"How are you feeling now,Joanna?"

"Well..... I am fine."

He just smiled at her awkwardness. It was clear from her face that she was embarrassed.

"You know, the first time I got one was when I broke a vase at my house. An antique one,which was really expensive. Something my grandmom cherished a lot!"

"Got what,Eric?"

"A panic attack"

"I wasn't having a.."

She tried to deny but he spoke the truth. Bouts of anxiety. She always got them when she tried to solve math or faced something challenging. But this time, it went a bit extreme. Joanna had her first panic attack,in a way she would have never wanted.

"So I couldn't breathe back then. I was scared that my mom will find out and later my grandmom, and the fear simply escalated. I couldn't breath well"

He kept talking calmly.

"And then?"

"Well, I did get scolded. I was summoned to my grandmother's place. She made me stand in front of everyone and I made a fool out of myself in front of my siblings. It was not an empowering experience. But...."

He paused and recollected that memory with a smile.

"Its become past now. I got scolded, but nothing happened. My life is still the same!"

"What are trying to tell me,Eric?"

"What I am trying to say is, its okay. Its okay to feel embarrassed or fail or be bad at math. Its okay if you felt stressed at that moment. But, what matters is that you showed up."

'Is he actually complimenting me? What is happening? Did the sun rise in the west today?'

Joanna wondered

"I tried to demotivate you,which I shouldn't have done. But still you showed up to a place where there were people who didn't like you. You are very brave,Joanna"

A tear slipped down her cheek. She was touched by the words of appreciation he was giving her, but were they not supposed to be at war?

'What has gotten to him? Why is he being nice to me? Is this some kind of game?Why the hell is he handsome? Was he always this good looking?'

A chain of thoughts popped into her mind.

She couldn't take her eyes off him, till he snaped his fingers to take her out of her gaze.

"What are you? My therapist?"
She wiped that tear and spoke up.

"No. But you will need one, Joanna."

She looked down and didn't reply.

A classmate had done a favour for her and she had been ungrateful. It didn't feel like the right thing but her ego was scarred and she couldn't think straight back then. Losing that part time job took away her confidence  and she thought Eric should be blamed, though she knew he shouldn't be.

"I am sorry,Eric"
She said in muffled voice.

"What? Pardon?"
Eric spoke up with wide eyes.

He could see her putting great effort.Probably, that was the first time he saw her without glasses.

She was lying in the hospital bed, had dark cicles and snort,yet she was still glowing in his eyes.

'Is this the pretty that brother had asked me?'

He recollected what Abraham had asked him

"Is she pretty?"

Before he could come to a conclusion,Joanna spoke up

"I am sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did. I should have thanked you and respected the kindness you showed me."

Eric leaned back and sighed in relief.

No, he didn't want her apologise to him.

Instead, he just wanted to clear things with her.

"Joanna, I did not tell anyone. I didn't know that you even lost your job. I swear it wasn't me."

She could see sincerity and genuineness in his eyes.

"Then I am sorry for blaming you as well."

He smiled and said

"Its not your fault. I would have reacted the same way,probably."

He saw her look out of the window and her lips curled upwards.

'Yeah,She is pretty'

Eric could hear his inner voice whisper to his heart.

"The weather is so nice today"
She continued calmly.

"Ya...Beautiful"
He said looking at her clear eyes.

"Jo,The nurse said you can leave after the fluid is over"
Tara came in and saw a rather unexpected sight
"Oh,Hi! Eric? How come you are here?"

"Oh, I just came to check on the damsel who was in distress. And I also wanted to get some pain relief patches"

"Are you hurt?"

Joanna asked with concern.
He got up and walked with great effort, with a hand supporting his back.

"Ya. My back broke after carrying you. I might as well go to hospital. Bye,Tara"

As Tara laughed,Joanna threw a pillow at him,which missed its target. She screamed

"You should have been stronger then!"

****************************

"So tell me one thing,Jo"

Tara initiated the conversation. After getting discharged from the hospital, they had gone to recharge with a hot dog and milk shake therapy.

