Collecting Polaroids |Slowburn|

Chapter 30

Third Person's POV

Lucas glanced over at Isla worriedly as he drove in silence. She was quiet, staring out the window, expressionless. His heart felt heavy, seeing Isla like that. She was never quite, or expressionless. She was always laughing, smiling, rolling her eyes. Isla was the physical embodiment of a good time. The life of the party. And right now, she was far from that. And it scared him. 

Isla herself was scared. She was scared. She wasn't scared of many things. Aside from Spiders and bees. But what the doctor had said, scared her. 

Unfortunately, I believe your anxiety has gotten worse. I'm going to have to put you on medication again. 

Of course Isla's subconscious knew what was happening. The shortened breaths, the racing thoughts, the insomnia. It was all there. But she chose to ignore it. Thinking back, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what had initially triggered it. Although it was clear the events of the past night had tipped her ship. And now she was drowning. 

It was funny really, Isla was always happy. Her mother used to call her sun child. Her teachers would always compliment her smile and bubbly personality. Calling on her to give tours to new students because she could make friends with anyone. 

After Marleen's death, all of that was tucked away into the dark depths of her mind. She closed off, not wanting to burden everyone with her sadness and grief. But she fought through it. She made it. She swam to shore. And now it was as if a tsunami had flooded all her happiness, pulling her back out to sea. 

Lucas shook her shoulder, snapping her out of her daze. 

"Do you want to go to your house or should I take you to mine?" he asked quietly, a comforting look on his face. Isla shook her head silently, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She stepped out of the car and grabbed her things. Lucas was surprised when she came around the corner, throwing her arms around him. 

"Thank you," she said quietly, but he could hear the genuine gratitude she was feeling. 

"Of course," he replied, giving her a smile. She waved before disappearing behind the door. 

Isla's heartrate was through the roof. She didn't know how to react when she was face to face with the others . Her emotions were all over the place. Should she be mad at them for ignoring her? Sad? Angry? Upset? Forgiving?

"Isla?" Linette called tentatively poking her head into the foyer. I gave her a slight wave, shifting on my feet. I hated the awkward tension in the air. 

I nearly fell over when Linette ran to me, wrapping her arms around me. I realized she was crying as she apologized over and over again. I stood there, feeling a little shocked and overwhelmed. 

"Oh thank God," Saskia breathed as she came running down the stairs and saw me. "Linette let her breathe!"

I stared at the tiled floor when the boys came down, eyeing me as if I was an alien. 

"I cannot believe you got me roped into your stupid game!" Linette exclaimed, glaring at Elliot who had a pained expression on her face. 

"Hey now don't point fing-," Mathieu started only to be cut off by Linete again. 

"Excuse me? Are you really defending him?"

I drowned them out as I squeezed my eyes shut. All this yelling was too much, I just wanted to sleep. 

God Isla, get a grip. 

I steeled myself, masking my expression and hurrying past the bickering bunch to my room. I collapsed on my bed, letting sleep overtake me.