The Space Between us

3

Chapter Three: Breathe

The hallways felt like a maze, but Eden had long since memorized the path to her next class. Still, with each step, the weight of the morning-the push, the looks, the silence from her ex-best friend-pressed down harder on her chest.

By the time she entered her second-period class, she felt like she was suffocating. The classroom was warm, the air thick with the low murmur of students finding their seats. She quickly made her way to her usual spot near the back, a desk by the window where she could avoid eye contact and lose herself in the pages of her notebook.

The teacher began with attendance, the sound of names being called almost drowning out the pounding in her ears. Eden focused on her breathing, willing herself to ignore the knot in her stomach, to push aside the rising tide of panic clawing at her insides. She was fine. She could handle this.

But with every minute that passed, the feeling of being trapped deepened. Her heartbeat thudded in her chest, louder and louder, until it drowned out the teacher's voice entirely. Her hands shook slightly as she gripped the edge of her desk, trying to steady herself. Her vision blurred, and the world around her felt too close, too loud, too much.

It wasn't just the moment with her ex-best friend or the shove from the guy. It was everything-the constant weight of the grief, the isolation, the loneliness she carried around every day like an anchor.

Her breath came faster, shallow and quick, like she couldn't get enough air. The edges of her vision grew darker, and she felt the overwhelming urge to stand up, to get out, to escape.

Her hand shot up without thinking, her voice shaky as she managed to get out the words.

"Can I use the restroom?"

The teacher barely glanced up from her notes but nodded, and Eden didn't wait for another second. She bolted from her seat, rushing out of the classroom before anyone could say anything.

The hallways felt impossibly long, the students and their chatter blending into an indistinguishable buzz as she made her way toward the nearest exit. She didn't even bother to grab her backpack-it was just something else to weigh her down. All she needed was to get outside, to feel the air on her face and try to push back the chaos inside her mind.

When she pushed open the door to the courtyard, the cool breeze hit her like a splash of cold water. She leaned against the brick wall, pulling her hands into the sleeves of her sweater as she closed her eyes.

For a long moment, she stood there, just trying to breathe. Her chest ached, each breath coming in jagged, uneven gasps. She fought the urge to break down completely, but the walls she'd built around herself were crumbling with every passing second.

It wasn't just today-it wasn't just her ex-best friend or the push from the guy. It was everything, all the things she had never said, all the grief and anger and loneliness that had been festering inside of her for so long.

Before she even realized it, the tears were falling. Warm streaks down her cheeks, each one a reminder of how overwhelmed she was, how she couldn't keep it together anymore.

She wiped her eyes quickly, but more followed. She wasn't sure if she was trying to stop the tears or just hoping they'd give her some release from the tightness in her chest.

"Are you okay?"

Eden froze, the voice cutting through the fog of her thoughts. She didn't have to look to know who it was. Josh.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly wiped her face, attempting to hide the tears, but it was useless. She wasn't fooling anyone-not even herself.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper, thick with emotion. She didn't want to look at him, didn't want him to see her like this.

Josh didn't move at first, but his presence felt steady, like he was waiting for her to say more. He didn't push her. Instead, he just stood there, silent and patient.

After a few moments, he spoke again, quieter this time.

"You don't have to hide, you know," he said softly. "It's okay to not be okay."

Eden's chest tightened at his words. She didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to believe that it was okay to break down, to let go, to not be in control all the time.

But for the first time, the idea of it-of not having to be strong-felt... comforting.

She didn't answer him right away. Instead, she took a shaky breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady herself. She wasn't okay, but maybe, just maybe, it was okay to admit it.

"I just..." She trailed off, her voice faltering. She didn't know how to explain it. How could she?

Josh's voice was gentle. "You don't have to explain anything. I get it."

Eden's gaze finally lifted, meeting his eyes. There was something in his expression, something in the way he was looking at her that made her feel like, for the first time in a long time, someone actually understood.

And for just a moment, she let herself feel it. The weight on her chest, the pressure that had been building for so long-it didn't feel as heavy with him standing there.

She didn't say anything more. There were no words that would make this better, no magic cure for the storm inside her. But in that moment, it was enough to know that someone, at least one person, saw her.

Eden took a deep breath, wiped the last of the tears away, and stood up straighter. The chaos inside her didn't go away, but maybe, for once, she didn't have to carry it alone.