Not Your Average Fairytale - Prinxiety

Chapter 8 (Virgil)

I was scrolling through Thomas's YouTube comments on his Battling Anxiety video. It was the first one I'd ever been a part of. Some of the comments had to do with something called "Prinxiety"? I didn't know what it meant, but my guess had me blushing like mad. My phone dinged, and I moved to go get it, but then my eyes landed on a certain comment. It read: "Good job getting rid of your anxiety! It's so useless." I knew I should look away. Comments like this tended to trigger attacks, but my body was frozen except for my hands as I moved to view the replies to that comment. I had hoped that people had tried to defend me, but I was wrong. Each reply was worse than the one before it, and I just couldn't stop reading. Suddenly, without knowing what came over me, I picked up my computer and smashed it against the wall. I collapsed onto the floor, curling in on myself. I tried the breathing exercises that Patton gave me, but it was no use against the hateful words that swarmed my mind:

He's useless

Anxiety sucks

I hate him

All the other sides are so much better

He should just go away

No one likes him...

My breaths became strangled, and my chest was wracked with sobs. I tried every tactic I knew to calm myself down, but the attempts were futile. Nothing was working, I could barely breathe. I didn't hear the door open and close, but I felt arms around me, and I leaned into their body but it wasn't enough.

"I can show you the world. Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide." My breathing slowed, as I listened to the soft singing.

"I can open your eyes. Take you wonder by wonder," my savior continued to sing, slowly and softly. "Over, sideways, and under on a magic carpet ride." They started to stroke my hair as they sang, and didn't stop until my shuddering breaths slowed, and my eyes dried. I slowly opened my eyes to a damp, red sash.

That's weird. I thought. The only person who wears a sash is—

"Roman?" I asked quietly. My voice hoarse.

"Hey," he whispered close to my ear. "Relax, it's just me. Breathe, okay?" I nodded, as I sank into Roman's body even more. We stayed like that for ages, I lost track of time, my focus only on how Roman's arms felt around me, his head resting on mine. It was perfect.