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Brooke rarely experienced panic attacks when she was younger, she has always been a calm, logical person with a happy-go-lucky attitude which caused her to turn her nerve-wracking moments into a mediocre one. She considered it a superpower until it failed her.
She started recognising the panic attack symptoms after she read about them online. It was the only the thing that explained how she felt.
She felt her chest caving in on itself and her heart beating too fast to be normal. She felt as if something was lodged into her throat. And although she hardly cries, her tears were uncontrollable at those moments. Her hands were shaking, her legs were too weak and everything felt like too much.
And it's all because of a text from a daunting number.
Her blackmailer liked to taunt her. He would text at random times with only a greeting and everytime she got so scared.
This time it was different, thought. He didn't just send a greeting.
It's time for you to do what I tell you.
Cold shivers ran down her spines as her world paused. All of her organs seemed to fail her as she struggled to inhale and exhale. Her hands started to tremble and her knees were getting wobbly so she found the nearest thing to sit and sat.
It happened to be a bench right outside of the cafeteria.
She was outside looking for her friends because they decided to eat outdoors since the sun was shinning brightly but to Brooke it might as well have been the middle of the night as darkness spread around and through her.
She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she sighed loudly. She was hyper aware of everything her body was doing yet she had no control over it. It was almost as if her body had been hijacked.
"Brooke?" A concerned yet confused voice flew over to her ear. It took her a second to register it and realise that it was coming from a person. The person she didn't really want to see right now.
Alistair.
Her panic accelerated if that was possible because she didn't want him to see her like that. Also, irrational thoughts of him actually being her blackmailer invaded her mind and turned it upside.
He slowly tired to hold her hand but she was too overwhelmed with everything so she flinched away.
Alistair understood what was happening the second she flinched away. She was having a panic attack, all the signs were there. He understood how she felt, he wasn't new to panic attacks, he experienced a lot of them before and still does sometimes.
"Hey, mom would like to invite you to dinner if that's okay with you?" Alistair asked. Brooke furrowed her eyes as she heaved out a what.
"I talk to her about you. She really likes you and she wants to see you. She is an amazing cook, she cooks this amazing lasagne that is to die for. She can be a little over dramatic but most mothers are--" Brooke wanted to yell at him to shut up as he rambled but as he did, she found herself calming down and heartbeat going back to normal. Then, she realised what he has been doing, he has been distracting her, getting her to focus on anything other than the panic attack itself.
She took a few deep breaths as everything went back to normal and faded into the back of her mind. She finally gave her full attention Alistair and her face broke into that most thankful smile ever.
"Thank you," She said gently. "And I'd love to meet your mom." They both chuckled at that.
● ● ● ● ● ●
Alistair was happy that Brooke felt better. He was happy that he was able to help, even if it was just by talking nonsense. Although that was not nonsense, his mom was really bugging him about meeting this mysterious Brooke.
Being quiet, doesn't mean he doesn't notice people or their actions. Alistair knew, it was a gut feeling really, that there was something wrong with Brooke. Something that's haunting her causing her to appear distant. He just couldn't figure out what it is exactly, and it bothered him so much because he has come to care for her and that thing was standing in his way.
Maybe it wasn't a thing, maybe it was a who. And somehow that bothered him even more.
What if she was being abused? What if someone has taken advantage of her? What if someone is watching her? A lot of what ifs ran through his mind, he almost got dizzy.
His curiosity was getting the best of him.
Or maybe it was something else but he didn't want to dwell on that.
Alistair was still at school, he has been waiting near the door for Brooke so he could drive her home since it was raining. He didn't want her to cycle in the rain, the ground is too slippery.
Driving her in the downpour slowly became their thing as winter rolled through and neither of them were complaining. They were happy to spend more time together even if it was in the confined space of Alistair's car.
"Hey, Al." Everytime that nickname rolled of her tongue, his breath would hitch in throat.
"Hi, Brooke." He grinned lightly. They jogged under the rain towards his car since neither had an umbrella with them.
He opened the door for her and wait till she was comfortable before shutting the door. He jogged to the driver seat and got in.
"I appreciate you doing this for me every now and then," She smiled as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"Anytime, Brooke." She really wasn't a burden to him if anything, she made him feel lighter.
They drove in blissful silence, the only sound was the rain falling on the car which was relaxing in a way.
Alistair almost felt peaceful like nothing could ever harm him if he was in this car with Brooke right next to him.
But reality couldn't let him be as he arrived at her house sooner than he would have liked. They bid their simple goodbyes before he drove back to his house where take out was waiting for him.
And as the passenger seat felt empty, Alistair felt a feeling he rarely felt. He has missed Brooke despite it only being a few minutes since he dropped her off.
Missing someone could only mean one thing; he was getting attached.
