TËSSÃ ãñd DARÆY: A Love Written with fire

Trembling, I stopped in my tracks. My breath hitched, my pulse thundered in my ears, and for a moment, the world around me ceased to exist. The rain poured relentlessly, drumming against the pavement, soaking my clothes, numbing my skin. But none of it mattered.

I was seeing things. I had to be.

I was hallucinating.

What the hell was wrong with me? Was it the rain? The cold? Was my mind playing tricks on me?

My chest tightened as I blinked rapidly, desperate for clarity, for reality. But the image before me didn't change.

No.

No, no, no.

What am I seeing? This can't be real.

I stood there, unable to move, unable to think.

Tessa.

She was lying on the ground, drenched, motionless.

Lifeless.

A sharp, icy fear stabbed through me, rooting me to the spot. My fingers twitched at my sides, my entire body locked in place as if shackled by invisible chains.

This is the scariest thing I've ever seen in my entire life.

I felt like my mind was unraveling at an alarming speed. My chest rose and fell in erratic pants, my vision blurred—not from the rain, but from the sheer horror clawing at my insides.

I was losing it.

I was going mad, ASAP, in an instant.

I couldn't handle this.

It was too much.

There had to be something wrong.

There had to be something wrong somewhere.

This can't just be happening.

I can't face this.

My mind was spinning, drowning in confusion, in fear. Tessa wasn't supposed to be here.

She was in Yentown.

She was supposed to be far away, somewhere safe, somewhere dry—not lying in the rain like a broken doll.

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head, trying to force this nightmare away.

At that moment, I didn't care about anything else. I just wanted everything to be a lie.

I wanted to wake up and realize she was back in Yentown.

But… who the hell was I kidding?

She was right there.

Soaked. Unmoving.

No matter how much I tried to deny it, the reality was slamming into me like a truck at full speed, knocking the breath out of my lungs.

I had left her here.

I had told her to stay in the rain.

I had walked away.

I had left her to die under the rain.

The realization punched me so hard I nearly staggered. My stomach twisted violently, and a cold sweat mixed with the rain trickled down my back.

What was worse? That she was lying there lifeless, or that I had actually turned my back on her?

The answer was both.

And both were killing me.

I didn't even realize how deep I had sunk into my own horror until a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard.

"Wake up, Daræy! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

I jolted, gasping as my eyes refocused.

Joshua.

He wasn't panicked—he was furious.

Before I could process anything, he bolted past me, sprinting through the rain towards Tessa.

And I just stood there.

Frozen.

Useless.

I watched, completely detached from my own body, as Joshua picked her up, water dripping from her soaked clothes as she sagged limply in his arms.

She wasn't waking up.

She wasn't moving.

God.

I was going to throw up.

"Take her to your car and drive as fast as you can!"

His words sliced through the fog in my head like a whip, and suddenly, my body was moving before my mind caught up.

I ran.

I ran to my car at lightning speed, my heartbeat thundering louder than the rain against the pavement. I yanked the door open, barely registering the cold as Joshua rushed in with Tessa in his arms. He slid into the back seat, cradling her gently while I jumped into the driver's seat. My hands trembled as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white.

I didn't think. I just drove.

I didn't care about speed limits, traffic laws, or even the police. Let them stop me. Let them chase me. I dare them. Nothing mattered except getting her to safety.

The world outside blurred past in streaks of neon and rain as I floored the accelerator. My mind was racing just as fast as the car, every second stretching into an eternity. I didn't even realize how tightly my jaw was clenched until a sharp pain shot through it. But I didn't loosen it. Not yet. Not until she was safe.

Yentown. My mother's hospital.

That was the only destination.

By the time we pulled up to the entrance, the hospital staff was already rushing towards us. They didn't even ask questions. Joshua barely had time to step out before they took her from his arms and disappeared through the emergency room doors.

And just like that—she was gone.

I stood outside, my drenched clothes sticking to my skin, my hands hanging limply at my sides. The adrenaline was still coursing through me, making my head light and my breaths uneven.

Joshua sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I'll go back to the house and grab you some dry clothes. Just… stay here, okay?"

I didn't answer. I just nodded, my eyes fixed on the double doors as if staring hard enough would make them open, make someone walk out and tell me she was fine.

But they didn't.

So I turned around and walked.

Straight into the hospital's chapel.

It was dimly lit, almost empty. The faint scent of burning candles and old wood filled the air. I wasn't sure why I came here. Maybe because I had no idea what else to do. Maybe because, for the first time in my life, I felt helpless.

I sank into a pew, my hands clasping together without thinking. My head bowed. My lips parted, but no words came out.

I had never prayed before. Not really. I had never needed to.

But now—God, please.

I didn't know how to do this. What was I supposed to say? Was I supposed to recite something? Was there a format?

I exhaled shakily and just spoke from my heart.

"I don't know if you're listening. I don't even know if I deserve for you to listen. But if you are…" My voice cracked. "Please… let her wake up."

Just let her wake up.

That was all I wanted.

That was all I was asking for.

I'd never begged for anything before. I had never needed to. I'd always fought for what I wanted, always taken it with my own hands. But now?

I had nothing to give. No way to fight. No way to take.

All I could do was wait.

Wait for a miracle.

Wait for an answer.

For the first time in my life, I understood what it felt like to be powerless.

And I hated it.

"Lord…" My voice was barely above a whisper. "I know I've ignored you. I know I've lived my life without ever acknowledging you. But right now… right now, I would do anything. Anything, just to make sure she's alright."

