Don't You Want to Play?

Chapter 7

7: Stop

"Come on, what happened back there? Why are you so freaked out?" Drew kept bugging me as he drove us to school. There was no way he'd believe me. I didn't even believe me.

"It doesn't matter, I just had a panic attack or something."

He stopped suddenly, sending us forward in our seats only to be pulled back by the seat belts. "A panic attack? That's not good Zar."

"Oh really?" I snapped, picking up on the sarcasm so often used by him and Abi. "Just get to school, I don't want to be late." I sighed and closed my eyes, going through what had happened again in my mind.

I am crawling under my bed to get a camera. I back out from underneath. I feel pressure on top of me, the bed collapsing. Air is being squeezed out of me as I bang on the floor and scream for help. But help does not come. Sorta. I feel a tight grip on my ankles. It burns almost. But soon enough I'm out from under the bed and nobody is around. I crawl back under and get the camera, then change into jeans and leave because my ankles look horrible.

I had no logical explanation for it other than Kaleb throwing hot water on me and then proceeding to drag me out with a death grip. There was no reason the bed should have fell or sunk, unless gravity miraculously increased, which I doubted.

"Now will you tell me?"

"Drew! Leave it be!" I yelled at him, like he was a dog who needed to stop chasing rabbits around the yard.

He kept his mouth shut for the rest of the ride, probably thinking I was PMSing or something. I usually wasn't the overly emotional type. I left that to Abi.

Taylor greeted us in the parking lot, slapping Drew on the back and ruffling my hair. I wasn't his kid or anything. I thought he just had personal space issues.

"Hey man, how's your friend?" he asked, as if I wasn't even there.

Drew rolled his eyes and ignored him, holding my hand and walking away from his obnoxious friend. He followed us though of course, walking on the other side of me. "Wanna see that tattoo I got yesterday?"

"That depends- what is it and where is it?"

"It's my girlfriend's name and it's right... here!" He lifted up his shirt and showed me his chest, which indeed had a tattoo on it. However, the skin around it was dry and peeling, making it look a bit blurry and smudged.

"That says something?"

"Oh come on! I just got it, it's not gonna be perfect."

"So if somebody put a unicorn there instead, you wouldn't mind?"

"What? No! Wait, yes. Yes, I would mind because why would I have a unicorn on my chest? A name makes much more sense. You should get your chest tattooed Drew, with Zaria's name. And Z, you can get his name on your arm or back. Or your chest if you really want to." He grinned from ear to ear, which disgusted me. He had a girlfriend who he apparently planned to propose to- and he was talking to me like that? I wouldn't be surprised if there was a divorce in the future.

I shook my head, wishing he would go away. "Nah, I don't like the idea of ink on me. And doesn't it get all wrinkly and loose when you get older?"

"I don't know, but it looks really cool now. I think I'll get some more later."

"When you have money?" Drew asked.

"Or a job and a serious relationship?" I added.

"You guys are mean. My personal life is none of your business."