Our Senior Year - A Joe Mazzello Fanfic (Sequel to In Need of a Friend)

What Lucy Doesn't Know...

"Valentina? What is it? What's wrong?"

Joe had sat beside me and put his hand on my back.

"Oh geez...you're sweating like crazy. Oh no...are you having-?"

Before he could finish his question I nodded. I knew what he was going to ask.

He was going to ask if I was having a panic attack. Joe's seen me have them before. He knows what I look like when I have them. He could see and hear that I was having trouble breathing. He felt the sweat.

"Alright, um-um...just hold on babe, I'll be RIGHT back, okay?" Joe assured me, trying to keep calm for me.

I nodded. That's all I could do. I couldn't speak.

After a few seconds, Joe came running back into my room with a big white t-shirt.

"Here, take off that sweaty shirt of yours and get into something dry."

I began to take my shirt off. Then, hesitated.

"Oh, um-I-I could leave...leave the room if you want?" Joe said.

Why was I scared to change in front of Joe? He's seen me naked.

We had sex.

I had managed to find my voice.

"N-no...stay..."I choked out.

I stripped off my shirt and put on Joe's t-shirt. I sat back down on my bed, still trying to catch my breath and hoping my heart rate would slow down.

"I'm gonna get you some water, okay Valentina?"

"Okay." I replied through heavy breaths

Joe came back upstairs with a glass of water and handed it to me. I took a sip and sat it back on my nightstand as Joe sat beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

"It's okay. It's okay. Deep breaths. Just take deep breaths." He instructed, attempting to soothe me.

After it had been about 30 minutes, I noticed my panic was only getting worse.

"I'm getting worried, Valentina. Do you want me to get my mom?" Joe asked as he stroked the back of my head. I was crying at this point - which didn't help my difficulty breathing.

"No. Please, Joe...just-"

"Maybe you need to go to the hospital or something. I'm starting to freak out. I've never seen you this bad. Can you tell me what's going on?" He pleaded with me.

"I don't know, Joe. I was f-fine one minute....a-and th-then...it hit me." I told him.

Actually, I knew why I was panicking. The texts from Ben triggered it, but what had kept it going was everything else running through my mind - the pills, the abortion, Lucy knowing about the abortion. Everything just seemed so...awful.

I looked up at Joe

"J-Joe?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you...please leave?"

Joe slighlty opened his mouth before he actually spoke and started shaking his head.

"No. No way. Sorry, but I'm not leaving you like this." He declared.

"P-please...I just want to be alone. If I get any worse, I'll come get y-you. I promise." I told him with tears in my eyes as I looked at him.

Joe sighed and rested his hands on his knees.