise," i said softly, trying to do my best to comfort him.

he picked his head back up slowly, scanning my face.

"you're okay," he reassured himself quietly. 

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author's note - me after just dumping that chapter on you guys :D i honestly love this chapter so much, and in the next, I'll explain more if you're confused. but for real, lydia and tate are goals. give me a relationship like that!!!?#? anyways, i hope you guys are doing alright after that lol! if you think this was sad... um, good luck!!! :) ok, no more chapters for tonight cause it's sleep time, goodnight beautiful people <3

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