of all the stars

c21

content warning: panic attack

————————

As Acacia and Ki drove to school on Friday, the rain was pouring.

Ki noticed this was probably the first storm she had seen in the morning. It was really odd.

As they pulled into the parking lot, everyone was running out of their cars and into the front doors of the school. No gossiping in people's parking spots on this fine morning.

"Why does the weather always go to shit in October? Like most places at least get until like Halloween, but nope not here! Here it's like... 'oh welcome back to school kids put on your layers and grab an umbrella!'"Acacia grumbled as they pulled into Ki's designated spot towards the back row.

"Yeah well, not much we can do about it." Ki put the jeep into park and unplugged her phone from the aux.

"Still... we should get like mercy days. If it's raining too hard we should get a day off of school."

"Like a snow day?" Ki laughed.

"Yep. A rain day." Acacia affirmed as she grabbed her backpack from the floorboard.

"That's ridiculous Acacia." Ki opened her door.

"No it's not. Kids could get in just as many accidents in the rain as they could in the snow." Acacia got out of the car at the same time.

Accident.

It stuck out in her head. Ki tried to shake it away.

Stop it. I just got to school! Not now.

"Yeah I guess." Ki responded quietly, closing the drivers door, and opening the one behind it.

As Ki reached into the back seat to grab her backpack she felt a wave of panic.

Stop. Please. Not now.

"I mean honestly. It's actual torture to walk all the way through the parking lot while it's pouring." Acacia continued. "Like my shoes are wet and my hair will be wavy again by the time we get inside."

Ki shut the back door, but it seemed more like a slam. She winced and slid a backpack strap over her shoulder. The rain was pouring down, she was certain they would be drenched by the time they reached the front door.

But right now Ki didn't really focus on that. Her mind was going in a million other ways. Telling her a million other things. Making her freak the fuck out.

Ki took a deep stifled breath.

Come on. Please. Please. Go away.

Acacia was walking in front of her, covering up her head by holding her backpack over it. Ki was just letting the rain fall directly on top of her, letting it dampen her hair, letting it drench her clothes, letting it drip down her face to mask the tears she was forming in the corners of her eyes.

It wasn't helping. Ki was shaking. Whether it was from the cold rain or from her brain screaming at her, Ki couldn't stop.

"Stop. Just stop. Calm down." She whispered out loud, trying to talk herself out of it.

But then she started crying. Ki hated when it got this far. When she started crying, it was almost impossible to stop. She knew it wasn't just the rain anymore as her tears made her face feel warm, when the rain didn't.