It Was All a Dream.

Chapter 1!

~ CHAPTER 1: Is it too late? ~

"Shiriah? Do you know the answer?" My math teacher, Mr. Smith asks while pointing at me. I look up at Mr. Smith with no emotion. I take a deep breathe in, and out. Knowing how I don't talk much, he calls me often on purpose to here me speak. Why though?

"54?" I still ask with no hesitation, even though I know it's right.

"That is correct. Good job." He smiles, and nods at me when he here's my answer. But when I hear him say.. "Would you like to explain it to the class?" My heart was racing.

Social anxiety. Shiriah was filled with it. She could never speak to someone new. Anytime someone would try to speak to her, she wouldn't reply. She would show agreement, or disagreement signs. Like a thumbs up, or thumbs down.

I look down at my notebook, and back up at Mr. Smith. All you can hear, was the pace of my heart. Increasing as I think about it. I shake my head. No is always my answer when it comes up to that. What made it worse, was the eyes on me. Everyone was watching me.

"Come on. You're the only one with the correct answer." Mr. Smith walked towards my desk, with the chalk. He handed it to me as he leaned over my desk. "The class is waiting on you." The intense smokey smell was in my nose. And all I can hear, was his voice. Over, and over in my head. "The class is waiting on you." My head was slightly spinning. "The class is waiting on you." I want to make it stop.. "The class is waiting on you."

Mr. Smith's hand covered his mouth as he let out a small gasp. All he can see, was my head spinning. And my nose slightly bleeding because of the pressure. He looked like he saw a ghost. "Shiriah. I'll send you to the nurse.." He walks to his desk, writing a prescription. Or, a pass. As he's writing it, he says to the class "Finish the workbook page. We'll go over it together soon." I come back to my senses. The eyes intensify on me.

I shrug my shoulders. Everyone knows what I'm asking. It's the "What happened?" shrug. My only friend, pointed at my face. I check my nose, and... There it was. Embarrassment all over again.

"Poor you, panda.." Nurse Olivia says cleaning my nose. Nurse Olivia understands me more then my family. I talk to her because she knows how antisocial I am. I don't know why, but, her office feels so safe. There's no bustle, or kids yelling. Just quietness. I can collect my thoughts, with no eyes racing towards me. Nurse Olivia was also a little shy when it comes to people. I guess we connected like ice cream and cake.

"Yeah.." I sigh. "It was kind of pressuring."

Nurse Olivia shakes her head. "Well, you can hang out here for a while. I can call on my lunch break, and we can just chill out here for a while." She always has that warm smile when she offers me anything. "How does that sound?"

"That's alri-" As soon as I was going to say something, my mom burst through the door.

"Shiriah! Are you hurt in any way? Do I have to talk to anyone's mom?" She says with a worried mixed with a concerned expression.

I shake my head. "No, mom. It just happened again." She let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Come on, the principal said I can pick you up." She kneeled down to my level.

"Actually. Can I have lunch with Nurse Olivia, momma?" I ask. I wanted to at least get something off my chest. I can't tell anyone else but Nurse Olivia because she's the only one who I can tell, without her telling anyone else.

"Of course, Shy Shi!" She lets out a small giggle before leaving the nurses office.

"Nurse Olivia?" I tilt my head down.

"What is it, Panda?" Nurse Olivia asks.

"Do you think I'll ever pass the eighth grade even though I don't participate?" I can feel my eyes tearing up.

Nurse Olivia sighs. She puts her hands on my shoulders, while she has that one warm and opening look.

"Listen to me, Panda." She says as she wipes my tears away. "If I could've did it, you can too. I've been in this same school, at the same position as you. And if I believed in myself, then I believe in you."

As they both talk to each other about their problems, Shiriah knew Nurse Olivia was the only truthful one for her.

"Panda?" My mom walks in again. "I'm sorry to say, they won't let me back in." She tilted her head down in disappointment.

I look up at my mom, and frowned. Of course.

Nurse Olivia sighed, and turned to my mom. She gave her a good, unexpected hug, holding my moms hands in hers. "It's nice to see you all on my last day here."

Shiriah's heart beat intensified. She noticed the words in her ear were all in reality. Her breath intensifies, causing her to pant. It was hard for her to breathe. During her panic attack, there was also yelling. Her mom, Nurse Olivias, her dad, security. The only thought in her mind: Her only sense of sanity leaving her to go insane.