Intro
My name is Calvin. Me and my wife Rose got married a year ago. Life is perfect for us. We are the happiest we've ever been since we met. This is our story ...
Chapter 1
The New Kid
It all started one day at school. I was only 16 and then there was this new girl...
- "Ok class, we have a new student. Meet Rose Kennedy. She moved here from Austin, Texas. Make her feel at home please." Mr. Butterfield said.
Mr. Butterfield was our chemistry teacher in high school. I liked him. He wasn't like the other teachers who handed you a sheet of paper and went off to their not very important business. He helped us so we could pass his class.
High School was almost over – it was already May.
Rose sat in the seat beside me. Our class was a mix of people and personalities. You had Austin, the dorky but helpful and funny kid. He helped tutor me after school for a while. Then, Dan, he's the bully at the school. Robert is the class clown. Then there's this group of kids who ignore everyone and don't care to do any schoolwork. They just talk and play on their phones all day. Marco and Millie were siblings, twins. I liked them. They were like the only friends I had. We've known each other since we were 5. Roxanne was the girl who claimed she had all the health issues. Carlos was the one depressed kid who if you never talked to him, you wouldn't even know. I don't know how he hides it so well. He was also a quiet kid but talks a lot when you give him a chance. Then me, the other depressed kid, with bad anxiety, shy, but everyone knows, just not why.
At lunch, half the class went out and the other half went into the cafeteria. I normally sat by myself because I would get super anxious and stressed if I was with other people. But today, Rose joined me. I wanted to talk to her anyway, but I couldn't. I don't know why she decided to sit with me and not sit by herself or with other kids. I guess maybe she was trying to make friends and I was the only one sitting alone.
- "Hi, can I sit with you", she said.
- "Umm", I paused, "sure, I guess." I didn't really want her to, but I didn't know what else to say. I'm not the type of kid to say no to other people.
- "Ok thanks. I'm Rose."
- "Calvin." I said quietly.
We started talking a bit and I could feel my anxiety creeping up. I tried to keep it in, but she noticed.
- "Hey, are you okay?" she asked.
I looked down and realized I was shaking, and I couldn't breathe.
- "I... I'm sorry, I go." I ran away.
I ran to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall. No one was there. I was trying to calm myself, feeling like I was dying. It's all happened before, so I knew what it was. But dad was always there to help and it never happened at school because no one liked to talk to me. I called him.
- "Hey Cal, what's up?" he asked.
- "Dad, I ... I can't breathe. Can you help me please."
- "It's happening again?"
How was he so calm! I was about to pass out.
- "Yes, I need you to help me please!" I needed him to start talking. I couldn't breathe. My vision started going blurry. My stomach twists in all different directions. The pain in my chest was increasing. I wanted it all to end. Dad's voice was echoing in my ears. Then black, darkness.
