A/N: Written for HSWW (Challenges and Assignments) and THC (This is an Modern!AU and Highschool!AU)

(THC) House: Hufflepuff; Category: Drabble; Prompt: Anxiety [emotion]

(HSWW) Around the World in Thirty-One Days: 91. Kyrgyzstan - Character: Katie Bell

Halloween Bingo: (scenario) a character facing the worse bad luck.

Word count: 463

"Glad to see you finally join us, Ms. Bell," said the voice of her English teacher.

Katie's cheeks flushed when everyone shifted their attention from the teacher. She didn't mean to be late, but her wheelchair was jammed before she could leave her home. Tucking some of her hair behind her ear, Katie cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jetton," she said quietly before rolling into the room completely towards her desk. As usual, on her way through Katie could hear the whispers and snickers from her classmates as she adjusted her wheelchair at her desk in the front row. It was something she should have been used to, but it never failed to make her shoulders sag. People could literally talk behind her back, and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Mr. Jetton cleared his throat, scratching the top of his bald head. "Settle down now, class. Before Katie came in, I was telling you about the events this month." He placed his hands on his desk. "It's the week of the mock crash, and we have to ask if any of the seniors want to volunteer for the reenactment."

Katie zoned out completely at the mention of a crash. In her mind everyone and everything around her was blurring into oblivion. Sounds of screams and glass shattering echoed around her. The sudden feeling of her bones breaking made Katie grip the desk. Her chest felt heavy; her throat was tightening from the fear of losing her life.

She screamed, and the voice of her teacher became prominent. "Ms. Bell! Snap out of it!"

Katie gasped and looked around frantically as the other teens laughed at her.

"I think Katie will be the perfect person to volunteer," leered one of the students in the back of the classroom followed by a roar of laughter from his peers.

Mr. Jetton looked at his students with a stern look. "You will all stop this instance, anyone that continues to laugh will have another page added to their next assignment."

When he was met with silence, Mr. Jetton gave a curt nod before his expression softened when he directed his attention back to Katie. "Are you alright to stay in class?"

Her eyes met Mr. Jetton's with a defeated look. "I'll...I'll be fine."

He placed a hand on her shoulder with a comfortable squeeze. "Just say the word and I'll allow you to be excused with no fault, alright?"

Katie nodded mutely before laying her head down on her desk. She tried to block out anything but the words that came from her teacher's mouth. It pained her to relive that day, yet she couldn't help but relive it. She couldn't let go yet.

She did want the school day to be over.