Dare

Twenty Two

EDITED: December 2020

I couldn't help but sigh. "She's obviously someone," I scoffed.

"Ella, please just leave it. She's no one important," He said, sighing.

"Hmph. Fine," I mumbled and then turned over so that I wasn't lying in his arms anymore, feeling irritated at the fact that he wouldn't tell me who she is.

"Ella, please don't be like that," He said, wrapping his arms around my waist so that we were spooning.

"I'm not being like anything," I said bitterly.

"She's just a bad part of my past I don't want to remember, okay?" He said, and then kissed the back of my head.

"She's the reason why you and Ben don't have a good relationship, isn't she?"

"Yeah," He sighed.

Now I felt bad. God, why do I always have to pry? He obviously doesn't want to talk about her.

"Sorry for being so nosy," I mumbled.

"It's okay. I know it's because you care," He said, turning me around so that we were facing each other. "I love you, okay," He whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.

"Yeah, I know," I giggled. "I love you too."

The feeling of Theo's lips against mine is something I will never get used to. Every time he kissed me, the butterflies in my stomach went crazy.

***

My eyes flew open and I felt my throat closing up and my chest getting tight. Hot tears poured down my cheeks.

I had an awful nightmare. It was about Theo. Aimee had told him all about the dare and he told me he never wanted anything to do with me again, amongst other things...

Managing to stumble into the bathroom, I searched for a cup to get some water in, but there wasn't one. Who doesn't keep a cup in their bathroom?

Feeling my throat begin to get tighter, I knew an anxiety attack was coming on. It was rare that I had them even though they used to happen frequently when I was younger.

Air. I need air.

Stumbling out of Theo's room, I found it difficult to even see where I was going because of the tears clouding my vision.

"Ella? What are you doing?" A voice asked. I knew that it belonged to Ben. What's he doing awake?

"I...I -" I stuttered, unable to get any words out because my throat wasn't letting me.

"Ella, what's going on? Are you okay?" He asked, sounding concerned. Without an answer, my tight breathing told him what he wanted to know. "You're having an anxiety attack," He mumbled to himself before I suddenly found myself being scooped up bridal style and he was running down the stairs with me.

Just as I felt like my throat was going to close up completely, we were suddenly outside. The burst of fresh air was a godsend for my lungs.

Sitting me down on the patio floor, he sat down opposite me and then placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Ella, you need to breathe," He instructed.

Doing as he said, I began to inhale and exhale deeply. As I did so, my throat began to loosen and my chest began to not feel so tight either. Eventually I was breathing normally again.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am now," I nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem," He said, smiling a little at me. "What caused your attack?" He asked.