Wondering Minds

Chapter 15

"Luna!" I heard in the distance. This time the darkness was suffocating me making it hard to breathe. The door appears once again but it is closer than last time. I tried to walk to the door but it seemed I wasn't moving.

Voices start coming through the door, "Luna, we love you... Please wake up."

"What?" I said to myself. The door slammed causing an echo in the darkness. The sound of a car horn blares and a car appears in the distance. The car rushed at me as I stood there frozen in fear.

The car got closer and closer until...

I kicked the desk when I jerked awake. I looked around the classroom to see the teacher staring at me. "Are you okay back there, Luna?"

I nodded and then looked down at my math worksheet until the bell rang. I packed up my things and headed to lunch.

When I stood in line, I saw Emma sitting at the table by herself. I fought the urge to go over there as I got out of line and went outside.

I sat down at one of the outside lunch tables. "Hey..."

Braden sat down next to me with his lunch.

"Where's your lunch?" Braden asks.

"I'm not hungry..." Braden slides his plate to me, "Take whatever you want."

I looked down at his plate, "No... You need to eat. I'm good..."

He took the plate back and started eating the French fries. "Why are you eating out here, you usually eat inside. Is it because of Emma?"

I sigh, "Yeah... I miss her..."

"Why don't you go and talk to her? I bet she misses you too."

My right leg starts to shake out of nervousness. "I want to but I'm going to wait till she's ready to talk to me."

We sat in silence as Braden ate. Braden got up to throw his food away and then sat back down.

"Oh, by the way, I don't think we can smoke weed again or drink," Braden says.

"Oh my gosh... That was my only escape from anxiety." I laid my head down on the burning hot table.

Braden rubbed my back, "Isn't that Nathan's job, to help you get better? Maybe it's for the best..."

I stood up and started to walk back inside. Braden followed behind me, "Where are you going?"

"Can you walk me to class?" I said annoyed.

"Sure." We walked down the hallway when we saw Ryan talking to Emma. Me and Braden both looked the other way as we walked passed them.

Braden walked me to class as he sat and waited till the bell rang.

At the end of the day, I got on the bus and went home. When the bus dropped me home, I saw Nathan's car in my driveway.

Nathan stepped out of his car smiling, "Hi!"

I looked at Nathan confused, "What are you doing here?"

Nathan walked up to me, "You have an appointment today. Your Mom didn't tell you..."

"Nope, but I'll go change and get ready. What are we doing today?" Nathan follows me into the house, "We're going back to the store."

I stopped in my tracks, "Okay..."

"I think you'll do great this time," Nathan says with a smile. I faked a smile and went into my room to change.

I came out of my room to Nathan standing by the door on his phone. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

We walked out to his car and I got in, "Your car smells good." I said.

Nathan buckles up his seatbelt, "Thanks, it's cherry."

"Oh, you're a cherry type of guy." He laughs, "I guess I am."

We pulled up to the store making me anxious. "Are you ready?"

"No," I said.

He smiled then we stepped out of the car, "I'm going to the store with you this time."

I felt a rush of relief as we walked into the store together. We walked down an aisle for snacks, "Here you go." Nathan handed me twenty dollars, "Here you go."

I took the twenty dollars and started looking for something to buy. I found some chips and picked it up, "Okay, I found what I wanted..." I turned around to see Nathan was gone. My heart almost stopped completely.

I saw a group of teenagers enter the snack aisle laughing and talking. I rushed out of the aisle into the next aisle. I swallowed hard and tried not to pass out, I looked up and down the aisle trying to find Nathan.

I did some breathing exercises, "Okay, you can do it... Nobody is judging you." I realized that I was squeezing the chip bag so hard I could feel the crumbles.

I slowly walked to the self-checkout area as everything moved in slow motion. "Nobody is judging..." I kept saying to myself.

I made it to an empty self-checkout booth as my heart beat out my chest. I took another deep breath as I paid and bagged my chips. I grabbed my bag and stood there frozen, "Okay, you can do it, you can make it out of the store."

I felt this lady looking at me and I didn't want to look back. "Do you need help with anything?" The lady says.

I quickly responded without making eye contact, "No, I'm good." I ran out of the store breathing heavily. I stood outside trying to catch my breath almost crying.

"You did it!" Nathan yells excitedly.

I pushed him, "What the f**k! Why would you leave me?" I start to tear up. I could tell Nathan started to feel bad, "Because, I had to get you into the store so you could see that you could do it."

The realization starts to set in, "Oh my gosh! I did it!" I start to hop around as people around me think I'm on crack. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

I ran and hugged Nathan tight, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome... but you still got more work to do. We're going to come here every week until you're not scared anymore." Nathan says smiling.

"I can't wait." I jump up and down again.

We walked back to his car and he drove me home.

He parked his car in my driveway, "Hold on, don't get out yet." He walked to the other side of the car and opened my door. I smiled and then got out, "Oh wow... You're such a gentleman."

"Am I a better gentleman than Braden?"

I start to think, "I think y'all are both the same but since I known Braden longer I'll have to go with Braden."

Nathan frowned, "I guess I'll have to step it up."

"Are you saying that you like me?" I said with a smirk.

Nathan dodges the question, "Let me walk you to the door so I can get more gentlemen points."

Nathan held out his arm like he was at a fancy dinner party. I wrapped my arm around his as we walked together to the door.

We made it to the door as I unwrapped my arm. "You did an awesome job today, Luna. I hope you keep up the good progress."

"As long as you're my doctor, I will." I smiled. I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek leaving him blushing.

I left him on my porch blushing as I walked in the house.