fragile

33

Willow had walked in through the doors of the hall and most people immediately rushed over to greet her.

She looked the same, but older.

Her brown hair was let loose and it framed her small, heart-shaped face perfectly. She wasn't the young, short sixteen-year-old from ten years ago.

She was a curvaceous and stylish twenty-six-year-old woman.

Mira's grip on the cup, that she hadn't even taken one sip from, tightened even further. Her heart dropped down to her stomach and her throat was parched.

It felt like someone had dropped a huge brick on her chest and was refusing to let her up. It hurt to even breathe.

Her eyes soon became blurry and all the excited voices were tuned out into muffled static instead— the only sound she could hear being her emphasised raspy breathing.

She could feel herself tipping back but strong arms held her straight.

"You'll be alright. Just breathe."

The familiar deep, soothing voice sounded distant and faded. She could feel her whole body trembling and she wanted to drop to the floor and cry out the pain.

"Woah, is she okay?" she heard another male voice say frantically.

"She'll be fine."

The hold on her stopped her from doing anything. It was warm and secure as if refusing to let her go. She leaned against whatever it was that was holding her up both physically and mentally.

"Breathe."

In. Out. In. Out.

"Good. Just like that, Mira."

Just as the male voice assured her, her vision began to clear up and her racing heart seemed to steady. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she looked up into the eyes of Colton.

He gazed down at her, eyes narrowed with worry and she nearly let out a sigh of relief.

"You alright?"

She nodded.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Grayson peered into her eyes, his own wide.

Mira nodded once again.

"It's 'cos of Willow, isn't it?" he asked, his lips in a thin line.

"Dude," Colton said, voice firm, eyes narrowing into slits. "What's your prob—"

"Yeah," she whispered.

Both eyes turned to look down at her as she nodded once again.

There was no point in hiding anything.

Everyone already knew.

"W-where's Mick?" she asked, despite herself, dreading the answer.

Grayson shrugged. "Guess he bailed after being humiliated all those years ago," he said, glancing pointedly at Colton. "I mean I wouldn't show up if I were him, either. He was beaten up in fro—"

Colton cleared his throat forcefully. Mira pretended she didn't notice the annoyed look in his eyes and the tightening of his mouth as he shot a glare in Grayson's direction.

Mira already knew, but she didn't want to let him know just yet.

"—uh, what was I saying?" Grayson spluttered, chuckling nervously. He looked down at his half empty bottle. "I guess I need more beer!"

Before she could even think, he speed-walked away. Mira watched him walk away and just when her eyes trained away from him, her eyes met with Willow.