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Homecoming came and went fast. The small group of friends was preparing for their second annual friendsgiving celebration which would be in a week.
But even before that, was Nayeli and Armani's first anniversary. A year had sped by and before they knew it, they'd already spent a blissful year together.
"What are you planning for you and Mani's anniversary, pooh?" Samara asked, hoping to get Nayeli to smile.
Recently, since everything had happened with Hassan, Nayeli's anxiety had been flaring up a lot. She was much more paranoid, she didn't want to leave the house, or if she was at Armani's she didn't want to leave his. She chalked it up to her having an event trigger old memories she'd rather have forgotten.
She was talking less and less, she didn't smile too much, and she rarely wanted visitors. She spent almost all her time in her bedroom in the dark.
She hadn't had an episode like this in a long time, maybe since she was 16 or 17, so it hit her a bit harder than it usually would. After something triggered an anxiety attack, or flashbacks, she would fall into a pit. One she didn't have the energy to climb out of.
It usually came in waves. At first she'd think she was okay, then the bad dreams would start up. Then she'd wake up hyperventilating, and because of that her sleep schedule would get messed up and she would be off kilter from not sleeping. Then she'd start zoning out, just in and out all day long, and she couldn't really control it.
Later on, she'd feel very withdrawn, which was exactly what she was going through now. She didn't want to talk, and when she was younger she really didn't want to go to therapy. She would cry a lot and become very sensitive.
She truly hated having the remnants of PTSD effect her as much as it did. She was never diagnosed with clinical depression, but when things like this happened she wondered why she wasn't.
"Uh, I'm not sure, he said he wants to plan it," she answered, staring past the tv. "I finished his gift though," she smiled slightly to herself before it vanished.
"Good! I'm glad," Samara said back enthusiastically, proud she got a smile. "Nai," she called.
"Yeah?" Nayeli turned to her and it was so weird to see her look so tired.
"I love you sis," she smiled softly. If there was one thing that could get her in a slightly better mood these days, it was that. She loved to know she was loved. Her dad used to do that all the time when she was kid.
"I love you too," she smiled, getting up to go back to her room again. Samara sighed, watching her go, wishing there was something she could do to fix it.
Nai looked herself in the bathroom mirror. She was actually confused at who she saw, because Nayeli a month and a half ago was happy. She was glowing, she was smiling. Nayeli now was sad, she was tired and she felt...dull.
