Chapter Ten

Another sigh ripped from Dawn's chest. They had left the movie theatre about thirty minutes ago, and it had been the fifth time a sigh left her. Azarel had asked her what was wrong but she only shook her head as brown and green crowded into her aura. She was still gripping hard onto her empty cup of coke, and although Azarel wanted to take it from her to throw it into the trash bin, she kept it far from his reach.

"Is everything alright?" Azarel asked again, losing count of how many times he had already said that. Dawn only shook her head lightly as she heaved her chest up and down, her footsteps slowing down. She sped up again and Azarel lagged behind her, his concern dominating his mind as her aura turned increasingly sour.

Had he annoyed her somehow? He came up to walk beside her, and another loud sigh left her. She stepped in her tracks, her eyes fixed on the ground, a miserable expression on her face. In two seconds, the plastic cup in her hand crumpled inside her fist and she threw it towards the ground. Then, she fell to the ground in a squat and tears poured from her eyes as she trembled violently.

"Dawn!" Azarel said, dropping to the ground next to her. "What's happening?"

"I don't know - " Dawn said breathlessly. "My heart is racing, I can't hear properly, I feel dizzy and my chest is very tight - I can't - I can't breathe."

Azarel collected her into his arms. "I've heard of this before," he said. "I think you're having a panic attack."

"A what?" Dawn said with eyes shut, her face pale.

"A panic attack. You're still recovering from your trauma, so it's natural."

"I - I - It - "

"Can you stand?"

"I don't k-know."

"Try," Azarel said. "Let's head home right away. You need to rest. We can take a cab."

Dawn put her hands on the ground, and with Azarel's arms around her shoulders, she lifted herself off the ground. He kept her close against him and hailed a cab the moment they left the mall. After a few minutes, they were within the walls of their home again. She slumped down on the couch and Azarel fetched her a glass of cold water, which she downed in three seconds.

"I regret not heading out more often while I still could," Dawn bemoaned. "Now, it's obviously no longer as easy."

Azarel sat next to her. "Sleep, Dawn. Don't think about that."

"Okay," Dawn said, sighing. She closed her eyes but he could tell that she was still awake. "Thank you, Azarel."

And pink filled her aura.

❃❃❃

Her eyelids fluttered with sleep as Azarel gingerly pried the glass cup from her hand, taking it away from her to place it on the coffee table. He kept his focus on her, making sure not to move too much that it would wake her from a restful sleep. She was dreaming about looking out the window from within a train as it sped through the country. Her dream was peaceful but since it was in a train, anxiety pressed against his chest as he wondered if the dream would take a darker turn.

He steadily got to his feet, standing in front of her. His wings shot from his back to cover most of the room and he hovered a hand vibrating with light over her body. Entering her mind again, he went through her memories one by one before he got to work again.

Dawn, heading out to the park with him even though her parents told her she had to stay home. He came over in secret and took her out to enjoy the breeze and walk along the shore in a search for some seashells. They remained outside until it was time for her parents to return home from work, and he sent her back in time for their arrival. They had no idea she was ever gone from home.

Azarel, bringing her out on a road trip on her birthday. She had just broken up with her boyfriend, who was cheating on her behind her back with a close friend. He was also her neighbour, and she still had to see him everyday. After much pestering on his part, her parents finally relented and allowed them to spend one day in the next town. They spent the entire day busy at an arcade, the evening in an amusement park and the night riding a bike through the harbour. When he returned her home, it was almost midnight and she had never looked as happy.

Them, reading at a library, seated on the ground with towers of books surrounding them. He was tutoring her for Science even though she was great at it. She had asked him only because she wanted his company, and she had faked a poor grade in a recent test to get her parents to agree to the arrangement. They spent the whole day reading hilarious, sappy love scenes in historical romances, with him reading it aloud to her until she bent over in laughter.

After inserting a few more happy memories outside, Azarel drew back from her memories with ease. Her sleeping face was glowing with a small smile, her expression covered in happiness.

When she awoke again, her eyes fell instantly on him. He had returned to his seat next to her and was busy reading the news on his tablet. She gazed at him for a long while and he let her do that. When she finally broke the silence, her words struck him hard.

"Azarel," Dawn said. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you too, Dawn. Everyone who knows the real you do."