A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Nikki Lynn Barrett
bathroom in hopes of avoiding the pity stares, but it wouldn't solve anything. She wasn't going to hide away again. She wasn't going to be that helpless child with doubts and fears in her head, hiding the real pain because people didn't understand.
Becca had come too far to become that frightened girl again, no matter what was happening with her now.
Hiding was out of the question.
Who am I kidding? It's already getting to me, and I keep hiding!
She tried to find something appealing to eat. Her vision wasn't in focus and she blinked, fighting the tears of frustration. This vulnerability right now sucked. Hunter's earlier words about not always having to be strong rang loud and clear in her mind and while she knew he was right, for some reason she still held on. Once something was set in your mind for so long, sometimes old habits were hard to break. Becca needed to regain her emotional strength before she lost it completely. If she let herself really let out her feelings, there was no telling how it would turn out.
Raising a hand to brush her hair back, Becca noticed right away how sweaty her hands were. They were almost drenched! Then it dawned on her how overwhelmingly hot it seemed in here.
"Hey, are you okay?" Hunter's hand was cool as he reached over to touch her.
Becca gasped. She couldn't breathe! Whatever this was, it was sudden, scary and made her feel out of control.
In a flash, Hunter moved to sit next to her. Becca couldn't stay focused. She heard him talking, but she couldn't make out most of what he said. Her head hurt and her heart pounded in quick, rapid beats. She thought she could hear it echo in her head. Thump thump thump. What was happening to her? The room brightened and her mind spun. Round and round everything went, like a fast moving merry-go-round.
Something was thrust in front of her. She could still make out Hunter's voice. He was right beside her, but he sounded so far away. She felt as if she were choking on air. Colors filled her vision like a kaleidescope. She was well aware of the chaos around her and the voices. As fast as the feeling came, it left just as quick. Her breathing returned to normal. It was as if she'd been thrown in a sauna, or a pot of boiling water! She shuddered, snapped back to attention and instinctively moved away from Hunter. It was too hot. She had this overwhelming sensation like she was suffocating, and he was so close.
Becca noticed all the curious faces. Everyone was watching her, pointing and whispering. The waitress who'd looked at her with such pity earlier was also nearby, keeping her gaze settled on her.
"Bec, what just happened?" Hunter's voice was full of worry. "Here, why not take a sip or two?" Her requested drink was pushed in front of her and she sucked from the straw hesitantly. The cool, bitter liquid was just what she needed. The air around her seemed to cool down finally, but she knew it wasn't the air. It was her.
Her fingers were still damp from sweat. "I think I just had a panic attack." When she put her hands back on the table, Hunter's eyes went wide.
"I've never seen you do that."
Hunter had never seen a lot of her darker days, right after the accident. They weren't something she liked to bring up.
"I'll be okay. I just want to get some food in me." She brushed it off as if it were nothing. But inside, she was as shaken as a leaf on a tree in a windstorm. Was it the sudden memories of days she didn't want to remember that sent her into that fit? Did it really have to happen in front of Hunter and a hundred other spectators in the restaurant? Was it just her paranoia, or did the waitress seem very hesitant to come back to their table?
I'm losing it. What's happening?
Chapter Three
A panic attack. Becca had a panic attack. Could things get any worse? Hunter was at a loss for what to do. Becca, being her typical self, put on a brave face. She wasn't fooling him. Little by little, she was falling apart and she didn't want anyone,
Becca had come too far to become that frightened girl again, no matter what was happening with her now.
Hiding was out of the question.
Who am I kidding? It's already getting to me, and I keep hiding!
She tried to find something appealing to eat. Her vision wasn't in focus and she blinked, fighting the tears of frustration. This vulnerability right now sucked. Hunter's earlier words about not always having to be strong rang loud and clear in her mind and while she knew he was right, for some reason she still held on. Once something was set in your mind for so long, sometimes old habits were hard to break. Becca needed to regain her emotional strength before she lost it completely. If she let herself really let out her feelings, there was no telling how it would turn out.
Raising a hand to brush her hair back, Becca noticed right away how sweaty her hands were. They were almost drenched! Then it dawned on her how overwhelmingly hot it seemed in here.
"Hey, are you okay?" Hunter's hand was cool as he reached over to touch her.
Becca gasped. She couldn't breathe! Whatever this was, it was sudden, scary and made her feel out of control.
In a flash, Hunter moved to sit next to her. Becca couldn't stay focused. She heard him talking, but she couldn't make out most of what he said. Her head hurt and her heart pounded in quick, rapid beats. She thought she could hear it echo in her head. Thump thump thump. What was happening to her? The room brightened and her mind spun. Round and round everything went, like a fast moving merry-go-round.
Something was thrust in front of her. She could still make out Hunter's voice. He was right beside her, but he sounded so far away. She felt as if she were choking on air. Colors filled her vision like a kaleidescope. She was well aware of the chaos around her and the voices. As fast as the feeling came, it left just as quick. Her breathing returned to normal. It was as if she'd been thrown in a sauna, or a pot of boiling water! She shuddered, snapped back to attention and instinctively moved away from Hunter. It was too hot. She had this overwhelming sensation like she was suffocating, and he was so close.
Becca noticed all the curious faces. Everyone was watching her, pointing and whispering. The waitress who'd looked at her with such pity earlier was also nearby, keeping her gaze settled on her.
"Bec, what just happened?" Hunter's voice was full of worry. "Here, why not take a sip or two?" Her requested drink was pushed in front of her and she sucked from the straw hesitantly. The cool, bitter liquid was just what she needed. The air around her seemed to cool down finally, but she knew it wasn't the air. It was her.
Her fingers were still damp from sweat. "I think I just had a panic attack." When she put her hands back on the table, Hunter's eyes went wide.
"I've never seen you do that."
Hunter had never seen a lot of her darker days, right after the accident. They weren't something she liked to bring up.
"I'll be okay. I just want to get some food in me." She brushed it off as if it were nothing. But inside, she was as shaken as a leaf on a tree in a windstorm. Was it the sudden memories of days she didn't want to remember that sent her into that fit? Did it really have to happen in front of Hunter and a hundred other spectators in the restaurant? Was it just her paranoia, or did the waitress seem very hesitant to come back to their table?
I'm losing it. What's happening?
Chapter Three
A panic attack. Becca had a panic attack. Could things get any worse? Hunter was at a loss for what to do. Becca, being her typical self, put on a brave face. She wasn't fooling him. Little by little, she was falling apart and she didn't want anyone,
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