Chapter 23
The next day...
Riker POV
I was gripping my pencil so hard that my knuckles were white. And I could feel myself starting to shake. I don't know how to do any of this!
My math teacher said if we show our work but get the question wrong, he could still possibly give us half credit for it.
I wasn't sure what I was doing. Some of the stuff on the test seemed vaguely familiar. But I wasn't 100% sure on anything.
I was trying to show as much of my work as possible, but I don't know if my thought process is right.
I could feel my face getting hot and I was starting to sweat. My chest was getting tight and I was just trying to stay calm. I can't have a panic attack right now. Not in front of everyone. And I can't even ask my teacher to go to the bathroom to escape because I can't talk.
I just tried to distract myself with my math test and try to get through all of the questions so that I have time to go back and check my work.
All of a sudden the fire alarms started going off. I forgot there were fire drills.
But the loud noise threw me over the edge. I covered my ears and shut my eyes. It's all too much.
I felt tears going down my cheeks even though my eyes were closed. And then I felt someone touch my shoulder and I flinched.
"Riker, come on. We need to go outside. What's wrong?"
My teacher was standing next to me. How am I supposed to explain to him that I was having a panic attack?
He took my arm and I stood up. But I kept my hands over my ears until we were outside and it was quieter.
Everyone was lined up in the football field. And I felt like everyone was staring at me and judging me.
My teacher led me behind everyone.
"Why don't you sit down for a few minutes, Riker."
I sat down in the grass and covered my face with my hands. My teacher sat down next to me.
"Riker, can you tell me what's wrong? Is it the fire drill?"
I shook my head.
"Is it the math test?"
I shook my head no again and put my hands on my chest because it feels like it's getting really hard to breathe now.
"Are you having a panic attack?"
I nodded.
"Ok. Are there any kids with the foster family you're staying with?"
I nodded again.
"Do they go to this school?"
I nodded.
"Do you want me to go get one of them to stay with you?"
I nodded.
"Ok. Can you tell me their name?"
I don't have my phone. So I wrote Rocky's name in the air.
"Rocky?"
I nodded.
"Last name?"
I wrote Lynch.
"Rocky Lynch?"
I nodded.
"Ok. Stay right there," he said, getting up and leaving.
A few minutes later, I saw him walking back over here with Rocky. Rocky looked extremely concerned.
"What happened?" He asked, sitting down in the grass next to me.
He pulled me into a hug and I just cried into his shoulder.
"Was it the fire drill being loud?"
I nodded.
"Was there more than that?"
I nodded.
"What else was it? Were you taking the math test?"
How does he know me so well? I nodded again.
"Ok. Are you just upset or is this a panic attack?"
I held onto him tighter.
"Panic attack?"
I nodded.
"Ok. Just try to breathe, Riker. Everything's ok."
I could hear everybody starting to head back inside.
"Riker, are you ok? Do you want to come back and finish your test? Or do you want to go to the nurse? What do you want to do?" My teacher asked.
"Riker, what do you want to do?" Rocky asked me.
I didn't want to do anything. I kind of just wanted to stay here.
"Riker, do you think you could finish the test if I put you in a separate room?" My teacher asked.
"Riker, could you do that?" Rocky asked.
I pulled away from him and looked to see if he had his phone because I can't communicate what I want.
I pulled his phone out of his pocket and found his notepad app. And I started typing.
I guess I can finish the test, but can you stay with me, and then can you call Mark to come get me?
I handed his phone back and he read it. He showed it to my teacher.
"That's fine. I'll call Rocky's teacher and let him know he's going to stay with you until you finish. I'll put you in the room across the hall. There's no class in there this period."
Rocky helped me up and we followed my teacher back inside. We waited outside my classroom so he could get my test and my backpack. He brought it out and unlocked the classroom across the hall.
"Rocky, I'll call your teacher. You can stay with Riker."
"Thanks."
I took a seat at a desk in the front row. Rocky sat in the desk next to me.
I wiped my tears and just tried to focus on my test again. I felt like I could think a little bit more clearly.
I finished my test and then looked it over and checked my answers. I have no idea if I got any of these right.
"Are you done?" Rocky asked.
I nodded.
"Do you want me to bring it back for you?"
I nodded again. Rocky took my test and left. He came back a minute later with a hall pass.
"I'll call dad and then we can stay here until he gets here. Then we have a hall pass so we won't be stopped or get in trouble."
I nodded. Rocky sat back down next to me and called Mark. I was really nervous. Is he going to be mad at me?
"Hey dad... Yeah um... So I was wondering if you could come pick Riker up? Yeah... Well there was a fire drill which is loud, which he hates. And it was during his math test, and it just kind of put him over the edge and he had a panic attack. He finished his test... Ok. Yeah. Thanks, dad."
He hung up.
"Dad's coming in a few minutes. He said he'd text me when he gets here and then we can meet him at the attendance office."
I nodded.
"Riker, I'm really proud of you. I know you were anxious for that test. And I know you had a panic attack, but you still managed to finish your test anyway. Even if you want dad to come pick you up."
I smiled slightly. After a few minutes, Rocky got a text, so we walked to the attendance office. Mark gave me a hug and then signed me and Rocky both out. He said he signed Rocky out too so he could stay with me.
We rode home in mostly silence. But I don't think he's mad at me.
When we got home, Rocky took me to the living room so we could watch movies for the rest of the afternoon. He got blankets for us and then let me lean against him while we watched movies.