The Night Hides Scars >> Kellic A.U.

Chapter 7

Because those were the last words I heard cross Vic Fuentes' lips before I slammed our front door in his face.

My feet subconsciously carried me backward as everything in my heart, mind, and soul told me to get as far away from there as possible. As I shuffled back, my eyes refused to leave the door. I could hear him shouting my name, begging me to open the door again. For so long I felt as if I needed to hear his voice again, and now that I had, I wished I hadn't.

My hands brushed over surfaces that I forgot were there and I felt objects get pushed to the floor as I tried to stabilize myself. Glass was shattered and papers were scattered, but I still couldn't quite get a grip on reality. Finally, my back hit the wall and I fell to the floor.

My breaths were coming and going in ragged gasps. My eyes screwed themselves tightly shut as I realized that this particular anxiety attack wouldn't be very simple to "overcome", especially not alone.

The entire universe felt like it was closing in around me and I pulled my legs up to my chest, burying my face into my knees. I tried my hardest to block out everything. The noises, as well as the thoughts that ran through my head. Everyone suffers through anxiety attacks differently. I always felt as if I couldn't breathe. As if the world was ending and I couldn't do anything except sit back and watch. It made me feel empty and helpless. And helplessness was one of the worst feelings in the world. At least to me it was.

My attention was brought back forthwith by the sound of our front door opening, causing me to whip my head up. It was then I remembered that I didn't lock the door. Vic pushed the door open and cautiously stepped inside. His gaze flitted around the room rather urgently before it finally fell upon me, curled tightly in a ball on the floor.

At the mere sight of him, my gasps for air turned into desperate cries. I was practically wheezing and, damn, after five years of not seeing the love of my life, this definitely wasn't how I had imagined we'd ever see each other again. Because I never thought we would.

Vic rushed to my side and knelt down on one knee in front of me, causing me to scramble back farther towards the wall. However, each time I moved, he came with me. If there was any possible way for me to blend into a surface, now would be a great time to be one with the wall.

"You're... dead." Agonizing heaves forced me to pause after every word. "This... can't... be... real." I inhaled sharply as I violently shook my head and tried to move away from him once more. Somewhat as expected, he inched forward, as well.

After I said that, Vic uttered a really nervous, almost hysterical chuckle. "Haha... yea..." My eyes widened even more than they were if that were physically possible, and my next already-labored breath resembled more of a dying cat.

Attractive, Kellin. Very attractive.

"Okay, alright. Kellin, I need you to tell me where your inhaler is." He gave me one of the worst fake smiles I've seen in my lifetime, but it was the thought that counted. I shook my head again, trying to tell him no without having to use the quickly depleting air from my lungs.

"No inhaler?" He paused as if I was going to respond this time, which I didn't. "Well, that presents a little problem, doesn't it?" He whispered a bit apprehensively. His eyes traveled lightly to the floor as if he were thinking about something.

Suddenly his gaze whipped up to meet mine. Hope was glistening in his irises as a gentle smile found its way across his lips.

"I have an idea. When I was... away..." He paused anxiously. Now this was an interesting development, in my mind. "One of the men that were with me, he had anxiety as well, and he always had this method of trying to cope with his frequent attacks. I think he called it grounding himself? It looks and sounds a little weird, but it worked. And it's all I've got."