The Unforeseen Love

Chapter seven

Chapter seven

Aarohi Verma

Last time when I had a panic attack was when my mother threw a glass bowl towards me on my eleventh birthday. I thought of making my parents calm down and not fight. But she got angry just because I interfered between them. I would have been immensely hurt if my papa would not have pulled me towards him. I was too shocked to move. I started breathing heavily that day trying to get air, but I was too breathless and my father calmed me down. After that I never had panic attacks because I never went out of my room when they fought. Even Vaishnavi don't know about this.

But today when I saw the ball coming towards me I immediately went back to the incident. Yes I'm again having a panic attack and now I'm running like a crazy girl on the campus finding the washroom for some privacy and hide from everyone. 

I tried to control in front of Vaishnavi and Vishal, but when Ishaan followed me I was on verge of crying and already gasping for air. He might have sensed something, I don't want to think about him now, but his eyes showed a tiny bit of concern. 

As soon as I entered the washroom, as expected it was empty and I went inside in one compartment and closed the door. I was breathless and was gasping for air. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't see anything; everything was blurry due to my tears. I felt like I was choking on something. I tried to count numbers and still it was not helping. I tried to breathe in and out and still no help. I tried to dig my nails on my arms and still no help. I was too terrified to experience the same thing again after so many years.

Then I heard footsteps and I didn't want anyone to see me in this condition, not a single person. The footsteps stopped and were standing behind the door.

"Aarohi, are you okay?" someone spoke and it took me couple of seconds to recognize who it belongs to. It was Ishaan's, who spoke in his calmest soft voice. 

Out of all people, Ishaan was the last person I wanted to have this encounter with. But still I felt peace when he spoke to me again, even when I didn't answered anything.

I was breathless and was not able to talk. And I started sobbing, so I kept my hand on my mouth to prevent any noise.

"Aarohi say something woman. You are fucking freaking me out." he said.

"Aarohi..ar..are..you..having a panic attack by any chance?" there was worry in his voice.

I couldn't speak anything and this was enough for him to understand what I'm going through. The silence was the 'yes' to his question and he understood.

"Okay listen, don't panic...I mean listen to me." he said.

I continued sobbing and gasping for breath. But deep down I felt relief that he is there, even if he hated me and I hate him. 

"Ok!! On count of three breathe in and out with me okay?" his voice was shaking.

"hmmm" that was the least I could speak now.

"Aarohi, breathe in..." he did the action and I repeated it along with him.

"And hold"

"And breathe out" he did and I repeated his action.

There was something special and soothing in his voice when he said my name, and when he said to repeat after him. He continued doing that and soon almost after fifteen minute I was able to calm down. I heard footsteps receding. I opened the door and came out and looked around and saw Ishaan was nowhere. I washed my face, looked at my eyes which were bloodshot red due to crying. I took my handkerchief and soaked the water from my face.