Just Breathe(Open)

[Ethan Ulrich]

Her aggression took him aback. Ethan hadn't expected that kind of reaction from her. He'd never seen anything like it before.

Carefully Ethan scribbled another message for her.

I didn't mean have to like forced. Just that we can't take advantage of good weather when there's only bad weather. So it's this or nothing.

[X23]

Laura read the note and then leaned her head against the tree looking up at the sky. "Sometimes it's better to have nothing, then you don't know what you're missing" Now she was tuning her own life into the conversation.

[Ethan Ulrich]

His expression suddenly became very sad. Had her life been that bad that she really thought it better to not have anything nice? Ethan knew there were plenty of people worse off than him even if he didn't see them very much. He guessed she was one of them.

Ethan didn't know what to write in response to that. He'd just been trying to be nice. After a couple of minutes he tried something and scribbled another line.

I'm sorry about whatever happened.

[X23]

Laura shrugged. "Don't be" It wasn't his fault. He hadn't done any thing. He wasn't the cause of her pain or hurt. She was the cause of most of it not being able to control herself and giving up things she wanted for people's safety. Taking another deep breathe and letting it out, Laura looked at Ethan. "May I ask why you don't talk?" She had known mute people. Most of the time she was considered mute herself, but everyone's reason for it was different.

[Ethan Ulrich]

Saying that he shouldn't be sorry only did a little to make Ethan feel less helpless and tense. He still had no idea what he was supposed to write to help her feel better; Ethan had never been too good at self-reliance or guiding others. He hadn't been able to help Phoebe or Aaron or anyone really who came across him.

Then she had to ask about why Ethan was writing. He couldn't really be upset about it; Ethan would've been curious if he were her. But that didn't mean he wanted to get into a whole big thing about it.

Ethan decided for the usual answer and set about scribbling.

My vocal chords don't work, so I have to write instead of talk.

[X23]

So he was a true mute. She nodded to him and didn't press the matter further. Laura's head started to get that annoying buzzing again so she ended up closing her eyes and rubbing her temple slightly till the pain dulled down to a sustainable amount.

[Ethan Ulrich]

She started rubbing her head and Ethan frowned a little. Was she hurt? He didn't think she'd answer if he asked, since it didn't seem like she liked people or talking. But Ethan also didn't like other people in pain.

He scribbled a note and held it up.

Are you okay? Are you in pain? Can I do anything?

[X23]

"I'm fine" Laura lowered her hand and opened her eyes to look at him. Ignore the pain, it will just go away Ever since she had gotten back that buzzing started and it seemed to getting worse.

[Ethan Ulrich]

He nodded slowly because Ethan didn't know what else to do or say. She looked like she wasn't fine. She looked like she was in a lot of pain. But he didn't think he could do anything about it. Ethan couldn't even call for help if something happened to her.

[X23]

Dealing with pain was something Laura was good at, was trained to suppress. She figured this wouldn't be any different. Sitting there, she wondered if she would end up attacking Ethan the way she had attacked so many other students. Laura couldn't even remember attacking Paige but due to what she'd heard students say when they didn't think she could hear she knew it was true. Plus it was one of the main reasons Jodie was so scared around her now.

[Ethan Ulrich]

He wasn't afraid of her. Ethan was really only worried about her and felt powerless because there wasn't anything he could do for her. Ethan watched helplessly as she tried to work through whatever was hurting her so badly and wished he could do something to help.

[X23]

After a few moments the pain had subsided like it had done in the past, and she was able to keep the urges to attack under control. Laura looked at Ethan with curiously. He seemed generally concerned for her.

[Ethan Ulrich]

She looked a little better and that was good. He kept watching her and waiting to see if she would recover herself. After a couple of minutes she looked like she had and Ethan was happy about that. He met her eyes to ask without words if she was okay now.

[X23]

Giving a slight nod at the unspoken question, Laura leaned her head back on the tree. Part of her told her to get up and get away from Ethan before she did something she couldn't take back, but the other part told her that she would be fine. That she could keep the impulse under control. If only she could believe that, but she didn't move. She stayed put, feeling the light breeze of the wind.

[Ethan Ulrich]

He didn't know what else to say. Ethan wanted to make her feel better but he didn't know what he could possibly do. She wasn't talking to him and Ethan looked up at the sky for a couple of minutes while he tried to think of what to say.

Ethan then began to scribble another note and held it up, whenever she wanted to look at it.

Have you talked to anyone else about the whole thing? Some of the teachers here are really helpful.