AJR-Panic Attacks

Ryan- 12 (Go-Karts)

EZRAS POV

"Everyone ready!?" Jack questions everyone excitedly. The chorus chimes in with an excited "Yeah!".

"I'm gonna win!" JJ brags.

"No you're not! I am!" Jack and JJ go back and forth like two little kids arguing over a toy. We eventually get to the place of wonder. The go-kart track. We have a day off from tour, so we decide to go go-karting. We went through all the boring safety stuff impatiently, itching to get on the track. We put on our helmets and get in the go-karts. It's go time baby.

"On your mark, get set, GO!" We race around the track competitively, Jack winning first, JJ in second, and Rob in third. I got second last, just behind Ryan, with Austin behind me. They did another race for top three with the top five, leaving the rest of us to watch. The five racing are Jack, JJ, Rob, Dane and Drew. They start their race, me watching at first, but then I notice Ryan beside me. He seems like he's shaking, but before I get the chance to ask him about it, I hear laughing from beside me, and I turn back to see Drew going backwards on the track. I laugh along with everybody before turning back to Ryan, but he disappeared. I look around for a moment before I see him hiding behind a wall. I watch him for a moment and realize he's pacing back and forth. I leave my position in the watch area to go over to him.

"Hey Ryan, you ok?" He doesn't answer me. He doesn't even look up at me. Does he even know I'm here?

"Hey Ryan?" I ask again. I move closer to him, grabbing his elbow. He jerks up to look at me, retracting his arm from my grasp.

"You ok?" I ask again. It's like I'm looking at a deer caught in headlights. Ryan's eyes are wide and full of panic. As I stare at him, I notice his already quick breathing gaining speed, and his chest is rising and falling rather quickly. As we stare at each other in silence, Ryan's breathing continues to gain speed, up to a point that he's hyperventilating. He reaches a hand up to his chest, feeling his heartbeat, which I know is beating a million times a minute.

"Ry, can I help you?" I ask concerned, trying to figure out something to do. He doesn't answer as I notice he's swaying back and forth shakily, loosing his balance, in turn almost falling over.

"Ok, Ryan, how about you sit down." I suggest, starting to get some ideas together. Ryan falls to the floor, one hand catching him, the other still over his racing heart. I crouch down in front of him, asking,

"Can you sit up against the wall?" He adjusts his body for his back to be against the wall, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"What's wrong Ry, how can I help?" I ask.

"I.. I don't know." He mumbles. He folds his arms, resting them on his knees, burying his head in his arms.

"Ryan, hey, what do you want me to do? Want me to get Adam?" I ask, still not knowing what I can do to help. He shakes his head furiously.

"I... I just n-need to c-calm down." He mumbles out, still hyperventilating a lot.

"Ok. How can I help?" I ask. Ryan curls up into a tighter ball and starts crying. I see his fingernails digging into his knees.

"Would you like to hold my hand Ry?" I offer. Ryan lifts his right hand cautiously, and I wrap my hand around it gently. I slowly move closer to him, careful not to startle him. I gently place my other hand on his shoulder, motioning up and down smoothly on his arm.

"You're ok Ryan, you're alright. Focus on slowing your breathing down, ok?"

"I'm sorry!" Ryan says.

"Don't be sorry Ryan! I just want to help. Just take some deep breaths. In for five, out for five. Slow it down, you're ok." After a moment, Ryan starts to calm down. He was starting to control his breathing and it was slowing down, his heart rate was slowing down, and he starts trying to relax. As Ryan continues calming down, I hear Adam on the phone from around the corner. I notice Ryan get more nervous as he picks up on Adams presence as well.