Nick Jonas

Panic

I pick up my phone and go to the speed dial screen. This is the third panic attack I've had in the last twenty-four hours, and though I've learned to live on my own after the death of my parents on my seventeenth birthday last year, I'm not used to having to deal with attacks like this. I'd never had panic attacks before, when they were still alive, so I never learned what to do about them. I've always just figured it out myself, but today I'm having the worst attacks I've ever had and I can't deal with it. I can feel my throat closing up, tightness in my chest, tears threatening to spill over, and just how incredibly alone I am in this situation. I close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, and call the first person on my speed dial. The person who is always there for me, and has been for my entire life. My cousin, Nick Jonas.

He picks up after one ring, as he always does when he sees that it's me calling.

"Harper? What's up?" he asks.

"Nicky-" I say, trying to sound strong, but my voice breaks and gives away the fact that I'm on the verge of tears.

"I'll be right over," he says at once, and I hear his car keys jingle as he slams his front door.

Within minutes he pulls into my driveway and runs into my house. The look of concern on his face only deepens when he sees me shaking and sobbing on the living room floor. He rushes over to me and sits next to me.

"Come here," he says, wrapping me in a bear hug. "I've got you, just breathe." We sit like that for a while before my breathing evens out and I stop crying enough to talk to him.

"Nicky, I'm scared. I keep having panic attacks and-," I explain.

"Hey, it's going to be alright. I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave your side until you're okay," he says comfortingly.

"You're the best," I say, laying my head on his shoulder as he rubs my back.

"How about I stay overnight and we can hang out? That way, if something happens I'll be here and you won't be alone," he suggests.

"Can you, please?" I ask, looking up at him.

"Of course," he grins. "Should I call Kevin and Joe and tell them to come over too?"

"Yeah. It'll be a party," I say, smiling at him and drying my eyes.

He gets up, pulling me to my feet, taking out his phone and dialing Joe's number first.

"Joe? Yeah, I'm over at Harper's. I'm gonna stay with her overnight and we were wondering if you would like to as well...yeah? Okay, cool. See you soon," he says, hanging up.

"So Joe's coming?" I ask.

"Yeah, Joe's coming. Let me just call Kevin real quick," says Nick.

He dials and waits a little bit before Kevin picks up.

"Hey, Kev. I'm with Harper right now, and Joe and I are going to stay overnight if you wanted to also. Sweet, yeah, whenever you can."

"Kevin's coming too?" I say.

"Yeah, you're going to have a full house tonight," he says, laughing as we hug one more time.