back n forth pv closed

13 january, 2022.

Ivy was humming under her breath when she walked towards the bathroom. Some silly love song her cousins had played for her once upon a time. She'd barely been here a week and already France felt like a million years ago. Ivy caught a hold of herself before she started diving deep into the memories again. Memories of a certain redheaded sister, of a certain laugh she'd never hear again...

She was pulled out of her unwanted thoughts by the sight of a familiar girl rocking back and forth delicately on the bathroom floor in front of her. A sudden stab of shock went through her vividly as her brain caught up. What was Everly doing here? Was she ok? Had someone hurt her? Ivy's first instinct was to hug her or offer some kind of physical support, but she decided against it and went to crouch down in front of her cousin. "Merlin, Ev, what happened?" A hand would be extended to her to hold as she sat down on the tiled floors, cross-legged. Ivy wanted to avoid looking at the pain on her cousin's face, but she forced herself to look Everly in the eyes.

The last time Ivy had been in a crisis, she'd panicked, everyone had panicked, and her sister was now dead.

This time she would be steady. "Hey, look at me. You're ok." If Everly took the offered hand, Ivy would squeeze it in the hopes physical touch would ground her. "Can you breathe?"

@everly charlton

Juniper walked down the halls, chatting with a couple of first years. She had sort of looped herself into the conversation, actually, since they were talking about quidditch. The boys didn't seem to mind her butting in and they happily argued about teams and who would win next match. After one boy revealed he didn't understand Quidditch, Juni and the other students rushed to explain. However, she grew silent as she felt the need to use the bathroom. Soon, all she could focus on was making it to the bathroom. When they passed the hall where the lavatory was, she made a quick turn and gave them an apologetic wave. Her walk turned into a jog as she headed to the bathroom, hearing a soothing voice and... crying? No, not crying. Curious, she slowed her pace and surveyed the scene.

A girl was rocking back and forth on the ground, and another girl was trying to comfort her. She walked forward a couple of feet then lowered herself to her knees and scooted over to where the two girls were. She wasn't worried about the germs on the floor, she was more worried about the girl. "Hey.." She said softly to the shaking girl. She didn't know what to say. Usually, her first response was to ask the person who she needed to kick, but something told her that wasn't the best response. "Do you need something?" The girl's breaths were ragged, panicked. Juni tried her best to sound calm. "Try taking slow breaths... maybe?" Juniper had no clue what to do. She glanced at the other girl and her heart stopped for a moment. She moved a bit further away from Ivy and turned her attention back to the panicked girl. "I'll do it with you." She offered. "In and out for 10 seconds. You can get through this."

Shiawase didn't usually go to the fourth floor, but today was an exception. There were balls at this school, formal occasions. And so, she wanted to learn how to dance in her wheelchair. But this would take lots and lots of practice. It was frustrating, grueling work, and she'd made no progress. And then, she had to use the lavatory. On this fateful day, she had finished using it just a few moments behind the girl who would soon start having a panic attack, and was washing her hands very slowly and carefully. Her hands would be pristine! But then the girl washing her hands in the sink a few down from her's breathing became short, very suddenly, and Shiawase was quick to turn her chair toward her.

"Hey, are you okay? You look a little -" But before she could say anything else, the girl started to collapse. It should be noted that Shiawase acted as quickly as she could, wheeling toward her, offering out an arm to catch her, but the girl had reached the floor before Shiawase could get there. She quickly used her hands to stop her wheels so she wouldn't accidentally crash into her. Wh - what had just happened?

Heart attack? Was this girl about to die of a heart attack? She started to lift herself up so she could get onto the floor with her, and begin administrating CPR. But at this point, she registered the girl was not unconscious on the floor, but instead, rocking back and forth. So . . . not a heart attack. A panic attack.

Her mom was a doctor. Shiawase somewhat knew what to do - but her mom wasn't a therapist. She couldn't help with a long-term solution. But in the short term, at least, she could do something. The first step was in making sure she was calm, herself, and she began consciously breathing deeper.

"It's okay. My mom's a doctor. We can get through this together." She offered a confident smile. But before she could say more, a couple girls came in, and Shiawase wheeled back so they had room as they got on the floor with the panicking girl and began helping. They had given her a good starting point, at least, trying to get this girl to breathe deeper. Trying to get her to concentrate on it. So Shiawase didn't need to tell her to breathe - that was already thoroughly covered. She wasn't really sure there was anything she could say to help - not at this point. But she did know one thing she could do.

The water from the sink Shiawase had been using was still running. So, she rifled through her bag and pulled out a water bottle, which was freshly empty - rehearsal had been very physically taxing. She rolled over to the sink she had been using right before this, and thoroughly rinsed out the water bottle before filling it with cold water. Now to wheel over to her . . . though as Shiawase got closer, she realized it was probably a bad idea for her to add to the people around her. Two was already enough, she should think. So, instead of inserting herself in there and trying to hand the girl having the panic attack the bottle, she hung back and held out the water bottle to the girl on the floor, the girl who had called the panicking one "Ev."

"Here you go. See if she'll take this from you in a bit, okay? The water's cold and fresh, and I just cleaned the bottle the best I could." It would have been better if she'd had dish soap, though . . . but it couldn't be helped. Shiawase then wheeled back a bit to give them their space again. She wasn't really sure what else to do. Distraction, maybe?

"I'm Shiawase Mamori, by the way. What are your names?" She was, after all, pretty sure that even if she tried to ask grounding questions, if she preceded them with "Hey, you, girl on the floor," it probably wouldn't help matters.

