Panic Station

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

The time ticked slowly by as I sat on the edge of my bed, listening to the water running from the shower in the bathroom. A few times, I glanced down at the note in my hand, wondering whether or not I actually wanted to hear the answer to the question it held. 

My train of thought was broken by the water being shut off and moment later, Dan emerged wearing only a white towel around his waist. His dark hair had curled and water dripped pathetically from the tendrils. 

"Hey, man. What you got there?" He smirked as, I'm pretty sure once again, a blush crept up my neck, and I took a deep breath before handing the note over. I watched as his eyes scanned the messily crawled question, and I longed to snatch it back and make him forget about the whole incident. Ask him to forget that I even asked. 

But it was too late now, he'd looked up and was grinning down at me, as I was still perched on the edge of my already made bed. 

"I knew you'd drunken a lot, but you honestly don't remember anything?" He sounded mildly amused by the whole thing. I shook my head slowly, not wanting the headache to worsen. "Not a thing?" Again I shook my head and could've sworn I saw a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So you don't remember that girl? Well, if you count the other one, then really it's those girls. You don't remember them?" What? No ... What?! 

Dan raised an eyebrow before crossing the room to his own bed and rooting around the bedside table for some clothes. I watched him, wide-eyed, mind swimming with questions about these girls. What happened? What girls? I didn't know anyone, I ... I what?

Dan turned back to face me before walking back into the bathroom to change, leaving me terrified about what had aledgedly happened. But ... Surely if it was anything drastic, I'd like, know? Or isn't that how it worked? 

I was so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed him re-emerge from the bathroom, fully clothed and looking adorable, until he'd lowered himself onto the bed beside me.

"Are you alright, mate?" He asked, slight concern wavering his voice. All he received in return was a blank stare on my behalf. "You know I was joking, right? You stuck to my side like glue the entire night!" He laughed and gently punched my shoulder as my brain slowly absorbed this new information. So ... There weren't any girls? 

Wow, I was so confused.

"This one girl, Emma, she was really drunk and tried to kiss you, but you kind of shied away so she only got your cheek, but she was alright with that. I think she likes you, Phil." He winked and chuckled as I tore my eyes away from him trying to hide my blush. Although, I could've easily passed it off as being because of this 'Emma' girl. "Yeah, I had to save you from her clutches, man! She was all over you after that, and I had to be like 'Woah, Emma. Calm down, he isn't going to jump your bones, so that's enough.' Oh, there isn't any need to look so terrified." He stood up and walked to the door after stretching and pulling on his shoes. 

I was still in shock. 

How had I survived this girl being all over me? I mean, hello, socially awkward is an understatement! I couldn't believe that I was totally alright with her kissing me, even if it was just on the cheek. I didn't understand how I hadn't had a panic attack, or like, a heart attack from all the attention and close proximity! 

But then, I was highly intoxicated, according to Dan and my massive headache that had begun to pound against my temples again. 

"Don't look so disheartened, you did get one good kiss last night. I mean, lips, tongue and all." I was torn away from my ponderings, and glanced back up to Dan, who was standing in front of the door, prepared to leave for breakfast. It was then that his words sank in. 

I ... I had? An actual kiss? Like ... Woah ... My first actual kiss.

But then, who was it with? 

As if he had been reading my mind like a particularly interesting, open book, Dan leaned against the door frame and cleared his throat to get my attention back on him.

"You don't have to look very far, mate." I'm sure I looked pretty shocked. Like, mouth hanging agape, eyes wide and staring, breathing short and shallow. Basically disbelief scrawled across my face in something bold, like crayola.

Him? No. No way. Not possible.

HIM!? 

The longer I spent staring at him, the more I realised that he wasn't faze by it. He wasn't disgusted or ashamed of kissing me. So ... Was he gay?

Stop it, Phil! It's things like your wishful thinking that cause those terrifying spells of depression because you get let down. So stop it. 

"You know, for someone with Social Anxiety, you're a pretty good kisser. Which was surprising. Well actually, you're a pretty good kisser full stop." He beamed a genuine smile. "Now, coming to breakfast?" 

~*~

In the dining hall, which was the huge main cabin, playful, joyous chatter filled my ears as I walked cautiously to my seat. Dan was at my side, pushing me forward toward the crowded table we were to sit at. 

"It's alright, Phil. You're cool! ...Oh, and there's Emma, you want to sit next to her, don't you." He teased, drawing up beside the table and throwing himself down beside some girl who was swift to move closer to him upon his bum reaching the wooden bench. 

Breathing a sigh, I slumped down beside him and allowed my mind to wonder to all the previous breakfasts I'd had there. I'd collect some toast from the large 'Help yourself' table at the front of the room, and then venture back to my cabin to hide and doodle all over that day's activities plan which would always be stapled to my door. 

But then I was being dragged back to the table, being tethered by the strong strings of reality, by a warm pair of lips quickly pecking my cheek. My eyes flickered to the left and were met by a pair of soft brown ones.

The girl batted her eyelids, and in the close proximity, I could see each individually mascaraed eyelash. She was too close for my comfort, so I lent back toward Dan, and only then did I take in her appearance; She wore a black t-shirt with a cartoon lion on, which looked a few sizes too big but it still looked nice on her slender form, denim shorts with frayed hems and deep purple converse with lion laces. But maybe what struck me most was her hair. It was straight and quite long, it looked as though she'd dunked the lot of it in a pot of bright blue paint and it was cut in lots of feathered layers giving the impression of big volume. 

Literally the only word I could use to describe her 'look' was Scene, but it suited her very well. 

"Hey, Phil!" She chirped brightly, thick black eye liner crinkling slightly in the corners of her eyes with the size of her smile. Smiling in return, she threw her arms around me in a hug, and I tensed immediately. 

I guessed this was Emma? 

She was very pretty, I mean, there was no denying that. It was almost like one of those facts of life; Some people were naturally pretty and others weren't so much. She was one of the pretty ones. 

"The party was fun, don't you think?" She blinked at me, still grinning, so I mutely nodded back. Not that I really remembered any of it... "So are you excited for this morning's team bonding activity? We're supposedly doing some painting! I love art, I mean, I'm not very good at it myself, but that doesn't matter." As I continued to gaze at her, lost in thought as to why she was even talking to me (I mean, Dan had been joking about her liking me ... Hadn't he?), I suddenly go the urge to grin back. Like an actual sincere one. Something about this 'Emma' girl made me genuinely happy. 

Little did I know, as I sat beside her in that breakfast hall, how important she'd turn out to be ...