Click-Boom

Chapter 6: Inside Your Mind

** I GOT A SNOW DAY! DAY OFF SCHOOL! **

My eyes begin to shift nervously around the room, I can almost feel my pulse quicken. Absentmindedly, my fists clench tightly, so tight the colour begins to drain from my knuckles. My breathing becomes sharp, my vision becomes cloudy. A bead of sweat trickles down the nape of my neck, it's becoming hard to breathe. 

"Wake up..." A raspy voice pleads in my mind. My face is wet, I think I'm crying. My body shakes, I can't sit still. 

The small twitching becomes vigorous shaking, I can't see straight, something firm but warm pushes down on my shoulders, restraining the vigorous shakes---

"Miss. Annette!" Phillip cries, and my vision clears. The first thing my mind can clearly make out is Phillip's face, the freckles splattered about his face and cheeks, along the bridge of his nose. The worry in his eyes is prominent, his pupils are wide dart across my face, searching for answers. 

"Phillip," Alexander places his hand upon his son's shoulder, trying to pull him back. His grip tightens around my own shoulders, and he doesn't let go. Alexander speaks softly to his son, but Phillip doesn't listen.

My eyes shift from Phillip's, and I realize that I am surrounded by many people, but my perspective is looking up. I am lying on the floor--and I don't remember how I got here. Phillip hovers over one side of me, and Eliza kneels on the other, Alexander by her side.

"What happened?" I manage to say, my voice is horse and it hurts to speak. I look past Phillip's shoulder and see Lafayette and Laurens conversing in worried tones at my feet. I try to stand, but mocha coloured hands hold my head still, their palms pressing to my ears. 

"You stared shaking, and crying. Then collapsed. You screamed as you laid on the floor, and we all came in. Phillip was the first by your side, he was worried about you." Alexander says, glancing first at Phillip the down at the tiled floor. "We were all worried about you, I mean, you looked scared and in pain. Even though we just met--and under the most absurd of conditions--we care about you, Miss. Annette." 

"Thank you, Alexander. All of you, thank you." I say, placing my hand on Phillip's gently and, I swear, I saw the tips of his ears go red. "Can I get up now?" 

"Yeah, do you need any help?" Alexander says, lifting my back off the floor slowly. I wince as he and Phillip place my arms around their shoulders. 

Even with their help, it's difficult to walk. Though Alexander is holding me upright, Phillip bears most of my weight--which isn't that much, I've always been small. Too small, for that matter. My feet shuffle, barely lifting off the floor as I'm basically dragged into the living room.

Alexander removes my arm from his shoulder and Phillip wraps his other arm around my torso, now completely bearing my weight. Without my mind's consent, I rest my head on his broad shoulder as he helps me stand. He is supporting the smell of a forest, heavy and sweet, with something distinctly like peppermint.  

With great ease, he helps me sit down on the worn brown leather of the sofa, sitting down beside me. I find myself resting my head on his shoulder again and closing my eyes. 

You shouldn't do that. My subconscious tells me. It isn't proper.

Then why does it feel right? My subconscious asks itself. 

My head pounds, and I have trouble seeing straight. There is a light knock on the door, and soft pawing at the floor. My head throbs and my body screams as I stand, and Phillip jumps to his feet and walks alongside, probably making sure I don't collapse again.

I open the door and I am greeted by a smiling face. My brother stands in the doorway with a dog leash clasped tightly in his hand, and a broad smile plastered across his face.

"Darius, it's good to see you." I say, embracing my big brother. 

"Ah, come on, Little Annie, you saw me a few days ago." Darius replies, wrapping his free arm around my shoulder blades and pulling me into a hug. Darius is the only person I allow to call me "Little Annie."

"Whatever--you brought Jerry-Lee home!" I say, ignoring my body's wails of pain and kneel in front of the furry beast. Jerry-Lee is my German Shepard, I've had him since I left home. Other than Opal, Jerry-Lee is my best friend. And now, it's only Jerry-Lee.

"Yeah, you told me that he's been at the vet for a while and I decided to pay the little guy a visit and I was able to bring him back. Thought I'd surprise you." Darius says, shrugging. "Who's your friend?" 

Darius eyes Phillip almost angerly, but Phillip stays strong and doesn't crack under my brother's intense glare. 

"This is Phillip," I say, placing my hand on Phillip's shoulder. 

"Are y'all doing school work or something?" Darius says, never breaking eye contact with Phillip. Darius has always been over protective of me, and I doubt that will ever change.

"Not exactly," I trail off. "It's kind of a long story." 

"I have time," Darius says worriedly. 

"Okay, but first come in and meet everyone. And I think Jerry-Lee wants to meet everyone as well." I say, unhooking Jerry-Lee's leash. Jerry-lee rubs against Phillip's leg and he nor I can't help not to smile. 

"Everyone else?" Darius asks. I nod. Jerry-Lee soon gets bored with Phillip and trots into the living room.

"Yeah, there's a few other people here..." I say, down-playing the severity of our situation. 

"Okay, let--" Darius is cut off my Jerry-Lee's angry barking. Without thinking, we both run into the living room and see Jerry-Lee cornering Burr, while Alexander and Lafayette laugh. 

"I don't think dogs like you very much, Burr." Alexander says through laughs and I roll my eyes, pulling Jerry-Lee back from Burr, who is looking rather fearful and annoyed. 

"What is going on?" Darius mumbles, his eyes darting wildly around the room. 

"I'll tell you, but you have to swear to believe me. Promise me you'll believe me, Darius" I say, my voice grave.

"Of course I'll believe you, Little Annie." Darius says, but he still looks confused and slightly afraid. 

And I tell him. I tell him everything, from finding Alexander in my bedroom to me fainting in the kitchen, and everything in between. His face falls slack and grows more and more pale with every word, with every passing second. 

Okay, sorry it's so late but it took forever to write this, I kept getting caught on the slightest of things! That, and writing while on the phone with your friend is not easy (You know who you are. And... Green). But anyway, hope y'all liked it! Remember: READ, VOTE, and COMMENT! Bye, Pansycakes!

~Love, Emily

Be brave