Horse Stone (Book 1 of Ilyrian Series)

Chapter 24

"Hello? Hadley? What is it? Are you alright?" my father asked, and I smiled.

"Ya, I am ok right now," I said, stroking Lucas's back. I ignored Dr. Wilson looking at me, knowing that he was listening in to my conversation with my father. "I just... need to go home." My voice cracked, even though I didn't want to. I cleared my throat and closed my eyes, looking down. "I want to go home if that is ok with you."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "What happened?" he asked, his voice turning slightly darker.

I stopped petting Lucas before starting again. My whole body grew tense because he sounded angry with me. "Uh... n-n-nothing," I stuttered. I cleared my throat and tried to calm my pounding heart. "Uh... I just had a panic attack and was zoning out in one of my classes."

My father took a deep breath and sighed, knowing why I sounded so tense. "I am sorry," he said soothingly. "I didn't mean to sound so angry. I am not angry at you. Your voice cracked."

I closed my eyes and nodded my head. I took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out, trying to get my emotions under control. "Ok," I whispered.

"Have you gotten any sleep last night?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"A bit," I replied. "But, I've been having recurring nightmares."

"Even last night?"

"Yes, Sir," I whispered, my voice soft. I cringed and cleared my throat. "I... don't like waking anyone up when I have them," I said, feeling his annoyance. "That's why I didn't wake you up."

"I have told you that you could," he said, soothingly, trying to keep his frustration out of his voice. "I don't understand why you don't."

Because he told me that you won't, that you'll hate me more and more, I thought, silently. "I want you to at least have a good night's sleep even if I can't."

He chuckled. "Do you want to try some medication? I know that you don't want to, but it could help."

"Uh... ya, ya, that's fine. I was going to ask you. I... don't want anything that has bad side effects."

"I know," my father said. "I will make a few calls and get something." There was a pause. "Where are you calling from?"

"Uh, Dr. Wilson's office. The Headmaster doesn't..."

My father chuckled. "I know," he said. "I have gotten a phone call yesterday about the dos and the don'ts. One of the rules was no phone, and the other is not to be late."

I cringed internally. "I know that one," I said softly. "We were late for the meeting with the Headmaster."

Dr. Wilson shook his head, and I nodded. He didn't want me to go into the vision with my father for some reason, and I wasn't going to question it.

"Oh?" my father asked, and I could tell that he raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

I cleared my throat and looked away, even though he wasn't there. "I had a small panic attack. I thought I could go the whole day because I had a sister in each of my classes, but..."

"After the second class, you knew that you couldn't?"

"Yes, Sir," I said. I held back a cringe, not knowing if my father would be ok that I had not been able to stay in class.

"It's ok. I am proud that you were able to get through one and a half." This caused a smile to appear on my face. "We will try again tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok," I said, feeling as if there was this weight lifted off of my shoulder.

"I am going to leave now. I will text you when I am there. You can stay where you are or wait outside. That is up to you."

"I think I will wait in here," I said. There is a likely chance that I won't run into the Headmaster if I hide here.

"Ok, I will be there soon." He paused. "I love you."

"I know; I love you too."

"I will see you soon." And with that, he hung up the phone.