My Brother's Best Friend - One-shot Competition

“So, why were we running anyway?” He asked, I could see him flick his hair from his eyes because of how long it was and leant against the wall myself. I pressed my hands against the cool bricks, just praying that the feel of it would calm my racing heart. I closed my eyes because I knew Trent couldn’t see me and breathed deeply.

“Lee?” Trent asked, snapping me out of my concentration.

“Oh, err, I didn’t see the nurse today.” I replied, looking to the ceiling that I couldn’t actually see.

“You needed to see the nurse?” he asked curiously and I closed my eyes abruptly. Shit. He doesn’t know.

“Oh yeah, I was feeling sick yesterday and they sent me to my room and asked to check up with them today to see if I was better.” I said, hastily thinking of the lie, it easily slipping off my tongue. No way was I going to admit that I had to see the nurse to take my medicine every morning at exactly eight o’clock.

“Wow. All this chasing just for you to check in about feeling a little ill.” Trent said, chuckling, completely believing my lie, oblivious to my now wracking stomach. I clutched my fingers against the wall, just trying to see if I can grab onto a sense of sanity, I can’t crumble. I’ve tried hard not to since being here.

“I know right.” I muttered under my breath. “How much longer are we in here for?”

Please, please, please, can we just leave? I rubbed the back of my neck, my legs trembled and my eyes squeezed shut. Please, please.

“I think we can leave,” I heard a faint voice say. “No one’s out there.”

But I couldn’t comprehend what was being said. My heart stumbled erratically in my chest, my throat closed, my breathing fastened. I could feel the pulsing in my temples, the intensity of squeezing my eyes too tight, the undeniable feeling of falling, not being able to grab onto anything. Words were jumbled, garbled and lost, sounding far away and muffled. Like I was under water. I was feeling the sensation of my throat closing, I couldn’t breathe and I needed air.

I needed sanity.

“Lee!”

The harsh tone snapped me out of my reverie and I gasped, opening my eyes to see Trent crouching in front of me, light streaming in behind him.

“You good, man?” He asked, concerned.

I nodded and pulled myself back to my feet, quickly running out of the closet and putting my hands against the wall opposite me. My breathing was getting back to normal, the pulsing had slowed and I thought of my mother’s voice. Sweet, smooth and calming. I imagined her holding my hand and talking to me, stroking her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply.

God, I missed her so much.

I then stood up straight, brushing those thoughts aside and turned around, seeing Trent staring at me. “Sorry,” I said, smirking. “Got a bit dizzy. I’m not used to all that exercise.”

Trent just nodded his head and clapped me on the back, we made our way back down the same way we came and I –thankfully – didn’t run into Mrs Wetherington or more like, the devil in disguise. We got into the lunch room and I breathed a sigh of relief, it was times like this I was happy to be living, knowing I was about to get some good grub in my belly. This is the only good thing about Cornerstone, the food.

I smelt the delicious scent of pizza and got slightly excited, I obviously didn’t show it though. After I had grabbed my food, I made my way to my table, however on the way a small brunette stepped in front of me. I surveyed her face, she had light blue eyes, curly brown hair, a small nose and high cheekbones. She was cute, but not something others would fall head over heels for, I’ve seen her around before… what was her name again?