Fire Emblem: High School Years (High School AU) Freshman Year

I'm Here For You

Anna

I can't do this. I want to go home.

I shrunk down as if no one will see me if I did this. Why why why why why?

"Anna? Are you alright?" Mrs. Roth asked me.

I jerked at the sound of her voice. "I-I'm fine!" I choked out. Go away. Please don't look at me. English was the class that I didn't really feel any emotions in. I loved it, sure, but the fact that so many judgemental people were with me was enough to set me off. It was also the beginning of the day, so now my emotional state is going to be in shambles for the rest of the day.

"Anna, you look very pale." Mrs. Roth gave me a concerned look. "Do you need to go to the nurse?"

Stop talking to me. You're only drawing attention to me. Go away go away go away. "I'm fine! I promise!" My smile was forced and my eyes burned from holding back tears.

"If you say so..." She went back to her desk and continued with grading papers, occasionally looking up to see if I was still intact.

I buried my face in my book to hide my face. Stop staring stop staring stop staring. I can't do this. I want to go home. Please please please.

The bell rung. I should have been happy, but my heart dropped a million feet. I have to enter a crowd full of people. No no no no no...

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You ok, Ice Queen?" Katie asked me, a "worried" smile on her face.

I tore myself away from her. You're the last person I want to see. "I'm fine!" I whirled away and got as far away from her as possible.

As I was walking, someone stopped me. "U-uh excuse me? You left this in the room!" My classmate, Olivia, handed me my English folder.

My face was burning with tears and now embarrassment. "Oh! Th-thank you!" I took it from her.

Olivia smiled. "Y-you're welcome!"

I turned on my heels, looking down. I'm a mess... I can't do anything right...

"Anna?" Chrom saw me in the hallway. Great. I should have known I'd run into him. We always walk to Foods together. I looked up and the smile on his face immediately vanished. "...What happened?" He put an arm around me and hearded me away from the many students in the hallway.

"I don't know..." I really didn't. Something came over me this morning and I've been miserable since.

Chrom let out a breath and began to walk us into a different direction. "C'mon, I know where we can go to get some peace and quiet."

I tried to stop him. "N-no! We have to get to class!"

"You're more important than class right now. And Mrs. Woods will understand." He took me to the main office where the councilors and principal reside. What in Naga's name is he doing?

As soon as we came in, Mr. Exalt popped his head out of his office. "Chrom? What's wrong?" he asked. Chrom didn't say anything; he just gave his father a look and he immediately knew what to do. "The spare office is empty. I'll let your 3rd-hour teacher know where you two are and call your mother, Anna."

Before I could say anything, Chrom took me into the office and sat me down. "What happened?"

I wiped my tears with the sleeve of my shirt. "I-I don't know! I just started feeling this way and I don't know why!"

He began to rub my back. "This had to have started from something. Is there anything that has recently happened that you're stressed about?"

I stared down at my hands. "I guess the semester change and all..." I sniffled. "And people, and everything, and how I'm useless-"

"You're not useless." Chrom took me into his arms. "You're absolutely perfect and a very important person to me."

My arms were stiff and refused to move. I've gotten used to people hugging me over the years, as panic attacks were no new thing to me. For some reason, it's a first reaction for people to hug you or do some kind of affectionate gesture to comfort you. Most of the time, it was just that silly impulse, and no one really meant it. It only ever felt true with Mom.

However, this one felt...strange. A really good strange. Chrom and I have hugged before, but I felt strangely warm and comforted from this one.

"You're a very strong person, despite what your mind tells you," he said, breaking me from my trance. "I cannot express how untrue what you're saying is. If it wasn't for you: I would be failing Foods and so many of my other classes! Even Psychology, and we literally just started it a week ago! You're such a big help to me, to everyone!"

I clenched my fists. "I-it's hard for me to realize that! My mind isn't as simple as you think!" I cried. "I can't stop my brain from thinking all these thoughts and people only make it worse!"

Chrom shushed me and rubbed comforting circles on my back. "Shh...just stay calm. Take a deep breath. I know you have social anxiety and it's really, really hard for you to keep a level head around unfamiliar people. But, I'm always going to be here for you. I'm your friend, you know that?"

I didn't say anything. I just cried as he held me for what seemed to be an eternity. Everything felt numb. I would usually have a million thoughts running through my head, but my mind was completely blank. ...Bless whichever god gave him to me.

"...What have I done to deserve you?" I muttered.

"Absolutely nothing," he replied. "I often have to ask myself that. What have I done to deserve you? You're a really important person to me, Anna. Please, I can't watch my best friend be in so much pain."

What did he just call me? Does he really think of me that way? Are we really that much closer than I thought? Finally, I willed my arms to move, and I returned his embrace. "Thank you...for everything you've done for me... Thank you... I cannot say that enough."

"Shhh... Everything will be alright. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not ever."

*****

So yeah. This happened. There are times when purposely I base this story off of events that happen in my life, and then there are times when I do it without realizing. The first day of the second semester was great T_T. Anyway, all is good, now. For the most part. Being a teenager sucks. Thank you so much for reading and look forward to reading more!

Currently listening to: Relaxing Animal Crossing music