The connection

Chapter seven - You can't handle the truth

Alex

I felt the world spinning around me as I desperately ran through the halls, I needed to get away. I needed to find a safe place. I was having a panic attack I could feel it and I needed it to stop, or at least not let it happen in the school corridor. I willed my feet to move beneath me, my heart beating inside my chest at a hundred miles an hour. I caught sight of the girl's bathroom at the end of the hall. That will do, I'd just have to hope I could make it that far. I could hear muffled sounds as I passed other students in the hall, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Everything was a blur. I reached the door to the girls bathrooms after what felt like an eternity, I shut myself in a cubical and let the pain take over as I lost control and slumped to the floor and everything went black.

"Alex, Alex can you hear me" I felt a slight pressure of someone shaking my shoulder as the unfamiliar voice spoke my name. My eyes flashed open and I was greeted with the concerned face of Miss Jenson looking down at me. She was the new history teacher; I wasn't in her class, but she'd subbed a few times when our usual teacher was out. She must have seen me come in here. Great I bet I looked like a right idiot.

"I saw you run in here, you looked a bit unwell, so I thought I'd check on you. I'm glad I did"

I nodded at her, not finding the energy to form words just yet. She shot me another concerned look and I looked down to see she had her fingers on my wrist probably checking for my pulse.

"I think we better get you to a doctor" I snatched my arm away from her probably too fast than I should have.

"No, I'm fine, really...I umm. I get panic attacks sometimes that's all, I don't need to see a doctor" I moved my hand to my head, it ached. I must have hit it when I blacked out.

"You hit your head when you collapsed, you've got a nasty cut. You at least need to go and see the school nurse" her expression softened, and she retrieved some paper towels for me to hold to my head.

"Okay but just the school nurse" she stayed with me a few minutes more whilst I regained enough energy to stand.

"Come on I'll take you; we'll have you patched up in no time"

She led me out of the bathroom and down the hall to the nurse's office. At least lunch was over now, and the corridors were empty so no one could witness my walk of shame.

Chase

As the bell rang out for the end of school dread filled my body, you'd think I'd be relieved that classes were over but this sound didn't fill me with joy. It meant the start of a painful hour with Miss Jenson, I just had to hope we weren't going to be alone.

Relief filled me when I entered the hall to find two other students already seated at desks. Miss Jenson eyed me suspiciously as I took a seat towards the back.

"Well it would appear we are all here" she let out a mischievous grin as her eyes caught mine. "Today for your detention we will be working on giving back to the school community" I looked at her puzzled as the other two boys in front of me exchanged confused murmurs.

"So, Zac and Jacob put your books away, you boys will be spending the next hour cleaning graffiti from the boys locker room" her eyes flashed back to me as the two boys packed away their things and vacated the room. I started to do the same.

"Not so fast Mr Matthews, I have a more pressing matter for you to attend to" she said as she walked towards me, her tongue peeking out from her red lips. Zac and Jacob left the room leaving me alone with her, this was not good.

She wasn't going to be this brazen was she. Surely, she had more sense than that but deep down I knew she didn't. It wasn't as if we hadn't gotten hot and heavy at school before. She reached my desk and reached down to place a hand on my leg, but her attention was torn away by a knock at the door. She turned around clearly trying to regain her demeanour before the door opened and in walked Alex. Fuck.