Parent Helpline [ ✓ ]

9 : 1 3 a m

LEGEND:
Declan - bold
Grayson - italics

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"Hello, this is..."

"[Shaky] Declan?"

"[Worried] Gray?"

"[Voice breaking] Oh good, it's you. Please help me. I just ran out of English class and I'm having a panic attack right now. I don't know what to do. [Choking] Declan, it feels like I'm dying. I can't breathe. What do I do? What do I do?"

"Wow, okay... [Quick] Gray, just stay where you are. Okay? It's fine. You're fine. You're not dying."

"[Sobbing] I just ran out of fucking English class! My teacher's probably looking for me right now! Declan... I– I can't..."

"Gray, I'm right here. Just take a deep breath and talk to me. Come on. Where are you right now?"

"The... the toilet..."

"Alright. The teacher's obviously not going to come into a toilet, right? [Silence. Pause] Hey. Gray. Take a deep breath. Just take a deep breath for me. Come on."

"... Okay."

"Okay, good. Now tell me, what do you see in the toilet?"

"I– I don't know... I..."

"Remember, deep breath. What is closest to you, Gray?"

"M– my bag..."

"Okay, great. What colour is it?"

"Dark blue with some– some beige...?"

"Nice. Classic. [Short pause] Breathe, Gray. Can you describe the toilet for me?"

"It's... the tiles are grey... and– and there's a sink and a mirror..."

"Anything interesting? Anything that is different from grey?"

"Y– yeah, actually... there's a round sticker that says 'I love Barcelona' on the inside of the cubicle's door."

"Hmm who put that there?"

"I don't know. S– some stupid fucker probably."

"And you're back."

"... Y– yeah. Yeah, I am."

"Aha! I'm good, right?"

"You're never gonna let me live this down are you?"

"Unlikely."

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

"... But seriously, Declan – thank you. [Quiet] I would probably still be sitting here right now if it wasn't for you. So thanks."

"Hey, no chick flick moments."

"Aww Chuck! I'm gonna have to get you back for that!"

"I'd like to see you try. But hey... aren't you in the middle of class?"

"Oh yeah! Shit! Right, call you later. Bye!"

[Click.]

"Was that a promise?"