The perfect storm

Chapter Six

Sasha's POV

Five minutes.

It's been five minutes since Luke left and my head hasn't stopped spinning since.

I don't even know what I'm getting myself so worked up over, but the more I try not to think about it, the more it all builds up in my mind until my head feels like it's about to explode.

I can feel my fingers start to tingle as it slowly spreads up my arms and that's when it starts to take over.

My throat starts closing up and it feels like I'm going to choke.

I'm growing dizzier by the second and I can barely take in enough air to fill my lungs as my breathing becomes more and more shallow.

Suddenly all of the walls start closing in around me and I'm trapped, suffocating as the space becomes smaller.

Spots build up in my vision as it slowly begins to tunnel out, fading to black.

And that's when I sink to the floor and everything goes numb...

Luke's POV

I walked down the hallway with Zoe towards the cafeteria, talking to her like we used to, except that I wasn't really listening. I couldn't stop thinking about Sasha sat upstairs in that room.

I desperately wanted to see her again but I couldn't figure out why. I'd never felt so drawn to someone before.

I suddenly realised that I wasn't wearing my jacket and then I remembered that I must have left it upstairs.

A small smirk played on my lips as I mentally praised myself for being so forgetful. What a perfect opportunity. Maybe I could see her again.

"Um Zoe, I left my jacket in yours and Sasha's room, I'm just gonna run up and get it, I'll be back in a minute," I explained, already turning on my heel back towards the lift because let's be honest, I'm too lazy for stairs.

I fidgeted impatiently as I waited for the lift to arrive and then stepped in, travelling up to the 2nd floor.

I headed back down the corridor and was just about to knock on the door of Sasha's room as I heard a faint, muffled noise, almost like someone was crying.

I paused momentarily at the doorway before opening it slowly and entering as quietly as I could, not wanting to intrude. My eyes scanned the familiar surrounding and landed on a figure in the corner of the room.

Sasha was slumped on the floor, curled up in a ball with her head tucked in between her knees and her face in her hands,

"Sasha?" I whispered, almost inaudibly as I crept my way over to her. She jumped when she heard me, backing herself even further into the corner as she looked up at me with pleading tear-filled eyes.

She looked so fragile and broken and I couldn't help but wonder what had done this to her.

Only 10 minutes ago I was sat in this same room with her, laughing and joking. The girl in front of me was almost a different person and the look of pain in her wide green eyes caused a dull ache to weigh heavily in my chest.

I had to do something to help her but I didn't know what to do, I didn't even know what was happening.

I bent down in front of her and inched closer so I was almost on the same level as her, her chest continuing to heave up and down as she sobbed, desperately struggling for air.

I cupped her face in my hands, gently rubbing her cheeks with my thumbs as I looked directly at her to see her eyes screwed shut again.

"Sasha," I said a little louder this time trying to get her attention, but she didn't respond, I'm not even sure she heard me.