I exhaled, my body trembling. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything—for every time I turned away, for every time I thought this kind of thing was stupid. If you let her wake up, I swear… I'll change. I'll serve you. I'll—"

The chapel doors creaked open.

I snapped my head up, my heart slamming against my ribs.

A doctor stood there.

His expression was calm, unreadable.

I jumped to my feet, practically running to him. "How is she?! Is she okay?!"

He held up a hand. "No need to panic. She passed out from exhaustion and exposure. But she's alright now. She's still unconscious, but stable."

I sucked in a sharp breath, my legs nearly giving out beneath me.

I wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or both.

"If you don't mind," the doctor continued, "I'd like to walk you through the process of her recovery."

I nodded, barely hearing him.

The weight pressing against my chest finally loosened.

She was okay.

She was going to be okay.

And for the first time in my life—I believed in something bigger than myself.

When we walked into the doctor's office, I sank into the chair, still feeling the adrenaline pulsing through my veins. My chest rose and fell in deep, uneven breaths, my body struggling to catch up with what had just happened.

The doctor didn't rush me. She gave me time—time to breathe, time to process. And damn, I needed it.

I felt like I couldn't stop smiling, even though my hands were still trembling. Relief flooded through me, so overwhelming that I almost didn't know what to do with it. My heart felt lighter, as if some unseen weight had been lifted.

"Thank you, Lord. Thank you so much."

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to compose myself.

"I don't know how to repay you. They say you don't take money, so I guess I'm stuck just saying thank you."

I wasn't even sure if I was praying at this point or just talking to myself. But it didn't matter. Gratitude filled every inch of me.

After a few minutes, when I had finally calmed down enough, the doctor leaned forward slightly.

"Have you ever been through this before?" she asked.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"A situation like this. Has it happened before?"

I frowned, shaking my head. "No… not that I know of. Since I met her, this has never happened. It was the first time."

The doctor exhaled, nodding. Then, she said something that made my entire body tense.

"She's claustrophobic."

I stared at her, confused. "She's what?"

"Claustrophobic," she repeated. "It means she has a fear of confined spaces. When someone with claustrophobia feels trapped, it can trigger a severe reaction—panic, shortness of breath, dizziness, even fainting."

I sat there, absorbing her words.

Claustrophobic? Tessa?

I had never noticed. Not once. But as I thought back, certain things started to make sense—the way she always avoided being in cramped places, how she seemed restless in crowded rooms, how she preferred open spaces.

"Wait… so you're saying she fainted because she felt trapped?" I asked, trying to piece everything together.

The doctor nodded. "Yes. From what we gathered, she was in a highly stressful situation, possibly feeling confined—whether physically or mentally. That, combined with exhaustion and the rain, likely triggered her episode."

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply.

"Can you… explain it more? Like, in detail? What does it mean for her? What should I do?"

If this was something she suffered from, I needed to understand it. I needed to know how to help.

The doctor leaned forward slightly, her expression soft but serious. "First of all, why was she under the rain? Can you tell me that?"

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "Well, I met her in the rain, but I think it has to do with what happened today. Tessa had a carryover before, and I know she's terrified of getting another one. Today, we had a test, and she missed it. I don't know why, but she just didn't show up."

I clenched my fists, feeling a fresh wave of guilt wash over me. "After the test, I came out and saw someone standing in the rain, but I didn't pay much attention because I thought it was just some random person. It didn't concern me, so I ignored it. I was so damn stupid." I scoffed bitterly, shaking my head.

The doctor held up a hand, stopping me. "Enough with calling yourself stupid, Daræy." Her voice was gentle but firm. "Tell me what happened next."

I exhaled sharply. "When I realized she was actually standing there, saying all these weird things, I still walked away. I left her there. And when I came back, she was on the ground." I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "We brought her here after that."

The doctor nodded, taking in everything I said. "Alright. We'll understand more about Tessa's condition when she wakes up, but for now, let me explain something to you." She leaned back slightly, folding her hands in front of her. "Tessa is claustrophobic."

I frowned. "Claustrophobic?" The word felt foreign in my mouth.

She nodded. "Yes. That means she has an intense fear of confined or tight spaces. It doesn't always have to be a literal small space—sometimes, it's a feeling. Like pressure, overwhelming emotions, or even situations where she feels trapped, physically or mentally."

I sat there, processing her words.

"For future situations like this, I need you to understand how to help her," the doctor continued. "First, when someone with claustrophobia is in distress, never leave them alone. They need to feel safe. Talk to them calmly, let them hear your voice, and remind them that they are not trapped. Even if they're outside, they might still feel suffocated by their emotions."

I nodded slowly, absorbing every word.

"If this happens again, I need you to guide her breathing," she added. "Tell her to take slow, deep breaths. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, then exhale for four seconds. If she starts to panic, don't dismiss her fear—acknowledge it, but remind her she's safe. Say things like:

'You're okay, Tessa. You're not trapped.'

'There's space around you. You can breathe.'

'I'm here with you. Focus on my voice.'"

I gripped my jeans, feeling a strange ache in my chest. The idea of Tessa feeling like that—so scared, so overwhelmed—made me uneasy.

The doctor's eyes softened. "And most importantly, Daræy, if you ever see her like this again, don't walk away."

I looked down, guilt crashing into me like a wave.

She sighed. "You didn't know, and now you do. So next time, be there for her. Make her feel like she's in control, not her fear."

I nodded, determined. "I won't walk away again."