Mr. King and I

Chapter Nine: Friends

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2014

For God's sweetest Angel, your bers love you Kaleb

Things went down hill during lunch.

Tonks had been no where in sight. I grabbed a plastic container of Caesar salad, a slightly bruised apple, and some red jello with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Hardly one of Mrs. B's gourmet meals-her lobster and shrimp Alfredo the other night had been heavenly.

I was beginning to regret not taking her up on her offer to pack me a lunch. I was scanning the room, over the circular tables that were scattered about the room when, an ear splitting scream sent me almost jumping in the air.

"EL-ER-REEEEEEEEEE!!!"

In a nanosecond I was attacked from all sides, four sets of arms flying around me, embracing me so tightly I saw stars. Four different voices started echoing in my ears, all bubbling with excitement.

"OMIGAWD ELLERY-!"

"WE MISSED YOU-!"

"IT'S BEEN AGES-!"

"DON'T EVER LEAVE US AGAIN-!"

"Hey! Hey! Let the girl breathe!"

At once I was released, a series of apologies following. I blinked glancing around at the familiar faces. My stomach dropped, flipping over like a dog as my mouth suddenly became dry as sandpaper.

"Guys!" I exclaimed with a mixture of surprise and dismay, I prayed they only hers the surprise.

Miranda Stratford, Emily Wyatt, and Lucy Barns-three out of four of my closest friends-stepped back, grinning at me, as though nothing had happened, and no time had passed.

I returned their embrace awkwardly, an unfamiliar knot coiling in my stomach. Shashone stood at the back, giving her friend a weak smile. I returned it as Miranda, Emily and Lucy stood away from me. All shared identical expressions of merriment that I couldn't seem to share.

"Where've you been, Elle? I IMed you on Facebook a dozen times!" Miranda said.

Try twice, I thought bitterly. The thought surprised me. This wasn't like me. I wasn't bitter-least of all towards Randy. But I was . . . the sudden realization floored me.

Emily spoke next, her hand wrapping around mine.

"You've missed so much!" she gasped, her hand squeezing mine as she beamed.

I tried to muster a molecule of excitement for her, Emily was like an old granny when it came to gossip, it was her air and water. I came up empty though. My lack of enthusiasm left her smile slipping from her face. Lucy and Shashone watched quietly while Tonks opened my stared incredulously at my oldest friends as though they were foreign creatures.

Talk, I told myself. Speaking, speech, good.

"Um, this is Tonks-she's new." I managed at last.

The four of them stared at Tonks, taking in her outrageous hair, her clothes and piercings and looking back with me with questioning looks. Shashone, though managed to smile and offer a greeting, which Tonks gracefully returned.

"I was, I mean am, gunna have lunch with her. I'll . . . I'll see you guys later."

I slipped past them, seizing Tonks' arm none too gently and steering her away from my once friends. Tonks stared at me wide eyed, but said nothing until we reached the outdoors, the cool air hitting me, zapping air into my lungs. I gasped and coughed, fighting back tears of panic and pain. I distantly felt Tonks' hands around my shoulders, supporting me.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, breathe."

"I-I don't know what's wr-wrong with me," I gasped as I struggled for breath.

"You're having a panic attack," Tonks said in a voice so calm that it floored me. "You gotta focus on your breathing. We're gunna count to ten, okay? Breathe as we count okay?"

I nodded, willing for anything to take this terrible feeling away.

"One," she said.

I breathed out. "One."

"Two."

I repeated the action as she counted on, the claws of panic slowly relinquishing their hold on me. When the world stopped spinning, and I breathed with ease, I looked up at her, stammering out my thanks. She shrugged, smiling slightly.

"My sister, Beth, she got them all the time. The counting always worked best. You okay now?"

"Better," I said, easing on to the concert steps. "I-I've never had a panic attack before."

"It's probably the stress, and all," she said, quietly. "You want me to give your . . . whatever a call?"

I weighed my options. Could I do it? could I make it through the day without another incident? I imagined Miranda, or Lucy, or worse, Jake, witnessing such a break down. I closed my eyes nodding.

"I'll call him." I pulled out my cell, going to recent calls, and selected Sebastian's name. the phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Elle?"

I licked my dry lips, letting out a shaky breath. "I need to go home, Sebastian."

He was quite on the other end. For a span of three heart beats I feared he'd tell me to suck it up and make it through the day.

"Was it bad?" he asked, his voice low.

Tears pricked against my closed eyelids as I nodded. "Yeah. Please, come get me."

"I'll be there in twenty.

I heaved a sigh, a weight easing from my shoulders.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Ellery?"

"Mm?" I asked, as I whipped at my face, trying to catch the stray tears.

"Thank you for calling me." His voice was low, something in his tone made me pause.

I didn't get a chance to respond, by the time could the line was dead.

I licked my lips once more, looking up at Tonks with a weary gaze.

"He's gunna come get me."

Tonks nodded quietly, arms folded in front of her chest. "Want me to sit with 'til he gets here?"

"You don't mind?" I asked as I shoved my phone back in my bag.

"Like I really want to spend my time listening to Labroski describe the French Revolution for the fiftieth time," she snorted.

Her barb made me smile, I managed a dry laugh as she settled next to me. As we waited for Sebastian, we didn't talk. Tonks just sat there with me, holding my hand, the warmth of her palm steeling me. In that moment, I knew I had someone who wasn't scared of me-who wasn't frightened by the mess I was on the inside. Someone who'd face the worst storms with me.

I had a real friend.

__________Author's Note_________

Ten thousand yeeeeaaaars later we have an update! no you are not dreaming this is real. I've been MIA for too damn long. I'm sorry for that.

It just hit me tonight that now, after what happened to my nephew, I understand what Ellery is feeling more than I ever wanted to. I haven't had panic attacks, but a friend of my did, and I used the number method, it's very important you remain calm and encourage them, tell them they're doing great, keep them focused on the present.

We'll have some touching Sebastian x Ellery scenes in chapter 10-what's this ship name anyway? Sebellery? Lol reminds me of Bellarke.

How are you guys? do you hate me completely? I'm sorry if you do. It's been a rough couple of months. I'm going to update next week, swear. All my books are going to update along the span of this week so look forward to it!

Follow, comment your thoughts? And please vote! have a great Wednesday guys!