Butterflies

Attack

I tapped her lips, signaling that I needed her to open her mouth. She glanced up at Shawn who gave her a reassuring smile. "Honey, can you open for me?" I asked. She slowly opened up her mouth, closing her eyes at the same time. I used my mirror and explorer to scan her teeth and check for spots of decay. "Looks like good teeth runs in the family" I said. She seemed to relax a bit, hearing that I was pleased with what I was seeing.

I started to clean her teeth and for the most part, she was very still. Shawn kept holding her hand and rubbing her arms, reminding her that everything is okay. Every once and awhile, I would glance up to see Shawn looking at me. He would just smile then put his focus back on Aaliyah. It gave me those same butterflies that I had earlier.

After awhile, I finished the exam. "Okay Aaliyah, you are doing amazing. I just need Dr. Stevens to come in and do a final check then you are good to go." I exclaimed, raising the chair to it's upright position. Her face dropped and a terrified expression took over her body.

"Wait, why can't you do it?" she asked. The nerves started to bubble up inside of her once again. I explained that I am just a hygienist and why it is important that Dr. Stevens checks her too. She started to fill back up with fear.

"Hey, he isn't available for a few more minutes so you don't need to worry now. Besides, he is super nice and everyone loves him." I said.

"Yah, he checked my teeth a few days ago and I like him." Shawn chimed in. Aaliyah thought to herself for a second but her nerves weren't fading. I could tell how anxious she was.

I turned to the computer to update her file but was stopped when I heard her start to breath heavy. Her cheeks were all pink and tears started to form in her eyes.

"Hey, Aaliyah. Everything is okay, you are going to be fine." Shawn said, leaning in to hug her. Just as he said that, she broke down and started to sob into his shoulder. Her breathing was splotchy and it didn't sound normal.

"I think she is having an anxiety attack." Shawn whispered, hugging her even tighter. She continued to cry and gasp for air and her body started to shake and turn white. We both tried to calm her down but it was useless. She couldn't stop and her body was in a panic.

After a few minutes, her sobs had started to subside and we were sitting there in silence. Shawn still had his arms wrapped around her. Every once and awhile we would hear a sniffle but she was calming down. We talked to her and reassured her that everything was fine. She could take as long as she needed. The pigmentation in her skin was starting to come back. I gave her a cup of water and wrapped the blanket around her again.

"Honey, are you okay now?" Shawn asked. She nodded and leaned back, unraveling herself from Shawn's grip. He laid back down and held her hands up to her forehead, taking deep breaths to steady her breathing. We waited a little longer until we noticed that she had returned to normal. She seemed to be deep in thought so Shawn and I made the unspoken decision to not bug her. I turned back around to my computer and started working on her file.

"I think I can do it" I heard a little voice whisper. Both Shawn and I turned our heads. "I think I am ready for Dr. Stevens" Aaliyah said, trying to be brave.

I ran out of the room and paged him, hoping he would come quickly before she could change her mind. I took a seat back in the swivel chair and started to prepare the tools again.

Shawn was telling her about how well she was going just as there was a knock on the door. Dr. Stevens came in with his ginormous smile and took a seat across from me.

"You must be Aaliyah" he said.
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sorry this chapter wasn't very good. it was more of a filler chapter. i hope you all are liking the book so far. i am very excited to continue writing and furthermore form the romance between Shawn and Rachel. if you have any suggestions, please comment them or message me. don't forget to vote!
- thegirlygirl100