Panic Attacks // Ruel // English

Chapter 8

In the meantime tears are streaming down my cheeks and I walk towards a cafe that is located along the edge of the forest, beachwood café.

I quickly wipe away the tears and push the heavy doors open, after which a bell rings. I look through the cafe and I notice that it has an American style.

My eye catches on Ruel with his laptop and earphones. I take a deep breath and then walk over to him.

Ruel: "Hey, what's wrong?" He asks anxiously while taking off an earpiece.
I look at the ground and encourage myself.
Yasmine: "Can I sit here?"
Ruel: "Sure." He says with a nod.

I sit down on the couch opposite him and support my head in my hands.

Waitress: "Ma'am, can I help you?"
Yasmine: "Can I have a strawberry milkshake, please."
She nods and then walks away again.

I lean back and look out of the parking lot.

Ruel: "Hey Yas?" He asks while looking at me.
Yasmine: "Huh?" I say as I get taken out of my mind.
Ruel: "I asked if you were okay."
I shrug and at that moment the glass with milkshake is put in front of me.
Yasmine: "Thank you."
I grab the straw and play with it.
Ruel: "You can trust me."

And then the tears come up again.
Yasmine: "Everyone is just lying to me constantly." I say half sobbing.

He gets up and sits next to me.
Ruel: "I did not lie to you."
Yasmine: "I can't know how long that will take." I say as I wipe away my tears.
Ruel: "Come here." He says spreading his arms.

I come closer to him and put my arms around him. He rubs his hands on my back, which makes me calmer again.

Ruel has continued what he was doing and I look outside.

My phone is on the table and I constantly see messages coming in or I get another call.
I turn my phone over so that it is face down.

Ruel: "Do you want some distraction?" He says as he takes one earphones out of his ear and gives it to me.
Yasmine: "What are you doing?" I say while I take the earphone from him.
Ruel: "I am replying to my emails. At the same time, I am assessing music from a friend of mine, he does not know if there is anything that needs to be changed."
I nod and put the earphone in my ear.
I recognize this voice. But I don't know exactly who it belongs to.

My phone keeps ringing, it can't just be from my mom or Nola. When I turn it over again I see that a lot has been missed. One of them was an old friend of mine who taught me how to photograph. I decide to call him back, because I don't know why he is calling.

(Ruel's pov)
She finally picks up another person who called. That phone probably rang 20 times. Fortunately, she had turned off the sound, so it didn't bother me very much.

I am too curious not to listen to what it is about. So I turn off the music.
Yasmine: "With Yasmine."
???: "Hey, not spoken for a long time."
Yasmine: "What is it Brady?" She asks impatiently.
Brady: "Oh sorry, I came to call if you were interested I have a job for you."
Yasmine: "Are you serious?" She asks enthusiastically.
Brady: "Yes, I know you have moved, so I went looking for you in Sydney. Maybe you need distraction."

What does he mean by a job, and why exactly does she need distraction? Is she busy with a kind of business that is not allowed? The police were also not allowed to catch her.

But then she looks at her phone and the cheerful atmosphere changes again.

Yasmine: "Brady sorry, I have to answer another phone call quickly. I'll promise to call you back."
Brady: "Good. See you soon."

Then she quickly pushes it away and switches to the other. After which she gets up and goes outside.

I look outside to keep an eye on her. She is walking over the parking lot and occasionally waves her arms. She is really angry, very angry. But I don't know on whom and I don't think I should know. Otherwise she wouldn't have walked away from me.

After standing outside for fifteen minutes, she comes in ringing.

Yasmine: "I will be here, but don't think I will just forget about this." She says angrily.
???: "Please don't forget, you will bring yourself down even more."
As a result, she rolls her eyes, pushes the conversation away and drops back on the couch. After which the deep exhales.

Yasmine: "What the fuck is wrong with all those people."

I really have no idea what she is talking about.

Ruel: "What was it about then?"

She takes a drink of her milkshake and then looks at me deeply with her beautiful eyes.

Yasmine: "She knows more than I know, let's keep it there. You your way, I my way." Her irritated tone makes me decide to continue working.

I nod and put my music back on. Because she won't tell me anymore.

(Yasmine's pov)
I said goodbye to Ruel and am on my way back home. I spent at least 2 hours there, so it is actually time to eat.
I could have stayed much better, now I have to make my own food and I don't feel like it.

Yasmine: "Hi." I say softly when I walk into the kitchen.
My mother turns around, but then continues to cook.
Yasmine: "Do I even have to make it again?" I ask carefully.
Mom: "I warmed up soup for you."
Yasmine: "Thank you." I say and put a hand on her shoulder.

I am stretched out on my bed with my laptop in front of me. I still had to call Brady back and I am already arranging some things.

-Knock Knock Knock-

Yasmine: "Come in!" I call out.

Nola walks in and has papers in her hand. She sits down next to me and puts the papers in front of me.

Nola: "This is from dad." She says pointing to the papers in front of me.
Yasmine: "So what am I supposed to do with this?"
Nola: "I thought maybe you'd like to read it." She says in a calm tone.
Yasmine: "It's about me for sure."

She sighs and nods her head. Then she puts her hand on my head and goes through my hair.

Nola: "Sorry."
Yasmine: "What for?" I ask, even though I know what it is about.
Nola: "That I behave to you like that."
Yasmine: "That's just the way you are, you took it over from them." I say knocked down.