STay

One

ready to see you." The receptionist smiles as she shu

chologist I've been meeting with. After I'd received my acceptance at Western this summer, I'd re

creature of habit, I always gravitate to the same chair. I'm sure that says something about my personality. Dr. Thompson usually sits directly across from me with a notebook close

ill want to peek

just like she always does. There's a measure of comfor

" She has kind eyes, and they hold mine

pushing out the dreaded words. "I had

lly smoothing out. She knows this is the first episode I've experienced at school. It's actually the

nto that yawning pit of despair I

idy." Her words are calm and soothing. In respo

can help me through t

that occurred Thursday night. I tell her ab

on isn't censorious, merely curious. Like me, she's tr

t had a sip of alcohol in more tha

ile before jotting down

ashing over me like a massive wave. As much as I don't want to let

from behind and spun you

throat is closing up and I'm being strangled from the inside out. My eyes

comforting. My gaze flies to hers. "You're safe in this of

rbalize a re

e your eyes and rel

says, "We're going to engage in some

y eyes shut as the soothing timbre of Dr. Thompson's voice was

Inhale through your nose and then breathe out through y

rst the tips of my fingers and then my toes. My arms and legs. After a while, everything feels limp as a noodle while she con

fore sitting back and

my body feel strung tight, riddle

you feel like you might need

t have anything against taking pills if they're needed, but... "No. I

ad before and want to

that if you experience another attack, you'll call the office right away

l." My hope is that i

ing? It's been a little over three weeks since the s

s excelled scholastically. Especially in math and science. Steering the conversation away from what caused my

handle

." After the disaster of last fal

toring center hasn't a

he'll be popping in from time to time. "I really like tutoring. It f

and your job. Other than the anxiety attack, everything else seems to be going

breath before releasing

last year when I felt like I was drowning in my coursework almost from day one.

session. "We have about ten minutes, is there anythi

through me. Even thinking about Cole has my insides prickling. It is

I'm comfor

abbing dinner afterward, only made me like h

pressing the issue when I f

and showed up at the tuto

re possible to backtrack or snatch the words

reads its way through her voice that this gu

inks. "No, he's not bothering me like that. And I haven't felt like I w

d. "How do you fe

ely sexual. After last year, I just kind of shut down. For reasons I don't understand, Cole is differ

" I admit. "Sc

of exci

ugh my head, I decide to keep

acts me. And it's not just his looks either. The more time I spend with him, the more I like him. For someone li

nt to like

, black framed glasses. "Do you think it's a go

uickly. Even though this is only our third week working toge

le idea. I know it. And Dr. Thompson knows it a

w c

t she wants me to verbalize the thoughts out loud. I

my energies on school, and pull my

d an anxiety attack is concerning. Getting healthy is your first priority and then, when you feel better equipped to handle stressful sit

s ri

ting involved with Cole will more than likely end in