The Music We Make ✔️

22. Panic Attacks And Snowball Fights

By now Drew was at my side, trying to get my attention but all I could focus on was the lack of air in my lungs and my pounding heart.

I couldn't breathe.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I heard Drew growl at Matt.

"Calm down man, it was a joke. She's overreacting." Matt shot back.

Over my pounding heart I faintly heard flesh hit flesh.

I looked over and saw Matt on the ground, holding his nose, and Drew standing over him. Drew hit Matt.

"Get out of here." Drew barked, looking down at Matt furiously.

Without another word Matt got up and left, and Drew knelt in front of me, trying to calm me down.

"Look at me Cora." Drew said calmly, cupping my face in his hands so that I looked at him.

I tried to suck in enough air to fill my lungs but it wasn't working.

"Deep breath in." He coached, breathing in with me.

"And out." He continued a few seconds later, breathing out with me.

We repeated this a few more times until my lungs finally felt like they were getting enough oxygen again.

When Drew saw that I was calming down he let my face go and took a seat on the chair beside me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his concerned eyes searching my face for any signs that I was still in distress.

I nodded but didn't verbally reply.

"Let's get out of here." He suggested, standing up and offering me his hand.

I gratefully took it, and to my surprise, once he helped me up he kept my hand in his, interlocking our fingers.

We were holding hands and walking towards the nearest exit.

Once we got outside the cold winter air hit me like a ton of bricks and I began to shiver. I didn't have my coat on since I wasn't expecting to leave the school.

When Drew saw that I was cold he quickly took his jacket off and put it around my shoulders.

I tried to protest, he'd be cold without it, but he gave just me a stern look that left no room for argument.

I pulled his jacket tighter around me and smiled as his scent engulfed me.

We quickly made it to his car and once we were out of the parking lot I looked over at him curiously. "Where are we going?"

"To the park. There's a couple pairs of mittens in the glove compartment, and could you grab me my hoodie, it's in the back seat." Drew said, his eyes never leaving the road.

I retrieved his hoodie from the back and used it as a blanket while I checked the glove compartment.

True to his word there were two sets of mittens, and I slipped a pair on and put the other pair on Drew's hoodie so he could put them on when we got to our destination.

About ten minutes later we pulled into a parking lot and I smiled at the scene before us. There was a wide open space with trees framing it, and a perfect blanket of snow covering every inch. It was beautiful and peaceful.

We silently got out of the car after I handed over the hoodie and mittens, and once outside we began towards the park.

"The guys and I come here to toss around a football when it's warm." Drew told me, making easy conversation.

"I bet it's just as beautiful here in the spring." I mused.

He nodded to confirm my assumption.

For a while we mindlessly chatted as we walked around the park, and I completely forgot about the scene from the cafeteria and my paranoia. No one could hurt me here.

As I looked down at the snow on the ground an idea suddenly struck me.

A wicked grin formed on my face as I bent down, scooped up some snow, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it at Drew.

"Hey!" He exclaimed when my snowball hit him in the side of the head.

I giggled at the shock on his face.

He gave me a playful glare before a smirk took over and he bent down to grab some snow.

I squealed and ran away to get cover behind a tree.

"You'll never get me!" I called, making another snowball and hurling it in his direction.

As I bent down to get more snow I heard a snowball of his hit the tree in front of me.

Game on Drew Bates.

I made five snowballs and chucked one after another at him until they were all gone.

Most of them missed but the last one got him right in the face.

I doubled over laughing as Drew wiped the snow off of his face.

"You're gonna get it now!" He playfully threatened, running straight for me.

I screamed and ran away, laughing the whole time. This was the most fun I'd had in a while.

I heard his footsteps getting closer and I pushed myself to run faster, causing the cold air to nip at my cheeks. But soon I felt strong arms snake around my waist and lift me off the ground.

"Got ya!" Drew cheered, putting me down a moment later, but not letting me go.

"I win." He teased, and by the way he spoke I knew he was smiling.

I turned in his arms to face him, wanting to see his beautiful smile.

When we were face to face I realized just how close we were. I was only inches away from him.

The smile on his face dropped and the mood around us shifted from playful to something else.

I looked into his blue grey eyes and he looked back into mine.

Then his eyes trailed down and lingered on my lips for a moment before meeting my eyes again.

"Cora." He whispered, his eyes searching mine for something.

"Yes." I breathed back, knowing exactly what he was silently asking.

Without another word Drew closed the distance between us and pressed his lips to mine.

They were soft and warm against mine and sparks shot through my whole body.

Our lips moved in perfect synchronization as I put my arms around his neck and he pulled me closer until our bodies were pressed up against each other.

My head spun at the feeling of his lips against mine and the heat from his body made my knees weak.

I pressed my lips harder against his, never wanting the moment to end, and he did the same in return. The kiss turned from sweet to desperate as so many unsaid emotions fought to be felt.

My insides melted when he gently bit my bottom lip, and I felt disappointed when he pulled away.

I didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but it seems too short.

Drew rested his forehead against mine and I bit back a smile as I studied his face. His cheeks were red, maybe from the cold, maybe from the kiss, his lips were slightly swollen in the sexiest way possible, and his eyes were still closed.

I closed my eyes again as I took in what just happened.

We kissed.

And it felt so right.