Strawberry Cake 🍰

Quiet Attack

          “ Pokie! Please come down from there, I'm gonna be late!! ”

          My beautiful, ( yet stubborn ) Calico cat looked down at me from the shelf with her emerald eyes tauntingly.

        I glanced at the clock which read 8:05 - exactly five minutes ago, I should've been in my first class at WolfWood University, but my mischievous cat Pokie had other plans in mind.

       “ Come on, Pokie! Just jump! ” I plead.

        She meows in response and leaps unsurely, landing perfectly onto the counter.

       “ Don't get into anymore trouble, okay cat? Keep the house nice, or else! ” I shout clutching my brown leather bag and heading out the door.

        Since I know you're wondering, YES. I do talk to my cat...and if you're being honest with yourself- everyone does. In my defense, she's a really good listener, but that's besides the point.

       The car that I drive is an extremely unique purple Mazda that my Aunt Yuna gave me when I turned 18 three years ago. People always comment on it, but I love the old thing anyway. It always gets me where I need to go.

       After arriving on campus, I rush into my first class of the day, Literature 1-4.

        I run down the empty halls of Yuseong Coliseum, turning left and right until I reach door 315, peeing hesitantly into the window, only to see everyone sitting quietly while listening to the professor.

      
          I can feel my hands grip the straps of my bag tighter, slowly becoming hot and clammy, as my mind starts to wander off on it's own.

         ' Oh no. This most certainly is not good... I mean, if I walk in there right now, and then everyone looks at me and I get in trouble and- '

           I was seriously considering just skipping the class and waiting until the next, but I knew I was thinking unreasonably. I was already here, right?

        Okay, I admittedly have some anxiety issues, but this is a real problem, I'm telling you! Anyone would be nervous of walking into class late, right?

          I feel my stomach clench. I run to the bathroom and lock myself in one of the stalls, my breathing shaky and hitched.

           ' No no no no no...... this couldn't possibly be happening now, not here- I can't be having a panic attack now. ' I thought fearfully.

            
          Whenever I have these panic attacks, they are usually subconsciously triggered, and they start with a slight discomfort in my stomach, and then the ugly roots spread all over my body, strangling my heart and lungs in a thick rope of fire, and pulling apart my back with force.

           I felt all of my unsurfaced thoughts bubble up, reminding me of everything. I begin to cry, which makes the fear and pain even worse.

          I remember what my therapist said, and tried to calm down my heart and breathing, but I knew deep down I'd just have to wait.

       ' Come on come on! You're so stupid!! You're making it worse, if you would've just left the house earlier none of this would be happening!! No wonder no one likes you- '

        It's always been like this for me.. I think things that are not myself thinking, but I believe it. And I listen and I worry. I think this all started when I was about 13 or so, and from then on it just...hasn't stopped.

        I feel my back give out as I take a painfully deep inhale, satisfying my thirst for air.

         My body was now dripping with tired anxiousness. The fuming sweat that burned my skin beginning to cool down.

      It was over.

  Just then, the class period bell sounded throughout the halls, only to be followed by the bustle of students exiting their class for the two hour break before the next class.

      I heard the sound of highheels walking into the bathroom- multiple pairs.

    " Just give me a second girls, I need to reapply. Oh- and did you hear Juyong? You're ex boyfriend's brother is coming to WolfWood, and I heard he's drop dead hot. "

      I heard a sarcastic scoff. " No way? If you think you are going to have a chance with that stud, you're stupid. I've met him, and he has pretty high standards. "

     I heard a soft spritz of perfume, smelling the petrifying overfuming smell of fruit.

     " Well, it's not like I'm that interested, but literally everyone's talking about it- oh oh oh! And, he's " supposedly an upcoming idol in this new group~ "

     The gossip filled murmers dull down as they leave the bathroom, me stiffly getting up and going out to wash my hands.

      I wonder who this handsome "stud" could be?

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     AN

         Yay! Chapter 1 is finally complete! What do you think so far reader? She seemed so happy and simple at first, right? Wrong. Turns out she's a two sided moon. Thanks for reading!

            - Coffee🍰