Beta || Liam Dunbar || ON HOLD

5

Adriana.

I had now been at the school for two weeks. I had made new friends, gotten an 'audition' for the lacrosse team and Liam was still cocky as ever. I sat in my chemistry class, the second last period of the day and Liam was being unusually quiet.

"Liam...?" I muttered quietly as the teacher spoke and he looked up at me. "Are you okay?" I asked softly and he took a deep breath, closing eyes and nodding before resting his head back in his arms.

There was a sudden loud knock on the door and Mrs. Kerr walked to the classroom door, opening it to reveal Scott and Stiles - two of Liam's friends. "Hey! Liam's gotta go to the principles office!" Stiles burst out and Scott nodded quickly, looking at Liam nervously.

I looked at Liam, seeing him breathing heavily as he began to stand up. "No, I need a note from the principle. You two are always bailing your friends out of classes. Get a note and he can leave." I watched as Scott's face fell.

The teacher closed the door on the two boys and I heard them running down the hall. I looked back to Liam, nibbling my lip as I watched him shake slightly as he let out a breath, sitting down again.

I stood up from my seat and walked to the teacher's desk. "Could I speak to you outside please?" She looked at me before nodding and we both stepped out of the classroom, her raising her eyebrows at me questioningly.

"Miss, I think Liam is having a panic attack of some sort. I'm not just saying this to get him out of class. I used to get panic attacks a lot and I think this is one, just please let him out." I spoke and she sighed. "I think he might have texted Scott to come and get him out.. i'm being serious."

"Liam!" She called into the class motioning for him to come out. "Go with him, make sure he's okay." I nodded at her words and Liam stepped out of the classroom, sweat rolling down his forehead, "Liam, go outside with Adriana." She spoke and he nodded, not saying anything as he began to walk down the hallway, stumbling slightly.

I bit my lip and wandered after him, pushing the front door open for him and he took a deep breath as we stepped outside. "Give me your phone." He gave me a confused look before handing me his phone and sitting down on the front steps, burying his head in his hands.

I quickly unlocked his phone due to his lack of a password and instantly went to the contacts, scrolling down until I found 'Scoot McCall'. I pressed the call button and raised the phone to my ear. "Liam! Listen man we're going to the principle's office now! We'll get you out, I prom-"

"He's out." I cut off Scott's words and he let out a confused noise from the other side of the phone. "I got the teacher to let us out. We're at the front of the school. Hurry." I spoke before hanging up.

I placed the phone in my pocket, holding it because I don't think Liam really cares about his phone right now.

I dropped down on my knees on the step in front of him. He had his arms crossed over and rested on his knees that were pulled up against his chest and his head way buried in his arms. "Liam.." I whispered softly.

I raised my hands and rested my palm on his arm. His head shot up at my touch and he gave me a confused look. "You're okay." I spoke and he shook his head, sweat dripping down his face. "You're alright," I said again and he looked into my eyes, panting slightly.

"Hey." I spoke again and he looked over my face before stopping on my eyes yet again. I sat up so I was still on my knees but I was kneeling straight. I moved my hands to his face and he flinched at my touch.

He tried to move away but I just brushed my fingers across his cheeks. "You're in control Liam." I attempted to convince him and he shook his head harshly, running his hands through his hair and stopping before tugging at his hair harshly.

I took his hands from his hair, holding onto his wrists as I pressed his hands to my chest. He looked at me like I was crazy and I just kept his gaze, keeping my breathing steady. "Focus on my breathing, mirror my breathing." I spoke and I watched as his eyes flickered shut and his chest started moving slower. "You've got this."

I kept a soft grip on his wrists as his breathing returned to normal and he kept his eyes closed as I looked over him. His hair was sticking to his forehead from him sweating and his shirt had darkened slightly at the neckline and under his arms. "You're in control." I whispered softly.

His eyes fluttered open and he stared at me, his mouth hanging open slightly as he breathed heavily, still copying my breathing. I tried my hardest to keep calm, knowing that if I panicked, he would too.

We stayed staring at each other for a while before he suddenly ripped his hands from my grip. I was shocked by his actions but before I could even react fully he had wrapped his arms tightly around me and had pulled me to him. "Thank you." He muttered into my hair.

"No problem." I smiled slightly, resting my chin on his shoulder and wrapping one arm around him, the other playing with his hair. This must look really weird if anyone seen this. He was sweating like mad and I was sitting on his lap, petting his hair.

The door then burst open, revealing Scott and Stiles. I felt Liam's heart beat against my chest at the sudden noise but I just continued to play with his hair, calming him down as best I could. "That was seriously as fast as you could get here?" I asked sarcastically as Liam's fingers pulled at the bottom of my shirt. He was trying to distract himself from the world and that was fine with me.

"Sorry, we were, whoo!" Stiles let out a loud whooping noise as he leaned over, resting his hands on his knees as he panted. "We were across the school and had to run here, I'm not athletic." He explained and I just nodded, looking at the two boys over Liam's shoulder.

"Is he alright?" Scott's calm voice spoke and I looked to him, nodding slightly, continuing to move my fingers in a circular motion in Liam's hair, feeling him breathing hotly into my neck.

"Yeah, I think so." I answered and Liam's fingers dug into me slightly, making me wince but I ignored the urge to slap him off, knowing that he was calming down.

"How did you know how to calm him down?" Scott asked curiously as he watched us with careful eyes, looking over my actions as I kept a pattern, silently convincing Liam to focus on it instead of whatever made him freak out.

"I used to have panic attacks all the time when my mom died." I answered and Stiles looked at me when I said this, curiosity playing in his eyes. "My dad always helped me through them, I guess I just picked it up from him." I answered and Liam began to move his head from my neck. "Hey.." I smiled at him as I moved my face from his shoulder. "You alright?" He took another heavy breath before nodding, smiling at me with a closed mouth.

He moved his arms from around me and I took my hand out of his hair, slipping out of his light grasp and standing beside Stiles as Scott walked to Liam, placing his hands on his shoulders as he looked over the younger boy's facial expression.

"I'm sorry your mom died." Stiles spoke from beside me and I looked to him. "Mine too.. it was a while ago but I got panic attacks too." He smiled softly and I nodded at his words. "Thank you for helping Liam." I just nodded again, a slight smile on my face.

"No problem.." I debated whether or not to ask what had caused it but I decided not to. If Liam wanted to tell me, he would tell me, not Stiles. I looked back to the boy still sitting on the steps and squatted down in front of him again. "Hi."

"Hey." His smile was light, but still adorable.

"I want you to know that i'm here for you okay? If this happens again you can always come to me," I smiled at him and he nodded, showing his teeth. "Remember. Keep your breathing calm, focus on someone you love, don't panic." I whispered and he nodded. "Oh!"

I slipped my hand into my pocket and gripped onto his phone, pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to him. "You're okay, Liam. Remember that," He nodded at my words, taking his phone back from me.

"Thank you again, Adriana." I nodded at Liam's words and smiled at him "I'll catch you later." He spoke as I stood up and I smiled, knowing that was our 'goodbye'.

"Catch you later." I waved goodbye.