The Stranger I Met

We are not the only one

" Two things." Naisha says taking a sip of her second glass of champagne." How did he know that you are claustrophobic?" Putting my glass down, I turn towards the dressing table to grab a hairband." I really don't know." I answer in the middle of my activity.

I pull my hair up into a pony. My eyes come to rest at a dark red spot on my neck." Hey!" I exclaim, touching it. I slowly realize what it really is and smile to myself.

" Is that a hickey?" Naisha shrieks. I nod a little, still smiling while staring at the reflection of my neck." Wow, someone went way too fast!" She giggles.

I turn towards her and feel my cheeks getting warm." Will you cut it out." I say." Sure, sure. Let's get back to what I was asking. How did he know that you are claustrophobic? Does Molly know? " I give it some thought and then shake my head.

" No-one, except my mom and now you, knows about it. One of the reasons being that I hadn't had this kind of attack since I was 8." I look at her. She downs the last sip left in her glass and puts it away.

" Would you tell me what happened?" She looks at me, pleadingly." Of course, why not." I breathe in, thinking about the memory." It happened when I was five. I was running around the house, looking for my ballet shoes. I went to the basement, I don't remember correctly why, but I did.

I came across this room which had my name written on it in silver. I got really excited and went inside. It was a quite small store room containing boxes of my old shoes and clothes.

I couldn't find my ballet shoes there as well so I decided to search somewhere else, but I could not open the door. Maybe it got locked or maybe I was really small and couldn't apply enough force. Or maybe the hinges were too rusty.

Whatever it was, I got stuck in that small room for around 22 hours. It was horrible. I still remember how I felt that there was no air left in the room and I was choking painfully. It felt as if the walls were closing up on me and it would crush me."

A cold shiver ran throughout my body thinking about it.

" My dad was not home that time and mom thought that I was at Molly's, where I usually would be. Finally, when dad returned, he found me and got me out of the room. I don't know what happened after but we all never talked about that incident again. Until-"

I realize my hands have gone cold and the only thing preventing me from hyperventilating is Naisha's warm hands.

I take a deep breath," Until one day, when I was 8, mom and I decided to play hide and seek. I went and hid inside this wooden chest kept in mom's room but as soon as I closed it, it felt as if the darkness started devouring me. Every single ounce of the fear came rushing back to me and I started screaming for help.

My mom came and got me out of it. That is when we found the impact that my hours in the room had left on me. My mom explained to me what it was and how I was supposed to stay away from closed places. That is exactly what happened in the lift.

As soon as the lights got dim, it all came back, giving me a whiplash." I shudder. Naisha smiles at me warmly." And we both know what happened after." She teases, lifting the seriousness hanging over us. I chuckle." Yes, we know that. Maybe he saw it on my face, that could be possible." I say.

" Maybe." She whispers." Well then let's go to number two. What did he mean when he said that he had wanted to do it for so long." Before I can answer, my phone rings. I smile seeing Jason's name flashing on it. I pick the phone and turn it towards Naisha.

" I know someone who can clear that up." I wink and answer the phone.

" Hey!"

" Hi!" His smooth, composed voice hits me. Even though it had been only an hour since we separated, I am still aching for his touch. I calm myself down and answer back.