"There's a word I found recently. Evanescence. It made me think of you. It made me think of us. Were we just a dream, Sebastian?"
TW : Key themes of suicide and trauma.
WARNING: This is Book Two. Please read "affluenza" first to avoid any spoilers...
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TW// Panic Attack
I GLANCE OVER at Roman from the driver's seat, the cut along his eyebrow and bruise blooming on his arm. "It doesn't hurt, Braylen. Honestly," he mutters, a smile in his voice.
"I know," I retort. He'd only told me ten times. I'd asked about eleven. I picked Roman up after his fight tonight—though he was slightly more injured than when I'd seen him last. We were headed over to Devin's house, despite the late hour, for an emergency meeting about the Nate thing. These BLAST! posts needed to be figured out sooner rather than later. "But it looks painful. Did you even put anything on that cut? It could get infected. It looks infected. Just imagine green ooze dripping out of your beautiful face—"
"Breathe," Roman reminds me. I take in a long breath. "Good. Feel better?"
I sigh again. "When we get to Devin's, you're letting me put an antiseptic on it."
Roman groans out in annoyance and I start to argue with him again when I realize what street I was headed down. I brake hard, sending myself and Roman forward in our seats. "Braylen?" Roman calls worriedly, but I can only hear him faintly. Like I was drowning underwater and someone was screaming from shore. A cold sweat breaks out across my neck.
"I—it's happening again," I get out, shutting my eyes tightly and leaning forward onto my knees. I click out of my seatbelt. It was pressed too deeply into my heart. I couldn't breathe with it on.
A warm hand engulfs around mine. "Hey, hey, it's okay. You're with me, alright? You're not alone. It'll pass, Braylen."
"I know," I repeat again, rubbing a hand along my chest. It already had. I come out of my panic, opening my eyes and staring at the tall auburn house that held some of my favorite and most haunted memories. "This was his house. Before..."
Roman glances out at the place, realization hitting him. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should've driven."
"It's my fault," I mutter, sitting up straight. "I went the way I used to go before everything. I should've taken the longer route. I guess with what happened with Nate earlier today it slipped my mind."
Roman's still looking at the house. I squeeze his hand. "It's okay. I'm sorry for braking too hard. Can you drive the rest of the way?"
His eyebrows raise. "What was that? Are you willingly asking me for help?"
I grin mockingly at him. "Just switch seats with me before I change my mind, De Carlo."
He grins back toothily before climbing out of the car. I follow suit, crossing over to the front seat and allowing him to drive the rest of the way to Devin's house. I see the beige and gold exterior and tell Roman to park. He whistles lowly. "It should be criminal for someone to have this much money."
