CHAPTER 67: PANIC ATTACK

Catherine’s POV

"U- uh," I opened my mouth to reply to Sasha but ended up stammering nothing.

She rushed over to me, with the sound of her heels drumming in my ears. The next thing she did was grab my face with both hands, looking at me with a sheepish smile.

"Catherine, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Did I frighten you?" She voiced out, with a syrupy tone.

I forced a shaky laugh and quickly held her hands, taking them off my cheeks. "Yes, you did." I said, smiling a little too widely. "I didn’t expect to see you."

Her eyes narrowed like she was a detective and I was a suspect, her lips parted but before she could say anything, Julian walked past us down the hallway. He didn’t look back at us, he just brushed past like we were strangers.

My breath faltered for a split second and my heart did that stupid flutter thing anyway.

Sasha’s gaze followed him until he disappeared around the corner. When she finally turned back to me, she coughed out like she was teasing me. "Were you with him?"

Where was that question coming from and why was she freaking me out?

"With Julian? God, no," I blurted out too quickly, shaking my head. "Why would I be?"

The words sounded harsher than I meant them to, like being caught with Julian was an abomination. Maybe because I knew it was a lie.

Sasha tilted her head, her eyes still fixed on me.

"Don’t give me that look. I’m telling the truth," I forced a small laugh, hoping to make it sound like a joke, but my throat was too tight.

She laughed and paused. "Chill, girl. I was just pulling your legs. Of course you couldn’t be with him," she said after a beat, looping her arm through mine. "I’ve noticed how you two act like cats and rats around each other."

I let out a nervous and guilty laugh. If only she knew how that same "rat" had kissed me like he wanted to set me on fire just minutes ago.

"Hey, mind if I drop you off?" That was sudden but the guilt in my stomach made me agree to it.

When we got to her, her friends were gathered around her car, gossiping as usual.

"Girls, I’m sorry to disrupt you guys but I’m leaving now with Catherine."

"Okayy? So we can’t tag along?" Rina asked and Sasha smiled without warmth.

"No, you can’t. I need some alone time with Catherine. You girls can go ahead," she said sweetly.

Her brows shot up. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Without a change of expression, Sasha answered, "It means I said I need some alone time. You have a problem with that?"

Rina stared coldly at me like it was my fault, while Mia and Zoe murmured something to each other. I didn’t know whether to feel flattered or trapped.

"Get in," Sasha’s voice rang out and I immediately slid into the passenger seat.

She started the car, humming softly to some pop song as we drove out of the school gates. For a while, it was silent, except for the faint music and the rhythmic sound of her nails tapping the steering wheel.

Then, out of nowhere, she said, "Did you know Julian’s birthday is on the fourteenth?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "The fourteenth? As in... this month?"

"Yeah," she replied, smiling wistfully. "The last day of exams."

I frowned, realizing I hadn’t even known that. "I didn’t know," I admitted softly.

"Of course you didn’t." Her tone carried an edge I couldn’t quite name. "I was planning to throw him a party, but it can’t happen anymore. I’ll be busy preparing for my last paper." There was this sadness attached to her tone when she said it, so I felt the need to console her.

"Don’t overthink it. Everything happens for a reason."

For a second, I thought she’d agree, but instead she pressed her fingers into the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white.

"Everything happens for a reason, huh?" she echoed, with a flattened smile. "You think it’s better that I can’t do something for him?"

The sudden shift in her tone made my chest tighten.

"I didn’t mean it like that, Sasha. I just meant..."

But she cut me off, pressing harder on the accelerator. The car sped forward, the scenery outside started to blur into streaks of color.

"Sasha!" I grabbed the side handle. "What are you doing?"

"What, Catherine?" She asked with a forced laugh. "I’m not doing anything other than driving."

The more I told her to slow down, the faster she seemed to go. My throat grew tight and my hands trembled as I clutched the seatbelt. My heartbeat was now thudding in my ears so loud that I could barely hear the music anymore.

"Please slow down," I begged with a broken voice. "You’re going too fast. Are you planning to get us killed?"

She glanced at me briefly, then back at the road. "Stop overreacting. We’re fine."

No, we weren’t fine. The car felt like it was flying, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. My chest started to ache, a deep, stabbing pressure that made it hard to get air in. My hands went cold and tingly, and the edges of my vision blurred.

"I— can’t- - breathe," I gasped, clutching at my chest. "Sasha! Stop the car— please!"

That finally made her look over, and her expression changed instantly. She slammed her foot on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt at the side of the road.

"Catherine! Hey.. hey, look at me," she said quickly, reaching for me. "It’s okay, just breathe. Deep breaths."

But I couldn’t. I was gasping, trying to suck in air that didn’t seem to reach my lungs. My body trembled uncontrollably, and tears spilled down my face without permission.

Sasha touched my shoulder gently, her voice was trembling. "Oh my Gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, I swear. Just breathe, please. In and out."

I tried to follow her words. In and out. In and out. My vision slowly cleared. The shaking subsided little by little until my breaths came in shaky gulps.

She stared at me in fear, "fine now?"

I shot an angry look at her, my voice colder than ever. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

She froze.

I turned to her fully, my cheeks wet, my chest still tight. "Are you crazy? Were you trying to kill us?"

"Catherine, I said I’m sorry, jeez!"

"No!" My voice cracked, anger bleeding into fear. "Do you have any idea what could’ve happened? You don’t just... drive like that when someone’s in your car!"

Her lips parted, but no words came out. I unbuckled my seatbelt with trembling hands. "I’m not riding with you. I’d rather walk home."

"Catherine, don’t be ridiculous. We’re in the middle of—"

"I said I’ll walk!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the enclosed space. My hand was already on the door handle.

She stared at me for a long second and I could see anger and pride flashing in her eyes.

"You know what? Suit yourself!" Her voice rang out the moment I pushed the door open. I turned back to her and shook my head in disappointment, then stepped out.

She drove off that very moment.

"Bitch!" I yelled after her with a hoarse and shaky voice.