IN TOO DEEP || Liam Dunbar [3]

FOUR

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BITCHES
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING, YOU'RE FUCKING WELCOME

Katherine had been woken up by Liam making a phone call and the sunlight shining through the curtains she'd forgotten to close the night before. Vaguely, she remembered eating a bit more and taking her pills before returning to crying into Liam's shoulder, and then she'd blinked and suddenly it was morning. He'd smiled apologetically at her but hadn't hung up, so she'd guessed it was Hayden.

They ended up eating toaster-Eggo's for breakfast, and then Liam had finished both of their dinners as well because apparently six waffles wasn't enough for him, and then she'd gone to change because she'd fallen asleep in her clothes from the day before.

When she came back they decided to just have a lazy day, which she was fine with because she honestly didn't feel like doing anything. They played Clue again and she won nearly every single game, and then they moved on to watching the TV show Bones so the two of them could make bets on whether or not Katherine could guess who the murderer was using Gummy Worms as payment. Ten episodes in, Liam had given up and they just watched the rest of the season and ate whatever candy they could find in the house.

As soon as 6 o'clock rolled around, Liam was nudging her up off the couch telling her to go get a sweater and shoes because they were going outside for a bit.

Which was exactly how she'd ended up going out for a walk with Liam and Hayden after dark, her wearing the same outfit she had to school that day with her hair loose down to her shoulders and her eyes unbelievably heavy. Apparently, Liam had read somewhere that fresh air helped people battling with depression, and he was seemingly so desperate to have her back to her normal self that he was willing to risk exercise, even with the way a simple jog had ended in their freshman year.

The air was cold on her cheeks, and her fingers were numb, but Katherine found herself enjoying the night air, even if her face didn't portray it. Liam was beside her with Hayden on his other side, the two of them exchanging worried glances as they approached the school and wandered out onto the lacrosse field so they could take a break. "Your ankle's okay and everything?" He asked her softly as they sat down in the grass.

Katherine just shrugged. "It's fine," she mumbled softly, dragging her fingertips over the frosty grass below her. "Thank you for asking, I really do appreciate it. Honestly, I don't—" she'd been about to tell him the honest truth — that she didn't feel much of anything these days, let alone physical pain — but had been interrupted by a sound one didn't often hear on a lacrosse field before she had the chance.

A horses neigh.

She was standing up and looking around, her body suddenly flooded with terror, even if she'd never been around a horse for a moment in her life.

Liam was on his feet in an instant and had her tightly in his arms before Hayden was even on her feet. "You need to breathe, Kat," he murmured gently, his hand rubbing her back in a soothing manor.

But she couldn't breathe, because that itching in the back of her head was growing stronger now, and it felt like she was remembering something.

Maybe I have seen horses before...

"No, I'm not having a panic attack, Liam," she whispered, looking at him with furrowed brows. "You mean you...you didn't hear that?"

The two looked at each other, confused, before looking back to her. "Hear what?" Hayden asked softly.

For unknown reasons, she felt her stomach drop.

And then the realization hit her like a tidal wave.