Panic Attack

Chapter 5

My mind is on the brink of consciousness as Shawn's fingers run through my tangled locks of hair. My breathes are controlled and all my tears have been cried, leaving us in a comfortable silence. The attack is over, and I cannot be more thankful for the company of Shawn. Without him, I probably would have completely lost my mind. I feel safe and sound right here, laying with my head in his lap as he coaxes me to sleep. His gentle voice breaks the silence.

"Are you awake Scar?" he says barely over a whisper. Drifting deeper and deeper into sleep, I cannot bring myself to answer him, but I can hear everything he says. It's almost like a weird out-of-body experience.

"You know, my mom used to get these all the time after my dad was deployed to Afghanistan. She'd wake up in the middle of the night the same way you did," There is a pause. This must be why he handled the situation so well. Anyone without experience would have probably panicked as well. He takes a deep breath and begins tracing my face with his thumb.

"I guess what I really want to say is you're beautiful Scarlet. It pains me to see you suffer at the hands of a few nobodies, and I hate myself for not always being there to protect you. I don't care what you look like. I know that you are an amazing person, and I wish that everyone could see that. Just remember that I love you and thats all that matters,"

My unconsciousness is broken by the feeling of his soft lips against my forehead. Shivers shoot through my body, and my eyes flutter open at the foreign feeling. As my eyes adjust, I look up to see Shawn looking down on me. His eyes are glossy, probably from sleep deprivation. He looks a bit shocked, and his cheeks are blushed bright pink.

"Oh sorry Scar. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I was never asleep." His eyes widen the slightest bit and he bits down on his bottom lip. He always does that when he gets nervous.

"You heard everything, didn't you." I nod my head in response and allow a small smile to form on my lips. A sudden rush of confidence and courage overcomes me, feelings that I have never felt before. Without speaking, I reach up with one hand and softly grab around the back of his neck. Guiding his face down to mine, I press my lips against his. As cliché as it sounds, fireworks literally explode inside my chest. My heart rate skyrockets again, but not in the same terrifying way as before. As he cups my face in his hands, I mentally pinch myself to make sure this is not just a dream. The boy I have loved ever since I met him actually loves me back.

As we pull part, I look into his hazel eyes and allow myself to speak.

"All my life I have been craving love. I wanted nothing more than to be loved by my foster parents, siblings, friends, anyone, but I never got it. But you have provided me with enough love and support to last me a lifetime," I pause to collect my thoughts. Shawn is looking down on me with a smile spreading from ear to ear. "And I just want to say thank you."

THE END