It All Happened On a Tuesday Night (Percico Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

Percy sat alone in his room, tired and sad and disregarding the pile of homework sitting on his desk. He could hear his mom and Paul talking to each other about work and school and life just out in the living room, the three things he happened to be terrified of the most.

In just a little less than two years Percy would be going to college and leaving. There wouldn't be anyone telling him what to do anymore, and that terrified him. Soon he would be responsible for all of his decisions and taking care of himself.

An overwhelming sense of loneliness overtook him as the music grew loud enough to drown out the real world. Percy's heartbeat was loud in his ears as panic took over.

He wasn't good enough.

He wasn't strong enough to get through this.

His breathing sped up and his only thought was, Oh no, it's happening again.

Panic attacks. Ever since he was fourteen he had begun to have panic attacks that he could never calm down from. His whole world felt like it was caving in, and the thought of living for one more day became unbearable, and then it just happened.

By the time his mom and Paul had burst into the room, Percy was huddled in the corner, tears streaming out of his sea green eyes and his arms around his legs, shielding himself from the world.

"Percy, honey," Sally bent down in front of her son, a hand on his shoulder and a certain sadness that couldn't be placed in her eyes. "It's all going to be okay, okay? Can you breathe for me?"

Percy's sweat-soaked head nodded once, yes. His breathing slowed a little bit as his nails dug into his arms, trying hard for his mother to calm down.

Paul bent down on the other side, rubbing Percy's other shoulder condollingly.

It's all going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. I'm going to be okay. Everything will be fine. Everything works out in the end. The bad things will end eventually. 

Percy's mantra ran through his head on repeat as he rocked back and forth.

Finally he let his mother help him up. He towered over her alarmingly, but bent down and hugged her tightly.

"Honey, it's all going to be okay."

And Percy supposed it would be.

Even if just for a second.

He shamelessly sobbed into his mother's shoulder, Paul still standing there awkwardly.

Percy had tried antidepressants and medication for his stress and panic attacks, but he hated the false sense of calm and happiness. It just wasn't how he wanted to deal with things.

Despite his anxiety, Percy enjoyed to face his problems and fears instead of running in the opposite direction and pretending they didn't exist. It was just who he was.

"Why don't you skip homework and school tomorrow, okay? I'll take you out for ice cream and then you can just relax and figure things out."

The green eyed boy nodded at his mother's suggestion and sat down on his bed.

Sally continued talking. "Why don't you go take a shower? I'll make my famous cookies while you're in, okay?"

"Okay." His voice came out groggy and weird, but at that moment he didn't care.