Reducio

@Everly Charlton | @Ivy Bellamy

13 january, 2022.

Ivy's grey eyes went stone cold at the sight of an all too familiar redhead. For a moment she thought Alison, her younger sister, but then she remembered the strange girl she'd encountered three days ago in the hallways. The doppelganger. Ivy felt like she'd been doused in icy cold water at the sight of her, and for a moment she felt like she was going to throw up, but she forced herself to tear her eyes away from the girl and directed her concentration towards Everly again. She did not respond or react in any way when the redhead spoke; in fact she hardly even registered what she said, instead focusing on holding her cousin's hand, trying not to freak out herself and accidentally worsen Everly's panic attack. "Shh," said Ivy, keeping her voice as steady and soothing as possible. "It's ok, you don't have to say anything. You're ok. Breathe with me." Still holding her hand, she guided Everly's other hand to press against the cold tiled floor in the hopes that it would ground her. "You're safe, ok? Look, we're sitting in a bathroom, and there's nothing here to hurt you."

It was only now that she realised there was another girl in the bathroom as well. A dark-haired girl in a wheelchair. At the very least, she seemed to know what to do, and was already handing them a filled up water bottle. Trying to ignore the presence of her dead sister's doppelganger in the room, Ivy smiled briefly at the girl, thankful for her help, before turning back to Everly. "Everly," she said, gently. "If you can, I want you to drink some water." She set it down on the ground next to the girl across from her. "And then we'll go from there. One step at a time, ok?" Ivy glanced back up at the wheelchair girl's introduction. "Ivy Bellamy, third year," she said. Thank you for your help."

@everly charlton @shiawase mamori

Shiawase squirmed slightly in her chair. It felt as if she were intruding on a private moment . . . and she'd already done everything she possibly could to help, so maybe . . . maybe she should leave? But even if she'd wanted to, and she didn't truly want to, she couldn't leave. Not until she knew the girl having a panic attack on the bathroom floor would be okay. But she was quiet as Ivy spoke, nodding to herself. It really did seem like she was saying all the right things, but even still, it would be some time before the panic attack would abate, it seemed. Then Ivy addressed her. Shiawase smiled bashfully.

"Oh, I haven't really done anything," she said. "She has been doing all the hard work, and you've been the most help to her. But I appreciate it all the same. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ivy, even if the circumstances aren't the most pleasant."

It occurred to her as she spoke that perhaps she was doing the opposite of helping, just by being there. Not by virtue of being a stranger . . . she was in her wheelchair while they were on the floor. Like she was looming over them, which was a funny thought for a moment. It was why she hated when people who could walk walked right behind her - it felt like they were looming over her. It was odd to think that she might be the one looming and being intimidating. And then her voice, it . . . carried. It wasn't, like, super loud . . . but it might not be the most soothing. "But I think there is still more I can do. I'll be right back."

She wheeled off, into a bathroom stall, and locked the wheels of her chair. Alright. Now to get her hands dirty. Literally. As she used her hands to crawl and pushed the door closed once she was out of the stall, she began crawling toward Ivy and Everly. But as she wasn't able to use her legs to help, it looked rather odd. Silly, even, in another circumstance. And as she approached, she took a moment to calculate. Should she position herself on the other side of the girl having a panic attack? It might show support, even if it would be highly uncomfortable as it would place her under a sink. But it might also make the situation worse, to have a stranger so close. She ultimately decided to sit on the other side of Ivy and made her way over. Then she heaved herself up so her legs would dangle under her before lowering herself back down, leaning against the wall to keep herself in a sitting position. Though she did so carefully to avoid crushing the contents of her backpack.

It was then that she wanted to speak. She took a deep breath and made sure to speak in a tone that was much quieter and gentler than before.

"It is as Ivy said. You are safe, and nothing's going to hurt you, and . . . and none of us are going to leave you, either. You're not alone. And . . . it's okay, if it takes some time for the feeling to pass. Because no matter how long it takes, we're going to be here for you," she said softly. She then addressed Ivy again. "I'm not sure there's much else to do besides keep breathing, and keep calm. We may potentially be here for some time. Is there anything I can get you? I have some books and some food in my bag."

@Ivy Bellamy | @Everly Charlton

Everything was swimming, but Everly forced herself to focus on her cousin's words instead of letting her world warp herself. She took a breath, and slowly, at least as best as she could, followed the rhythm Ivy'd set. The breaths were shaky, at first, and gradually, her eyes blinked shut. The small hiccups managed to be persistent, though, as she trembled with each breath in. Her hand would meet the cold floor, and at the sound of gentle prompting, her eyes opened. The room was still rather blurry, but at least now she could see the water bottle that Ivy had placed next to another girl, one that she didn't, or couldn't, recognize, in a wheelchair. It was within an arm's reach, so she steeled herself and forced an arm out to wrap shaking fingers around the bottle. It was cold to the touch.

She took a few sips from the water bottle, trying to level out her breath. Usually, when this happened, everything began to calm down from this point on, but Everly only felt another onslaught of tears. Her arms quivered, a little water spilled out, and each breath became harder and harder. Something was gripping her chest, forcing her to tense up.

Ivy and the girl in the wheelchair exchanged some words, but they drifted in one ear and out the other. Some of it made sense, some of it didn't.

Hour-like minutes passed, ever so leisurely.

@ivy bellamy @shiawase mamori
13 january, 2022