Chapter 27 • Panic

                                    

                                          

"Ella give me that." I feel a hand much bigger than mine take the photo I've been crushing in my hand away.
                          
"Hey listen to me it's okay, your okay." Again I feel a hand gently wrap around mine tugging my body into their warm embrace.  
                          
The sound of glass crunching as someone walks over it making my eyes snap open. I wasn't aware I had closed them. 
                          
My eyes connect with Emilio's who looks distraught. My eyes lower to his bloody fists making my already stiff body tense even more and my breathing halt which Antonio must notice. 
                          
"Em why don't you go clean up and calm down." If my mind wasn't freaking out right now over pictures of me I would be shocked by how soft Antonio's voice is. 
                          
Emilio blinks at us for a few seconds before he nods and leaves the room. I feel like my brains broken, I've never been more confused in my life then when I saw those pictures. What are they from? Who took them? Do I even want to know the answer to those questions?
                          
My head is throbbing I feel like it's about to explode. I can see Antonio standing in front of me I can see his lips moving as he talks but my ears are clogged I can't hear anything, I watch him without comprehending whats going on. 
                          
Am I breathing? I place my hand on my chest and freak out more when I can't feel it rising, my hands grip my hair trying to bring me back to my senses. 
                          
Slam. 
                          
I barely hear a door slam somewhere in the distance before more yelling occurs and I feel a sense of deja vu from when I heard Emilio and Antonio fighting. 
                          
My breathing starts getting faster the more I start to panic, I can't get enough air I feel like I'm dying I can't breathe. 
                          
My legs give out from under me but before I could hit the floor warm arms catch me and cradle me into and even warmer chest.
                          
I feel lighter like I'm floating. The yelling gets closer and then farther away, I feel like I'm walking but my feet aren't touching the ground. I almost forgot someone warm caught me so they're probably carrying me somewhere. 
                          
It wasn't until I was lightly placed on a soft blanket that I recognize as my own, that I realized I was in my room. 
                          
I curl up in my soft blanket when I feel someone sit next to me, they don't touch me but they're presence is enough. The warmth radiating from their body ceases my shivering. 
                          
I finally realize how tired I was and now it's catching up with me, I couldn't keep my eyes open and the more I tried the more they wanted to close.
                          
After what feels like only five minutes my body goes limp giving into my drowsiness and sleep takes over my mind. 

                          
Antonio's POV
                          
I stay sitting on Ella's bed just watching her fight herself on falling asleep for twenty minutes. 
                          
She used to do the same thing as a baby. 
                          
If she woke up right now she'd probably think I'm a creep, hell I think I'm being a creep but there's something so peaceful about watching her sleep knowing that she's safe and finally getting rest. 
                          
I'd like to think I figured out she hasn't been sleeping days ago but I'd only be lying to myself. I only figured it out when she was awake at the time I was passed out drunk on the couch and she took care of me, she's only fourteen she shouldn't even know how to cure a hangover yet. 
                          
I could tell she hadn't gotten any sleep the next morning, she looked like a wreck and she thinks we didn't notice, just like how she was only able to eat half of the omelette even though she missed dinner the night before, we noticed that too.