The Kids Screaming Oliolioxenfree [Editing]

Panic Attack. (Ch.5)

The bus ride to school was great. Adrian, Johnnie, and I laughed about how the bus driver had this thick southern accent. Ana wasn't here today. Which kind of scared me. But she wasn't here and that was that. The last five minutes of the bus ride I just looked, silently, out the window. I didn't move an inch until the bus stopped.

I didn't realize the look on my face until Adrian looked at me the way he did. He sort of looked like he was looking at a dying puppy. I tried to give him a reassuring smile. But it didn't reassure him at all. He just looked more and more troubled. When we got inside the school he walked up behind me and said,"I'm gonna walk you too class, okay?" But he didn't wait for my answer. He just put his hand on my shoulder and kept us moving. We have all but second and fourth period together so he walked us to our homeroom. "I'm not a baby, you know. I can walk by myself.", I tried to smile but the smile never came so I just looked down, letting my colorful bangs hide my face. He put a gentle finger on my chin and lifted my head. "I know. But that doesn't mean you have to walk on your own."

I looked at him for a while just contemplating his answer and all the cryptic meanings it could have. His face said he wasn't talking about walking to class alone. But his tone did. I was so confused, but instead of talking about it I just walked inside the room and read my book. Well...I tried to read my book. I was to in depth in my thoughts.
Did Adrian really care? I mean he couldn't have. We haven't known each other that long. Unless he's like me. And he develops feelings to quickly. But I don't want to develop these feelings. What if I act on them? What if I get hurt? These thoughts are beginning to overwhelm me but I couldn't pull myself from them. What if he...no. He can't break my heart. I would have to develop one for it to be broken. What if I break his heart? What if we build each other up only to crash the other to the ground bringing ourselves with them? I was jarred from my thoughts by the sound of the first bell.

I had a ringing head ache in first period, which Adrian, again, walked me too. I couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said outside of homeroom. I was pulled from my thoughts when my aimless eyes landed on Adrian. He was looking at me. It looked like he had been for a while. First period was cooking. Adrian told me he took the class so that he wouldn't have to take the other electives. But I could tell he liked cooking. He didn't sit with his normal group today. He sat alone today. He patted the seat next to him and I took the gesture. I sat next to him for the rest of class.

Second period lasted too long. But now I wished it had lasted longer. When I left second period I was greeted by Adrian leaning against the outside of the door frame. We were walking up the stairs when a woman tapped me from behind and told me someone was waiting for me in the office. Adrian told me he was coming with me. We walked down the stairs together. I had a single thought in my mind, whoever is in the office wasn't my mom. My mom had told me she had a doctors appointment today down in Tampa. We were palm harbor. When we reached the office I stopped dead in my tracks. Joe. I'm not sure if I've covered the topic of daddy issues but here's a quick rendition. Joe is my mom's second husband, now divorced. He's always been really abusive though he never hit us. I haven't spoken to him since I keyed his truck a year before. He looked angry.

My breathing was getting labored but the feeling was different. My chest was tightening. I couldn't feel anything but pain. All of my muscles were tightening. My calves were in so much pain that it made it hard to stand. My arms began to...throb? I stepped forward, not sure of anything. Until I did step forward. I felt my knee give out as I tried to take a step. I would've face planted onto the floor if it hadn't been for Adrian. Adrian knew the story of my dad. I told him on Saturday. He grabbed my waist keeping me from what looked like would be a broken nose.

Needles shot out of my spine sending spasms everywhere in my body. I closed my eyes. I'm not sure how long it has been but after a while I opened my eyes and saw Joe. Kneeling over me. I scrambled to my feet, grabbed Adrian's hand, and ran out of the room, dragging Adrian behind me. I was at the end of a first floor hallway when I felt something warm grab my waist and pull me back. I tried to fight the resisting force. But I was too weak. I dropped to my knees. Praying that someone would just hold me in their arms. And he did.

Adrian sat beside me picked me up and pulled me into his lap. I buried my face in his chest just trying to breath. After a while he stood up and tried to help me to my feet, which was hard because my lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. I looked up when I heard sneakers squeaking on the floor. I jumped to my feet and tried to run. But Adrian wouldn't let me. He just held me in place. I hated him for that. I wanted to get away from him. Joe kept getting closer and closer. Soon we were faced to face. He tried his best to look concerned as he asked,"Why did you run?" I was now manually pushing Adrian back. He tried to stop me but he couldn't. "I was coming to take you home.", Joe continued trying to sound like the nice guy. "I'd..rather...not.", I said trying my best to calm down. But I felt my wheezing getting worse and worse. "Come on we're calling your sister down too.", he grabbed my wrist and it sent me over the edge. Not only could I not breath but I felt my lungs being compressed. My chest tightening, attempting to squeeze every last bit of life, of strength I had left, out of me. Adrian let go of me slowly so I would go with Joe but I just fell to the ground.

"Kat!", My sister. Kara. She's two years older than me and I could see her watching us. Joe dragged me along as Kara ran to me. She bit Joe's wrist and hugged me. "I...cant....", I began. "I know. I know.", she finished. She must've gestured for Adrian to come over because he took me in his arms. He was so warm and I was beginning to get cold. Tears ran down my face, so I hid in Adrian's chest. Adrian took my phone out of my back pocket and called my mom. "Mrs.King? Joe just showed up at the school. Kat's having a panic attack, she can't breath. I have her here. In my arms. Kara is dealing with Joe just tell me what to do. Kat's getting cold.",he said frantically into the phone. I couldn't make out what my mother was saying but Adrian just said,"Okay.", and started to just hold me. "We have our bike's here can I take her home when she gets better?",he asked. "No not to my house to your's.", he said. "Okay thank you."

"Okay I'm gonna take you home as soon as you feel better.", he said and I was feeling better. Kara came back over to us after telling our Corporal that Joe needed to be escorted out. I was beginning to be able to breath so I tried to tell them to take me outside,"out-...side." Adrian looked at Kara who nodded. Adrian attempted to pick me up bridal style but instead I stood up. I took his hand and put it around my waist and put my arm over his shoulders. They took me outside where I almost instantly felt better. "I'm. ready.", I took a deep breath,"Take me home."

Adrian and I rode bikes home. Kara would've come but she didn't have a bike at school. The bike ride home was just what I needed. Adrian was just what I needed.