[DISCONTINUED] ❝Ante Mortem❞ 【Sally Face】

【xviii ; the park】

You head to the elevator, now wishing that the building had stairs too in case you were trying to rush somewhere. The elevator doors open, too slow for your liking. You force yourself inside, still breathing heavily.

It doesn't take more than a minute to get to the ground floor, but being alone a minute longer makes you more scared, that the voice will come back.

The doors open, and you stumble out, nearly falling onto the floor.

"Oh god, finally, you're here." Larry groans. "We've been waiting here for twenty minutes!"

"I-I wasn't that long." You try to scoff, but you merely sway before trying to steady yourself. They give you concerned looks, heading towards you.

"Are you okay?" Sal asks, eyes rich in concern as he stares at you.

"I-I'm fine, I'm just-" You take a deep breath, trying to stop yourself from having breakdown. You look back up at them, smiling shakily, "Just got a bit claustrophobic."

"Oh, I see." Larry sighs in relief, patting your shoulder with a laugh, "I thought you found that someone's out to kill you or something!"

"No one would." You say, crossing your arms. Though you shudder under his words, wondering if that was the case.. was it? You shake your head at the thought, forcing a smile as you say. "Well then, where are we going?"

"While you were taking your sweet time, Sally Face and I went and decided that we go to the park." Larry tells you, now heading out of the building. You follow after, not wanting to be left behind. "I went and texted the others if they're free, Todd checked in on Gab and both of them don't feel like going, Selene couldn't go since she's helping out at the cafe, Liam, Ash, and Mina are free, though."

"Well, let's go then!" You exclaim, following them across the street. You hum happily, before a bright idea spark in your mind- yet it's stopped by a heavy feeling of dread. You suddenly have a hard time breathing, your ragged breaths heard by your two companions.

"Y/N, are you okay?" Sal asks, frowning as he places a hand on your shoulder. You shake your head, pressing against your chest as you try to regain your breathing.

You look up, eyes wide. This place is familiar.

You watch as a car speeds by, and a memory from earlier flashes at your mind, seeing Sal hit by the same you just saw car.

"Y/N, Y/N- look at me." Sal says, gripping your shoulders and forcing you too look up at him. You do, your eyes wide in fear as your tremble in his grasp. "Breathe in, come on, you can do this."

You breath comes in short spurts, and you try to inhale as much as you can within your close proximity. As your heart beat starts to calm down, as does you breathing, and you hear the boys beside you let out a sigh of relief.

"You scared us there, Y/N." Larry frowns as Sal lets go of you, letting you breathe and calm down further. "Maybe we should just go home."

"N-No, I'm fine!" You exclaim, surprising the both of them. You smile at them in apology, repeating, "I'm fine, I'm fine, sorry for ruining the day for you guys."

"It's alright, but are you sure you're fine?" Sal asks, his voice showing his concern. You nod at them, smiling even. He squints his eyes at you.

"I'm sure."

"Let's go then." Larry holds onto your shoulder, just in case you have another episode. You smile at his concern, following them to the park. Another five minutes of walking and you get there, seeing Ash, Mina, and Liam wave at you three.

"What took you guys so long?" Liam asks, crossing his arms.

"Nothing, Y/N took long in showering." Larry crosses his arms at you, causing you to laugh.

"Oh shut up you!"

"Anyway, come sit! Mina brought sandwiches." Ash tells you guys, putting her hand on her chest as she sighs, "She's a fucking goddess."

Getting to the bench, you indeed see Mina with a basket, with her smiling bashfully as her eyes squint happily.

"I thought it would be a nice idea, I like the camping we had that other night." She says, giggling a bit. "I made a lot of sandwiches because my mom helped me, she was so happy that I would be going out with a couple of friends."

"Well, you have us to thank!" Liam laughs, claping his hands in delight. "Now, open up that picnic basket, I'm starving!"

"Gab should've been here." Larry snickers. "Imagine he would be squealing and fanboying right now."

"Who the fuck said I wouldn't be here, Pinocchio?!"

They turn, seeing Todd with Gab, who has his arms crossed. He suddenly smiles, waving happily at them, "Hi! I'm Gabriel Estrada Santiago!"

"Hello, nice to meet you, I'm-"

"No no no, let me guess!" Gab says, clapping his hands together. He points at Mina, saying, "You have a mask, you have short hair, your eyes are narrow, you're Mina?"

"Yes, that is me!"

"And you!" He points at Ash, who smugly smiles and crosses her arms, "Long hair, choker, Ash?"

"He's good." Ash points at him, laughing. Larry smirks as Gab points at Liam, seeing his cheeks tinted pink.

"Eyepatch, messy hair, you're Liam." He says, making the forest haired boy smile.

"You're right." Liam chuckles. "Come on, you guys, Mina has sandwiches!"

"Heck yes! What spread? Cheese, peanut butter? Chocolate?" Gab asks, skipping over to Liam. As they go over snacks, you head over to Sal, snickering about your blind friend.

"He's so in love." You say, watching as Gab take a sandwich.

You don't notice Sal's eyes linger at you a bit longer, chuckling at what you thought was at Gab and Liam.

"Yeah, he is." He tells you, crossing his arms as he watches his friends be idiots.

He didn't know if he was referring to himself or to Gab, nonetheless he could feel himself smiling under the mask. He turns back to you, seeing you rummage through the picnic basket with an awe-filled face. He sighs a bit, wondering how everything changed since you came here.

He's grateful for you, though.