《To String Together ( Huaze Lei )》Panic
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The sound of the doorbell ringing woke me up from my deep sleep. I groaned slightly from the sudden sound. The soft bed felt comfy and I wish I did not have to get up. Slowly, I sat up realizing I felt drowsy and feeling tired. For some odd reason, a headache has formed. I rubbed my temple and used my other hand to push the comforter off of me. The cold air hits me and I shiver.
Ximen had gone out with Meizuo for the night. As much fun as it sounded to go with them, I needed rest and recover from a full day. I'm not sure what time it is, but maybe Ximen forgot he had the key to the house? Whoever was waiting at the door, I'm sure they can wait a few minutes for me to make my way down. I swung my legs off the bed and stood knowing I would have to open the door. I put my feet into my slippers and stood. I felt a bit off balance, but I knew I haven't eaten since lunch and I felt quite drowsy. I lowered my legs to allow my feet to slide into my slippers before standing.
"Whoa," I say lightly out loud to myself. I balance myself before making the effort to go out of the bedroom. Once I open the door to the bedroom, I squint from the light of the hallway. I walk down the hall and down the stairs. Once I reach the bottom, I noticed the almost the entire downstairs was dark. I made my way past the living room to the front door.
As I opened the door, a yawn escaped my lips. My eyes squint shut for a moment before reopening. When I open my eyes, I expected to see a Meizou carrying a partly drunk Ximen. I took a sharp breath and immediately took a step back feeling a panic arising. I wasn't expecting to see him here. We last spoke earlier today after my performance when we went to the classroom where my things were. Him being here, I couldn't imagine what he is thinking about right now. Will he feel the need to get mad at me or is he going to embarrass me more? I felt so nervous and intimidated all at once waiting for how he would react.
"H-Huaze Lei," I stutter lightly. Heat returns to my cheeks and my heart rate continues to increase. In front of me, he seems calm. I felt stressed about him reacting in a way to make me more uncomfortable that I already am.
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I wish Ximen were here.
I noticed my breathing became more uneven than usual and I worry a panic would start. I haven't had once since... I don't want to know what Lei will say in the moment about how he is about to react. Lei frowned slightly and took a step towards me with concern. I immediately take a step back, hitting the frame of the door.
"Faye..." His words sounded faint. The sound of my breathing becomes louder to my ears. "You look pale." To me, everything seemed to happen slow, the only exception is my breathing that I'm sure was now noticeable to Lei. His eyes widen and he tried to speak to me, but I could only read his lips. I was terrible at lip reading as he took a slow cautious step towards me. I couldn't back away anymore as I was against the door frame already.
My legs felt like jello suddenly and I tried to focus on them. At first they locked and I fought with myself feeling like my legs wanted to give out underneath me. I panic in confusion, and I slowly allow myself to slide against the doorframe. Instead I am falling foward out of my control and Lei reaches forward to grab me to make sure I don't fall face first and he breaks our fall. We're both kneeling in front of each other
The look of worry is now present all over his face and I am now worried I'm going to pass out. I wanted to get air back into my lungs. My chest felt constricted and I felt my head swirling out of focus. Lei knelt in front of me. Both hands on each arm. He hesitantly brought a hand to me cheek, and my skin tingled from his cold touch. At first I felt uncertain, but in this moment I realize he was trying to help me calm down. He rubbed small circles against my cheek and looked directly into my eyes.
From the way his eyes looked into mine, my mind automatically began thinking about him. I knew at this moment he wanted to help me and my conscious telling me to trust him for now. I felt his other hand take mine. He leaned forward towards me until our forehead touched. I closed my eyes finding it easier to concentrate on my breathing. The small circles Lei continued to run against my cheek began to help me find a rhythm. I felt my tingling skin relax under his touch. First I found my way to taking deeper breaths every two circles he made on my cheek.
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I wasn't sure how long we knelt here on the cold floor, but eventually I noticed it because it became easier to get air into my lungs. Reliefs washed over me and soon after ringing in my ears sounded as I get my hearing back. It took a few moments to hear normally again. I could hear my small panting and Lei breathing. I think he could tell I was coherent and he slowly reach for my hand. On instinct I intertwined my hand with his and he looked towards our hand for a moment before looking back to me. A shaky breath was let out and I yawn. This wasn't what I had expected to happen and suddenly I felt the weight of my tiredness. I leaned towards Lei and he took ahold of me.
"Faye, I need to get you back into bed. Where is your inhaler?" He spoke gently and lightly for the first time after what seemed like a long time.
"Yellow box," I say lightly.
My mind tried to figure out a way to calm her as soon as she collapsed. I caught her and gently brought her to her knees. When she first opened the door, I noticed she seemed tired. My encounter with her earlier must have made her uncomfortable. I did not mean to cause her to have a panic attack. Ximen will be angry with me for causing Faye this much trouble. I wouldn't have thought Faye would be as sensitive. From the start I thought she needed her inhaler, but I couldn't leave her to look for it.
Something I knew helped Jing when we were younger was bringing her close to me and calming her nerves seemed to help her. I only hoped Faye would find this calming, because I was unsure of leaving her when she had just collapsed to the ground. I held her close in hopes she would calm. Upon holding her gently, her tensed body relaxed. It took awhile to calm her, but eventually I knew she would be alright.
Much time has passed. I noticed her breathing even again and eventually I felt her leaning towards me. After telling me her inhaler was in a yellow box, I assume it was in the bedroom she was sleeping in. My mind was telling me I needed to get her into her room. She must be feeling tired from her plane trip here and her body isn't reacting very well to the time difference. I allowed myself to untwine our hands and I leaned away carefully so I could hold her. Carefully, I wrapped my arm around her and I helped her to her feet. Her head leaned against my chest and I carefully leaned forward to reach for underneath her knee so she could be carried.
Faye immediately wrapped her arms around my neck and her head leaned against my shoulder. She must be focusing on her breathing to be under control. I slowly begin walking through the living room to go up the stairs with her in my arms. I walked down the ball heading straight for the guest room where the door was open. I walk into the room. I could tell Faye was staying in this room. I walked to the bedside closest to the window before carefully placing her down onto the bed. I took her slippers off and placed them beside the bed.
My hand reached for the lamp to turn it on and I looked around for the yellow box she described. There wasn't one in sight. I walked over to the closet and opened the door. I found her luggage that looked to be unpacked from her flight. I looked up to the shelf to see it empty. I closed the door and turned towards Faye to look at the room. It wasn't by her bedside, not the couch, not the table, and not by the windowsill. I looked down and noticed a box. I wasn't sure what color it was under the bed. I walked towards the bed and kneeled down to grab a hold of the small box. Yellow.
Quickly, I opened the top and found four inhalers. I took one and place the box on the bed before making way over back to Faye's side. I shake the Inhaler before sitting Faye up on the bed and practically giving it to her. She coughed after and looked at me confusingly.
"Are you okay?" I asked her for the first time since I arrived. She nods and lowers her eyes to break our eye contact. She must feel uncomfortable with me witnessing her panic attack. She must feel uncomfortable from my behavior earlier in the classroom. I don't think anyone would know she gets them. I want to make sure she's alright. "Do you want me to call Ximen?" She nods and I take her response as a yes.
❤️
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