Sofia
"– or allow yourself to be consumed"
I try to focus on what the vice principal is saying, but I can't. I can't seem to focus on anything at all, not with all these people in the room.
Today's assembly is meant to announce something, but not until they've addressed us, obviously.
"– No forms of" the voice trails off from my hearing once more.
The auditorium is especially crowded today, leaving me to fight for air.
I take deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves
One, two, three...
I find myself counting the seconds in an attempt to calm myself.
"– students of this great establishment..."
Bits and pieces are all I hear before the voice disappears from my field of hearing.
Eleven, twelve, thirteen...…
"There will be a two-week training camp …"
The voice trails off again.
Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen.....
I take in another deep breath, but noting –
I can't breathe.
I'm hyperventilating. My air circulation's been cut off, and I can't breathe. If I don't get out right now, I'm going to –
"I got you."
Big arms lift me from my seat, carrying me towards the door, disrupting my thoughts.
"I got you," the voice whispers again and again, and I find myself melting in the particularly familiar embrace. It's him, Xavier.
Outside, he sets me down, allowing me to lean against the lockers.
"I can't breathe." I squeeze in through short breaths.
"Yeah, no shit," his tone is laced with worry, "You're gonna black out at this rate."
He's not wrong. My vision's gone blurry, and my legs are about to give up on me.
"Hey, look at me," he frantically taps my face. "Focus on me, just look into my eyes, okay?"
Forcing my gaze to meet his is a hell of a hassle since I can't see shit. But still I try. I focus all the strength I have left and will my eyes to meet his.
I'm met with green eyes that bore into my soul
Green eyes that set me ablaze
Green eyes that calm my nerves
Looking into those emerald green eyes
Steady my breathing
I'm gulping down air soon enough, hastily making me cough in the process.
"Easy now," He massages my back, which helps with my now coughing state.
"Better?"
"Much better"
His eyes never stray from mine, and I can feel my cheeks paint a deep shade of red.
What?
I clear my throat before asking, "How did you know?"
"That you were basically choking on air?"
"Yes"
He simply shrugs. "I saw you and that's all I needed to know."
I fight back tears that sting my eyes
What if he hadn't seen me? What then?
"Nothing would've happened cause there's no 'what if', I would have found you no matter what".
He answers my internal question before gently removing the glasses from my face and wiping the tears I hadn't known had fallen.
"Thank you," I manage to say against his palm
*********************************************
"Are you going to the training camp?"
"Training camp?" I shoot Linda a confused look
"The training camp," she gives me an exasperated one in return, "the one they announced at the assembly."
Shit
That was the announcement?
"What's the camp about?" I ask, ignoring the look she's giving me
She sighs. "The camp's meant for seniors, as a way of honing their academic skills since we're writing the SAT and GCSE soon."
"A glorified summer school", Melinda chimes in, "I am not signing up for that thing."
"Neither am I ". Linda adds
I stifle a chuckle.
Linda, Melinda, and I have been close friends since forever. They're the kind of people who've stitched their selves into you. They're part of me I don't wanna lose, especially after everything they've stood by me through. They're a part of me I emotionally can't bear to lose.
For a moment, my mind wanders, drifting to memories, tugging me along with it.
Memories I've tried erasing from my head many times.
Memories that haunt me even to this day.
"I think Imma sit this one out as well."
The two turn to me wide-eyed
"What?" I ask them
"You always go for this stuff," Linda says
"It's a shocker you're sitting this one out," adds Melinda.
The bell rings
"I'm not going simple and short." With that, I close the note I was going through and pack my bag before slinging it over my shoulder.
I can hear them laughing as I walk away, but I stop in my tracks, a smile tugging at my lips after hearing something they say before continuing to move away.
"She's finally coming out of her shell."