Secrets // Ethan Dolan

34. Panic Attack

Chapter 34, Panic Attack

"Mom!" my voice cracks the second I say something. Grayson was calling Ethan, telling him to come over. I was all over the place. My hands were trembling, no scratch that, my whole body was trembling in fear of what could happen. I couldn't seem to stand still; I was pacing the living room, waiting for my mother to arrive from the kitchen. I dug my nails into my skin, an old habit I had back when Oliver and I were still together. Every time I was scared or angry, I would dig my nails in the palms of my hands, suppressing all the feelings I felt.

I could see my mom's slender figure from the corner of my eye. I must've looked like a total maniac. Everything around me was blurry and all the sounds came in at once, blending Grayson's voice with the doorbell that was ringing. I could hear my mom's voice, but I couldn't figure out what she was saying. The breaths I let out were unsteady and fast, I was hyperventilating.

"He found me." With that, I faint.

Ethan's P.O.V.

The moment Grayson called me, I jumped in my car and raced over to Katie's house. Grayson opened the door with a worried expression plastered on his face. "Where is she?" I asked as I pushed beside him.

As I entered the living room, I saw Katie collapse. Anika quickly reaches out to her. She took her shoulders and I lifted up her legs, laying her on the couch. "What happened?" Anika has tears in her eyes as she looks up to me, shaking her head. "Why does everybody look so damn scared?" I shout.

"Oliver is in town. He found us," Anika says. I look at Katie; Her mascara is smeared under her eyes. Even now, she looks worried. I lift up her head and lay it in my lap, running my hand through her hair.

"What do we do?" I ask.

"I'm going to call the police. Katie has a restraining order against him, he can't come anywhere near her. That, plus the fact he's a fugitive should get the police here pretty fast." Anika says, already dialling the number.

While Anika talks to a police officer over the phone, I explain to Grayson what's happening. I tell him about Oliver and her past, why she moved here and what the whole ordeal in the coffee shop was about. "She was so scared, E. I've never seen anyone this scared in my life," his head rests in his hands. Gray looks just the same as I feel and I couldn't even begin to sum up all the feelings raging inside of me. There was fear inside of me. What will happen if Oliver gets his hands on her? Will he try to hurt her? Will he try to hurt her family and friends, will he try to hurt me? But I also felt pure rage. I wanted to run outside right now, look for the guy and punch him until he wasn't breathing anymore. From the stories I had heard from Katie, he would probably be ten times stronger than me, so I don't think that's the best idea.

Most of all I just felt sad. Katie doesn't deserve any of this. She always tries to make everyone smile, you could call her a ball of sunshine if you will. She's so genuine and honestly deserves the world. I can't understand that there are people out there like Oliver who just want to hurt her.

I feel Katie start to movie in my lap and after a while, she opens her eyes. "Ethan," she breathes. She heaves up her fragile body and I quickly envelop her in a hug so tight I was afraid I might pinch her to death.

"You're safe," I whisper in her ear, "I got you. I'm here. We'll figure this out." She breathes in deeply and I can tell that she's trying her hardest not to cry. "It's going to be okay."

A sob escapes from her mouth, "I'm not sure it will be." And my heart breaks.

"Police will be here soon," Anika says as she walks back into the room. "Here, honey, drink some tea. It'll calm you down." I take the cup from her, waiting for Katie to calm down so that she can drink from it.

"I have to leave," Katie mumbles into my chest. "I have to leave so that you guys are safe. Who knows what Oliver will do to you. I'm going to pack my stuff." In less than a second, she jumps up from my lap and sprints up the stairs.

I see tears forming in Anika's eyes. This must be so hard for her, seeing her daughter in so much pain and angst. "I'll go talk to her," I say, "Grayson, can you make some tea for Anika, please?" he gives me a quick nod and disappears into the kitchen. I walk up the stairs.

Katie is in her room. A big suitcase lays on top of her bed. Clothes are spread throughout her whole room, as if she lifted up her closet and shook everything out of it. Needless to say, it was a mess. She was running around her room frantically, sometimes disappearing into her bathroom to grab some other stuff. "Katie," I say. She doesn't bother to respond or even look my way. I grab her by her wrist, forcing her to come to a halt.

"You have to calm down, Katie." When my eyes meet her broken blue ones, the walls around me start to crumble. A tear escapes my eye and I quickly wipe it away. "You have to calm down," I say again.

"I'm just so scared," a crack in her voice is all it takes to pull her against my chest. "I'm so so so scared, Ethan."

"I know you are. I am too." I plant a little kiss on top of her head. "But let's not rush anything. Let's wait for the police to arrive and we'll take it from there. They'll know what to do." I lift her up and lay her on her bed. The suitcase is thrown off the bed with a single kick and I quickly lay down beside her. She crawls into my arms, still crying.

"Sssh. It's going to be okay." I run my hand through her hair and after a few minutes she falls asleep. I try my hardest to drift along with her, but I can't. The thought of Oliver breaking in is too strong.

A/N: Another chapter for you all! Hope you liked it! Please leave a comment and a like! XXX

BTW: What do you think of the new cover?