Anxiety was terribly hard to live with especially when it came to anything involving social elements, which were impossible to avoid. Everyone in your class were expected to share a presentation to the class, and for you that was too impossible, you could barely talk to anyone let alone speak to the whole class.

Your thoughts begun to run out of control; you were unable to keep anything straight and all of your concerns were taking control of your mind. Soon your heart begun to pound in your chest, and you were unable to breath normally. Everything happening just made you worry more, making the symptoms of your panic attack grow, at the thought that you would be seen in the middle of your panic attack and be seen as a joke.

No one in your class knew about your anxiety and you feared they would make fun of you if they knew. It wasn't normal to be like this, well at least that was how you felt.

As you became lost to the worry and anxiety that flowed through you, you were forced back into the real world when you felt a hand on your shoulder. The boy whom you sat next to, Alex, had rested a hand on your shoulder, a concerned expression upon his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to draw attention to you.

You nodded your head, even though it was a lie, but it was very clear that you were anything but fine.

"Are you having a panic attack?"

This time you couldn't lie. You nodded your head again.

"It's okay," he smiled softly. "Just copy my breathing."

He slowed down his breathing and after a few deep breaths in and out, you were able to copy him. You both kept this up until you finally felt like your head was back in the room and not off in a mess of anxiety.

"Thank you," you croaked, your mouth dry and voice hoarse.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. "My sister gets panic attacks sometimes. I know it can be hard to get back out of one without a little help once in a while."

"I really appreciate it," you whispered. "Do... do you think anyone else noticed?"

He looked around to see the rest of the class busy doing their own thing, no one having even glanced in your direction.

"To you it may seem like the most obvious thing, but no one else cares, no one else is going to notice if you're breathing a bit quicker, not unless they know to look out for it," he smiled to reassure you.

You offered him another thank you and a smile before you turned your attention back to the teacher, actually being able to take in what she was saying now.

~*~

Written by Charlotte.

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