The end of the school day couldn't come quick enough. I managed to avoid Alison for the rest of it however and with that I had been able to avoid anymore awkward encounters. That was until now. I was on the swim team and we had practice most days after school. It had been a tough one today, I had only just managed to beat Paige McCullers in ou and I put it down the stressful day I had had. I couldn't get Alison out of my mind, no matter how hard I tried.
I was the last one in the locker room as per usual. Everyone rushed to get it and go home, but I had nothing to rush home too. My parents were at work until later this evening and my friends were all busy. Hanna was spending the day with her boyfriend Caleb, Spencer was studying for some big test she had in History tomorrow and Aria had been on house arrest since the weekend. Her house arrest had been worth it though. We'd gone to one of Noel Kahn's parties and unfortunately Aria had drank a little bit too much and ended up outside her house at 4am with Hanna singing loudly. Her parents had been very unimpressed with the early wake up call and the complaints from the neighbours. Even Hanna trying to calm them down by telling them they were auditioning for The Voice didn't help. Unsurprisingly.
So it was yet another night in by myself that I had planned and I was in no rush to start it. I took my stuff out of my locker as my phone buzzed in my pocket, I looked down and pulled my phone out and into my line of sight. My locker slammed shut causing a loud noise right in front of me and I dropped my phone to the floor instantly.
"What is your obsession with me? You've been staring at me all day" Alison shouted from beside me but her words didn't make it to my ears. I had fallen back against the lockers behind me and slid to the floor, shaking uncontrollably I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly.
"Hey! What's your problem?" Alison shouted at me again but her voice faltered at the end of her sentence slightly.
"Are you ok? What can I do?" Alison went from angry to concerned as I still sat there on the floor shaking.
One shot.
Two shot.
Three shot.
Four.
The nightmare was happening again but this time I wasn't asleep. I couldn't get the images out of my head. I heard someone screaming but I soon realised that it was me who was screaming. Even with the realisation I couldn't seem to stop myself and the images continued to flash through my mind.
"Emily! Hey! Listen to me!" Alison's voice was laced with worry now and she bent down on her knees and pulled me in close to her.
"You're ok Emily. I'm here, you're having a panic attack. Focus on your breathing."
I began to take notice of my surroundings as she spoke softly to me, she was right I was having a panic attack. I hadn't even realised how fast and uneven my breathing had gotten. I tried to focus. In and out, in and out. The shaking slowed down as my breathing got under control and I slowly looked up to face Alison.
"You're ok Emily. You're ok." She held my eye contact but loosened her grip on me.
"Th...thank you" I managed to get out.
"What was that?" Alison asked me but I just shook my head. I couldn't talk about it, not again. I slowly got to my feet and picked my bag up and put it over my shoulders.
"Do you need a ride home?"
Fuck. Hanna had given me a lift in this morning and I hadn't even considered how I was going to get home.
"Y... yes please" I stuttered. Why was it so hard to talk around her. Hopefully she would just pass it off on account of the panic attack she had just witnessed. I smiled appreciatively at her and she smiled back. Her smile was amazing, it lit up her face. Fuck, I'm staring at her again.
Alison dropped me off outside my house and I got out without saying a word. I didn't know what I was supposed to say and didn't want to end up tripping over my words yet again. I smiled tentatively at her before I walked up the drive and into my house.
Hanna: What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs?
Emily: Still on the deer jokes?
Hanna: Ohhh close...
Emily: That was a statement not a guess!
Hanna: Oh. Well guess then! I haven't got all night, some of us want to go back to sleep...
...
Hanna: Fuck it, I'm telling you. Still no eye deer. Get it, Still. No. Idea.
Emily: Dear lord...
Hanna: I'm laughing so much right now!
Hanna: Caleb just shushed me. Wtf. Doesn't he know he's lying next to a comedic genius?!
Emily: Goodnight Han xx
Hanna: Why doesn't anyone appreciate me?!
Hanna: Em!
Hanna: Emmmmmmmm!
Hanna: Fine. Night
Hanna: xx (I'm still mad though)
I walked into school that morning and saw Alison stood next to her lockers talking to Jenna Marshall and Noel. I thought I better thank her for yesterday seeing as I had just walked away from her without saying anything.
"Hey Alison, I just wanted to say..."
She cut me off by putting a finger to my lips.
"I don't give a fuck what you want to say" she spat at me.
"Who even are you anyway?" She laughed before turning away and walking towards the girls bathroom. Jenna and Noel both laughed with her and followed closely behind as she left.
I stood there stunned. Did I dream yesterday? Or is she really just a bitch like everyone says? I thought she was different, she had seemed kind. I'm so confused. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts before walking over to Hanna. I smiled as if nothing had happened and dragged her to our first class.
