Finding Paris

Winging It

Finding Paris

Chapter Eleven: Winging It

"What are you on?" Jared asked harshly through my tears. I could tell he was still angry at me from the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes. I could not blame him either, although I could not be sure whether he was angry from what transpired tonight or from what happened in the train station. I do appreciate, however, that he went after the crook when I needed him despite the fact that he probably wanted to strangle me.

Although, he probably did what he did because Madame's letter which mentioned his stay at the camp were with me- in my stolen bags.

"I don't know," I blubbered still not knowing that I was going to regret this on the later days to come, "Maybe whatever was in that brownie hasn't worn off yet."

"It's either that or you're actually an escaped mental patient," he commented, evidently pissed off.

I wiped my nose on the sleeve of my shirt, not really caring about getting it filthy anymore. This is just stupid. How could I have been so dumb? Okay, I needed to calm down. There was no use crying in this situation. Tears were going to get me nowhere. I just need to sit still and assess the situation for a moment.

I was sitting on the filthy ground after getting thrown out of my supposed destination. I was not getting into the Summer Ballet. Lizette has stolen my spot and I now have no way of proving Madame Devereux's words! I have also lost all of my belongings apparently because we had gotten mugged due to my stupidity. And now, I was stuck with this angry dude who I had only just met days ago.

We had nothing, nowhere to go, and noone we know. We were definitely screwed... all because of me. This was all my fault. How did I manage to single-handedly cause this calamity?

I started hyperventillating.

"Shit!" Jared cursed, peering down at me in concern and annoyance as I gasped for breath like a fish out of water, "What's happening to you now?"

"I-Can't-Gasp-Breathe," I managed to choke out, barely coherent.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked me seriously in alarm.

I only shook my head. I had no idea what they'd do to me in a hospital and we sure had no idea on how to find a hospital at this hour.

"I can't have you dying on me now!" he spat out in panic, fanning his fingers uselessly in front of my face. I would have laughed out loud at the look on his face had I not been fighting for oxygen and dear life. Jared then looked around as though the solution might magically appear from somewhere.

"Okay," he said, calming himself and taking control of the situation. Jared took both of my hands in his and scooted close to me, "Emma, look at me."

Was I hallucinating? Did Jared just call me by my real name?

I looked at him, my lungs aching for some oxygen. His bright green eyes were staring straight at me. I had been with the boy a few days now, but moments like these where his beauty still catch me off guard are still not scarce. He was truly insanely handsome, even that registers in my brain as I wheeze for survival.

"You need to calm down, okay? Listen to me and do not break eye contact. Take a deep breath and follow the my voice. Do not panic. Everything will be okay. Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in..."

By some miracle, it actually worked. My breathing started to regulate itself as I let the sound of his voice carry me away while keeping my eyes locked with his unusually deep ones.

"I'm okay," I whispered, "I'm okay now."

A slow smile crept up Jared's face in relief, a genuine smile and not a smirk. I marvelled at how his smile reached his eyes and I swear, in that moment, he could not have looked more beautiful. It literally took my breath away. In that instant, he looked almost ...kind and nice, the sort of boy who would come visit with your parents and save cats from trees.