[𝟒] 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 ( jay farr ) [DISCONTINUED]

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Maddie's eyes opened slowly. They opened to meet the ceiling of her bedroom. Her bedroom? The last thing she remembered was being in the hallway with Elyse and Ben, having a panic attack. Maddie quickly sat upright, but was gently pushed to lay back down.

"Hey, hey, take it easy Red." The voice of Jay spoke softly as Maddie lay back down.

"Jay? What happened? Where are Elyse and Ben?" She asked quickly.

"Slow down, Mads." Jay said, his soft tone continuing. "You passed out from your panic attack and they took you to the Nurse's office. They had to go back to class though, but I came and said I'd look after you." Jay explained, gently stroking Maddie's hair. He was sat on the edge of her bed beside her.

"Oh..." Maddie muttered as she rested her head back on the pillows. "Well... thanks." She muttered, not really knowing what else to say. So instead, she just lapsed into silence and stared at the ceiling.

"I didn't know you had anxiety." Jay spoke up after a while of silence and the pair being lost in their thoughts. Maddie paused for a moment, her gaze remaining fixed on the ceiling.

"Not many people do." She responded in a mere mumble, beginning to pick at her nails.

"Why didn't you tell me, Red? I'm your boyfriend, I want to be here for you and help you." Jay frowned slightly, taking a hold of her hands so she couldn't pick at her nails.

"Yeah well it's not exactly the easiest thing to talk about." Maddie muttered, keeping her gaze focused on the ceiling. "Or admit. The brave, strong princess suffers from anxiety? It's fuckng laughable." She muttered, feeling tears prick in her eyes. However, she quickly blinked them away. Her words only made Jay's frown deepen.

"You can't be alone in this, Maddie." He said, his tone changing from soft to serious. "You need to trust me, I can help you." He said, gently pulling her up a bit and holding her chin, making her look at him. However, the redhead moved away from him.

"Trust you? You really want me to trust you?" Maddie suddenly snapped. Jay was taken aback by it, and blinked rapidly a few times.

"Maddie, what are you talking about?" He asked in complete confusion, and also concern.

"I'm talking about you saying that you were going to go to Cotillion solo so you can dance with all the girls!" Maddie exclaimed, throwing back her blanket and standing up, walking away from the bed and facing the wall. Jay sat dumbfounded for a moment, but then stood up when realisation hit him.

"Maddie..." Jay reached out to touch her arm. However, she spun around and swatted it out of the way.

"Yes. Yes I did fucking hear that and I've tried so fucking hard to forget about it. To hope you were truly just joking about it but I don't know anymore!" Maddie almost shouted, glaring at Jay as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Maddie. I didn't know... I was just joking. I promise." Jay said quickly. He was such an idiot.

"How do I know you're not just saying that because now you know that I did in fact hear you. You didn't expect me to be there, of course you didn't. I was ill. But maybe if you fucking cared enough then you'd have noticed that I wasn't ill. It was actually my fucking anxiety that made it a fucking struggle to get out of bed every morning!" Maddie shouted, her hands clenching into fists. Tears had begun to roll down her cheeks at this point and she was shaking with frustration and anger. Jay just stared at her for a moment, racking his brain for an explanation or excuse. He had truly fucked up.

"You're right..." Jay said slowly, his voice suddenly monotone and unfamiliar. Maddie's fists released and a confused look replaced her angry face.

"What...?" Maddie questioned as Jay stepped slowly towards her. His face began to contort into something different. A face that Maddie instantly recognised. And hated. The confusion was overtaken by fear and her whole body began to shake. She ended up backing into the wall, and soon found herself pinned to the wall by Him.

"Maddie, Maddie, Maddie... when will you ever learn?" The man chuckled. Jay had completely disappeared and mutated into Him.

"No... please... leave me alone..." Maddie begged.

"I never will. I'm going to haunt you forever." The man growled, an evil smirk on his lips.
"Not again... no..." Maddie began to sob and shake as his hands travelled down her body...

**

Maddie jolted awake from her nightmare, shaking and breathing heavily.

"Maddie?" The comforting voice of Ben said, concern in his tone. Her eyes darted around in search of his face, and she eventually found it. Ben then pulled her into a hug as she sobbed and shook violently. "Just breathe, Mads." Ben soothed, rocking her a bit. He knew she'd had a nightmare and knew what he needed to do. Maddie continued to sob for a while until Ben successfully calmed her down.

"You had a nightmare about him, didn't you?" Ben asked after Maddie had mostly stopped sobbing.

"Yeah... b-but... he was Jay... and then... it just c-changed... and he was there..." The redhead cried into Ben's shoulder.

"It's okay, Mads. Just breathe." Ben sighed and began to rock her again as she sobbed in his arms.

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