I bit my bottom lip as my thoughts become almost deafening, my heart was beating so erratically, I was worried it was going to come out of my chest. Hot tears roll down my cheeks, I pace up and down my room, trying to catch my breath.

But I can't.

And realising this just makes my heart squeeze together tighter, I started a new anti-depressant medication a few days ago, and Claudia warned me that sometimes it can make your anxiety feel worse before it gets better.

But this was unbearable, I just want to scream but I know if I open my mouth nothing will come out.

Sobs rack my body as I slide down my bedroom door, out of the corner of my eye I can see a disregarded teddy bear, my father got me when I was young, my trembling hands reach forward and grab it before hurling it towards my wall.

I just need to breath.

I press my fingertips together, so I'm able to try and ground myself, but I can't, nothing is working.

Hot and cold flushes spread throughout my body as dizziness waves over me, I shake my head as my cries become louder, I press my hands against my chest.

Please.

Please someone just make this stop.

I can't cope with it anymore.

I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, I furrow my eyebrows at the unknown number calling me, my breathing is still shallow but slightly steadier, as I hesitantly answer the phone.

This was probably a really bad idea, I just wanted to be able to distract myself from how I was feeling, I just need anything.

'Hey, is this Autumn?'

My stomach churns as the voice registers my ears, 'L-Lucas?'

'Are you out for a run or something? Why do you sound so out of breath?'

I sniffle slightly before wincing, 'Y-Yeah, I-I just got home.'

'Oh fuck, Scarlett hasn't come home all weekend and I didn't know if you two were hanging out together, seem as your new buddy's.'

'W-What? She hasn't come home all weekend?'

'Not seen her since Friday, or even got a text really.'

I sit up straighter my breathing becoming more regular, 'A-And you have no idea, where she is?'

I don't know why I cared so much, because I don't. I'd barely class her as a friend, sure we spoke a little more than we used too. But she was one of the only people who've treated me like I'm human since I've returned back to school.

Lucas lets out an irritated sigh, 'If I knew, then I wouldn't be calling you.'

I look around frantically as I look for my jacket, I quickly grab it, 'W-Where are you? I'll come with you to help you find her.'

'I'm good thanks.'

'Stop being such an ass, your sister is missing.'

'Step-sister.' He corrects.'

I roll my eyes, 'Is now really the time?'

'No, I guess not. I'm at the park, this was the last place she told me she was going, she was meeting her fucking boyfriend here.'

My stomach clenches, a million thoughts swirl round my brain, please say what happened to me, hasn't happened to her?

Fuck.

Please say it hasn't, I don't want anyone to ever go through the pain that I have.

'I-I'm coming.' I croak out before hanging up.

I slide on my battered converse before running out of the door, I don't even say goodbye to my mom because I just have this awful feeling that something horrible has happened, and I pray that it's my anxiety playing tricks on me. I don't even waste any time getting into my car and driving, I run there, probably one of the fastest runs I've ever done in my entire life. My chest tightens as my breathing becomes un-even, my throat burns slightly. I whip my head around frantically looking for a familiar mop of dark hair. And there it was being illuminated under the street-lamp.

Lucas eyes me up in confusion as a cigarette hangs from his lips, 'Fucking hell, princess. Did you run here?

I nod breathless, 'Y-Yeah.'

'In the dark?'

'Yeah.'

'By yourself?'

'Yeah, are you fucking blind?'

'Are you fucking stupid? We already have one missing girl; we don't need another.'

I wince at his harsh tone, my wincing seems to make his features soften slightly, it was that slight that if I would have blinked, I would have missed it.

'W-What's her boyfriend like? Scarlett's boyfriend, what is he like?'

Lucas shrugs, 'I-I've only really met him once, he's in college, lives in some frat-house or something, so she doesn't always see him a lot.'

The clenching in my stomach intensifies, when I find out that the boy is slightly older than us.

'I-I think we need to go to his house.'

'How the fuck, am I going to find out where he lives?'

'I-I'll do it, he's in college right? I'll stalk his socials, message one of housemates and pretend I'm interested and get him to invite me over.'

I ignore the fear that is creeping inside of me, at the thought of a boy thinking that I want to be intimate with him, although I don't think I'm ignoring it enough because my body begins to tremor slightly.

'Hey, you okay?'

I nod stiffly, 'J-Just cold.'

'You don't have to do that if you're uncomfortable.'

I shake my head dismissively, 'W-Why would I be uncomfortable? From the rumours circulating around school, I'm the new school slut.'

Lucas' jaw clenches, '...Right.'

'So, what's his name? We need to get to work.' I say as I pull out my phone, I dismiss the way my fingers are shaking as I type.

'Rick, something. I can't actually remember.'

I shake my head as I go onto Scarlett's profile, I notice numerous pictures of them both uploaded, he's only tagged in one of them, the least-couple like photo she's posted. Interesting.

I scowl slightly as I dive deep into his profile, all of his captions made him sound like a completely tool. I notice one boy, in nearly all of his photos.

Bingo.

Tyler Hudson, I'm terribly sorry but you are about to get played buddy, I send him a follow request which he accepts almost instantly, along with a follow back. My eyes widen as I see a direct message from him appear on my phone.

Jesus, god works fast but Tyler Hudson works faster.

We exchange a few flirty messages, which results in him telling me how he is having drinks tonight, I reply saying how if he invited me, I'd make it worth his while and soon enough I have his address.

This boy really needed to learn about stranger danger.

'Got it!.'

Lucas looks at me in surprise, 'Already?'

I shrug, 'I'm extremely pretty, what can I say?'

He snorts, 'Course you are.'

I roll my eyes, 'Come on, it's a forty-minuet drive away from here.'

'Wait, you're coming with me?'

I nod as I frown slightly, 'Y-Yeah, I want to make sure she's safe.'

Every since that night, I'll always make sure another girl is safe, no matter who they are or who they are with.

He lets out an annoyed sigh, 'Fine, come on.'

'Don't sound to happy about me coming.'

'That's because I'm really not.'

I narrow my eyes as him as we begin to walk towards his car, 'You're such a little prick.'

'And you're a pampered princess.'

'For the last time, you don't fucking know me!' I screech as I curl my fists into tight balls.

'And, I will never want too.'

I scoff as I climb into his car, it was immediately nicer than Scarlett's, probably from all the money he got from his drug-deals.