Some Say the World Will End in Fire |l.s.|

twelve

It all happened so fast. One moment I was in class and watching a video about mental health, and the next thing I see is a gun on that screen. I've had so many panic attacks this month and I feel a bad one coming on. I get up without a word and grab my things and leave, the teacher calling my name worriedly but I don't listen. I'm shaking so, so bad, and I am already so short of breath I am practically wheezing. I go into the bathroom and go to the handicap stall, as always, as I break down.

The entire room is spinning and I suddenly feel a wave of nausea wash over me. I can feel the vomit in the back of my throat, burning as I begin to empty my guts into the toilet. This goes on for well over ten minutes and even after I'm done, I'm still having such a hard time breathing. I'm crying and shaking and gasping for air and my heart drops when I hear Harry's voice calling my name.

"Louis?" his voice echos through the bathroom. 

"H-Harry," I sob shakily and I stand up on trembling legs as I unlock the stall and fall into his arms. I clutch onto him to look for any comfort at all and he slowly lowers me next to him on the ground.

"Hey, hey, easy there, Lou," he says softly, confusion obvious in his voice.

"T-the-they-y-"

"Shh, just try to breathe with me," he says quietly. I nod and after thirty minutes of me crying, I calm down to just sniffles and puffy eyes. He grabs my bag and helps me up as he leads me outside and we begin walking. "You feeling better now?"

"Yeah, sorry," I say scratchily after throwing up so much.

"I'm not mad, Louis, never. I'm just worried," he explains. "I saw you threw up."

"Just got scared," I shrug.

"What happened? Was it a noise or-"

"A video. The counselors, they were showing awareness and i-it had a g-gun," I say quietly, my voice shrinking at the mention of the weapon.

"Those fucking morons," he says in disbelief. 

"Harry, it's not their fault. It didn't really bother anyone else but me," I sigh.

"How insensitive of them, and not even four months after it happened?"

"It's alright, Haz, really," I say.

"Bullshit! How long have you been feeling so stressed at school?" he asks me.

"What?"

"You think I don't know when you're hooked up on something, Lou? What's been going on with you lately?" He really doesn't sound mad, more like he wants to understand.

"It's the only reason I make it through school every day, Haz. I can't help it, it's my last option."

"Oh Lou," he says sadly. "Why didn't you tell me school was so upsetting to you? I could've helped."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just something I've been dealing with, telling you never seemed like an option. I'm on my own when I walk through those doors."

"Well then I'll walk through those doors with you," he says simply, causing me to stop in my tracks and whip my head around to look at him.

"You what?" I ask in shock.

"I'll go to school with you, love," he smiles at me softly, and I grin so widely as I jump on him, hugging him so tightly.

"I'd feel guilty but I'm so proud of you, Haz," I say.

"None of that shit, I'm only doing it for you," he says annoyingly. 

"And that means the world for me, babe. Thank you so much, you have no idea how much I love you."

"I love you too, so much," he says, kissing my before taking my hand and we continue our walk home. Turns out this day isn't all bad, after all.