memory (hiatus)

Chapter 30: Attack of the Anxiety

Jason felt suffocated, like the walls were closing in. Why was the door so close? Why did it smell like lemons? Jason felt nauseous, that horribly sweet smell invading his senses. The world spun around him as his fear spread from his head to toes. An unsettling chill shook his body as his vision became distorted. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, a rhythmic boom-ba-boom. Boom-ba-boom.

His heart thudded in his chest, scratching to a complete halt, then falling down again. Jason couldn't win against himself. His body was nothing more than a prison of flesh, betraying him once again. Jason wanted to break free- no, needed to break free. He needed to leave this jail of blond hair and blue eyes and scarred skin that looked to similar to someone he didn't want to be. His world crashed and burned around him like he was flying through a storm of meteors- but then, he heard it. 

A soft voice, calling his name. "Jason."

"Jason!" He recognized that voice! It was- um, what was her name? Jason couldn't remember, and that scared him way too much. No, no, no, he couldn't forget. He needed to find himself, he needed to be himself, but how could he be himself when he didn't even know himself?

"Jason, come back."

Jason gasped and he was in the real world again, lying on the carpeted ground of a cramped closet. A pretty face hovered over him- though, no, he shouldn't think that. 

"Khione?" Her dark hair brushed his face. 

"Jason, what happened, are you oka-"

The timer went off and someone opened the doors. Tired, Jason closed his eyes and let the darkness overtake him. He just wanted to sink into that darkness and never come back. 

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Piper's POV:

Piper was worried about Jason. Ever since whatever that was last Friday, he'd been distant. Percy and Leo had seemed to notice it too... but they didn't know what was going on either. 

Piper didn't understand. Something must have happened in that closet.... something with Khione. 

But Piper wasn't supposed to be focusing on that. 

Despite it being Thanksgiving in three days(read: one of the most problematic holidays in the world), today was Picture day. (In an effort to try to have more schoolsy things I remembered picture day! So, instead of the Thanksgiving chapter I had planned, u get picture day drama). 

And... well, Jane was feeling a bit better, so she'd helped Piper get ready for it. (I kinda forgot about Jane but she's here now)

Piper felt a little ridiculous wearing makeup- not that there was anything wrong with makeup, because do what you want to do- but it was a little bit heavy and strange and weird.. and also kind of reminded her of her mom, who was kidnapped somewhere in the world. 

Scratch that, somewhere in New York. Especially after the events of last Friday and finally getting out, Piper knew it was somewhere in New York, from the time it took to get to Olympus. 

Piper, however, was not going to Olympus today. Today, Jane was driving her. And Piper didn't want to risk setting back her progress, so Piper managed to not complain about the makeup or the lacy off-the-shoulder teal dress she wore. She, of course, had brought a change of clothes, but her picture wouldn't be taken till the afternoon, so Piper wouldn't be able to change for a while. 

Piper sighed as she walked in. All her friends were at clubs in the early mornings, so Piper was alone. 

The rest of the day was pretty much the same. Calculus, Homeroom, everything blurred together. It was only the last period of the day, when it got weird.