How to Deal with Anxiety ☹ a.f.i. • a.u.

9: "If love is an ocean, I'm beginning to sink."

Third Person

Though they would forever be tied together, the knot wasn't always so tight.

They didn't always sleep in each other's arms under the starlit sky. She never used to vent with him at the level she confesses now. He never used to care so much, in fact he hardly cared at all. About his actions, about his feelings, about her.

Her father used to drain bottles as so did he.

She used to keep her anxieties to herself in fear of burdening him more than whatever he was dealing with presently.

Little did she know that while she drowned her anxieties in tears, his were drowned in liquor.

He doesn't enjoy this aspect of his past, nor did he enjoy it when it was the present. He didn't know how to confess to her when he knew what she was dealing with.

She solemn ever spoke up, although she feared both her father and Ashton's drunken states. She feared for them as much as she was afraid of them. She never asked to her father or her friend to stop, because she knew it was their therapy.

However, every deep rooted tree has its snapping point, no matter how firm it's foundation.

After one terrifying week, all three of them decided to change how they dealt with their anxieties. Only sixteen, the pair of friends decided on their futures in that week.

She spoke up more, now afraid of keeping quiet. Her father feared for her and slowly the bottles were emptied less. Ashton, wracked with guilt over the whole ordeal, promised her he'd care for her, be there for her, love her. He didn't want to lose, scare, or hurt her any longer.

The two became closer, her, being anxious at the mere thought of being alone after what happened, hardly ever slept without him. He always texted, called, and talked to her, needing to know she was okay all the time.

He began to love her in a way he didn't think a person like him would be capable of. After what he had done, could she love him in the future?

He simply held on to the hope that she, one day, would look at him the same way.

After all, his new therapy was her.

Ashton

"So," I nudge my best friend as we rushed out of our last hour, "How did it go?"

In reality, I knew exactly how it went as I had learned to read her like an open book. Her smile all through fourth and fifth hour didn't make it any less obvious to me that Hemmings had said yes, boosting her self esteem at a skyrocketing rate, which angered me. He could say one sentence and make her entire fucking year when I spend every moment I can telling her she's loved and she's stunningly beautiful. She doesn't believe me.

Still, I have to humor her as I could tell she is aching to tell me about it, as much as I was dreading the confirmation.

"He was so nice, Ash. Like, I was so fucking awkward and shaky but he just like, smiled at me. Yeah he's my date to prom, Luke Hemmings is my date to prom. I cannot believe it. I'm just-" She giggles, speaking so fast I almost couldn't keep up, her cheeks growing a deeper shade of crimson the longer she spoke.

As much as I hate her idolizing him, her smile makes my jealousy fade, and I nod, telling her I'm proud of her.

"You're precious. Of course he said yes, silly Kat." I roll my eyes, smirking at her playfully, causing her to blush again.