As she took a bite, Tara had a question for Jo.

"Mm"

She replied while still chewing her food.

"You and Eric. Is there something brewing?"

Joanna almost choked on her food.

"Wh..what? Brewing what?"

"Brewing chemistry?"

"Are you out of your mind? Why would you even think like that?"

"Come on! He was always nice to you! The way he was carrying you and his words of comfort! Jo, tell me if you guys like each other?"

"Till yesterday that guy was plotting various ways to torture me and so was l. Now,out of nowhere, you think there is something lovey-dovey going on?  Are you high or what?"

Tara smiled cheerfully and said

"Thank god, if nothing's going on"

"What?"

"You don't wanna get murdered by that Clara chick,Jo!"

"Is she and Eric?"

Tara looked at Joanna in disbelief

"Isn't that the most obvious thing here? She is hot. He is hot. They both are young, rich and popular. Perfect match, right?"

"Ya. Perfect"

Joanna replied while sipping on her milkshake wondering why did that sound a bit uneasy to her.

*******************************

"WHAT THE HELL"

Eric screamed as Clara switched off the TV.

He was at his home, watching soccer at his comfort and she came in like she owned the place and switched it off.

"Exactly, Eric.What the hell!"

She crossed her arms.

"Don't fight again.Here, have some chips"

His mother Dianna came in with a bowl of chips and another bowl of cut fruits. Guessing from the way Clara came in with a red face, she knew that this was going to be a long conversation.

"Thanks, but I gotta follow my diet, Aunty"

"I know that dear Clara. Thats is why I brought these" She handed the fruit bowl and Clara thanked her, while Eric snatched that bowl of chips.

"Ah, this boy! Why can't you prefer something healthy like her? When will he learn all these good habits from you! Clara, Tell your Mom that I had asked about her."

"Of course, aunty."
Clara smiled but Eric was disgusted with her politeness. He was the one who knew how fake that was.

The women whom Dianna thought as parents to her son's friends, all of them made fun of her.

For the way she looked, her background, the fact that she got herself pregnant to escape her fate!

All of it had been mocked by Clara and her mother and still Dianne was trying to fit in.

"Turn it on Clara.I was  watching it"
Eric yelled again after his mother left.

"What were you doing today?"

"Now what did I do?"

Eric leaned back at his sofa, gave the biggest breath out and asked again with calmness, summoning all his patience.

"Now what did I do?"

"I am talking about that hero act you did today."

"I have no idea..... Oh! Are you talking about Joanna fainting and the fact that I chose to help her?"

Eric was surprised.

"Help? You were carrying her as if she was you were her knight."

Clara was furious.

"What is your problem? You would rather want me become a jerk who won't even step up when a friend is in need?"

"Friend?"
Clara's eyes were now red.

"FRIEND?AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH"

Clara screamed like a maniac and honestly, Eric was scared to see this side of her.

"What makes her your friend? That low standard leech!"

"Watch your words,Clara!" Eric was not having it anymore.

"You think the same way about my mother too,don't you?"

He kept the bowl of chips down,stood up and crossed his arms, with a sharp glare onto her face.
"What do you mean,Eric!. Your mother is so sweet.I would never.."
Clara adjusted her messed up hair and lowered her eyes.She didn't want to meet eyes with the one that was glaring at hers.

"They say never say never,Clara. I know that your mom,her rich mothers gang and you as well,speaks shit about my mom and about how I got conceieved. I know it all too well. Joanna, is far far better than any one of you. She is simply minding her own business, living her own life and you have a problem with that too?"

Clara didn't dare to reply.She simply glared at him.

"Now if you are done with your tantrums, go home and get some help.I got a match to catch up with"

He snatched the remote back and continued watching his favourite game.

She stomped out of his house ignoring Dianna's request to join them for dinner.

As she rode away in her car,Clara promised herself

"I swear.....Joanna Gerard! You cross the line once more and that will be the end for your story!"