B E L L A

4 || Back and Fourth

JACE

One minute I'm behind Arabella and then the next, she's got me against the lockers.

"DONT FUCKING TOUCH ME AGAIN," she screams.

A crows begins to gather behind her. She notices and walks backward towards the edge of the ring.

"Touch me again and I'll fucking kill you," she hisses before she stalks off towards the dorms.

What the fuck just happened?

I make my way to the car and just sit there, trying to comprehend what the fuck set her off.

I slap my hand to my face as I realise that it was me touching her hand.

It must be one of those trigger things I've read about. I don't know a lot about them, only that it's common with PTSD. I know some stuff because my sister has triggers.

Five years ago, me, my sister, and both my parents got into a really bad car crash and my dad died. For months after, Delilah refused to leave the house and developed 'Agoraphobia'. It's a type of anxiety disorder where person is afraid to leave environments they know or consider to be safe. In severe cases, a person with agoraphobia considers their home to be the only safe environment.

We got her to leave after a few months of homeschooling and counselling at home.

But why would she have such a trigger?

I pull my phone out and open google:

What is the fear of physical contact?

I press search and...bingo!

'Haphephobia is an intense, overwhelming fear of being touched. Many people don't like being touched by strangers. But haphephobia is significant distress over being touched by anyone, even family or friends. For some people, the fear is specific to touch by people of one gender.'

"Huh," I say out loud.

Im in deep thought when a knocking comes from the outside of my car window. Kayla.

For fucks sake what does this bitch want with me. I roll down my window and say coldly,"what do you want."

She plasters on an ugly ass smile," I saw that bitch push you into the lockers and I wanted to see if you were ok, Jacey boo."

"Fucking fantastic," I give her a sarcastic smile and a thumbs up.

She walks away shortly after, thank god and I'm left with ten minutes until my next class starts.

I sigh and get out my car, making my way back to the school.

***

When I get in the room, I see that everyone has been paired with someone else and were playing twenty questions with one another.

Everyone except me. And Arabella.

The teacher, Mrs Blake, appears out of thin air  and claps her hands,"Ah so you've finally decided to join us Jace! You will be partners with Arabella, so if you would sit down and get on with the task that would be lovely!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Arabella visibly sigh with annoyance.

I move over and grab a chair, facing her but she doesn't  look at me.

"We're supposed to be doing 20 questions," I say.

"No shit." Was the only response I get so I proceeded to ask as many questions as I can.