panic seized hold of her

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

{literally happens at the same time as this thread}



Panic seized hold of her. Zoe dug her hand into her pocket, nerves making her fingers shake. While waiting for Devyn to climb up, she hurriedly pulled out her phone, texting like mad, her gloved fingers slipping. Soon she'd have the text sent out to Liz:

Devyn's asking me to be her girlfriend again! We're supposed to be doing a photoshoot and i don't know what to do or how to respond and I'm trying very hard not to freak out here!

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth was rolling around in bed, going through the photos on her camera when her phone pinged an alert for a message. "Oooh message!"

She grabbed her phone and set her camera aside to read the message. "Oh no."

Don't panic! Calm down calm down. Um, um, um...what is she saying? How did she say it? Omigod, should I call you with an emergency?

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Oh, there was definitely a hint of panic rising up in Zoe. Thankfully, she heard her phone chirp, letting out a tingling, wind-chime tone that she'd set for texting. Blushing furiously, Zoe quickly switched it over to silence, not wanting Devyn to know she was getting advice. She did glance down on it, alternating between the message and Devyn. Zoe took a deep breath, noting that Liz had offered her an out. So tempting, so very tempting.

I'm trying not to panic! She just said that out of no where. Just asked to be my girlfriend again! Now she's talking about going on dates and everything. I don't think she understands, Liz. She doesn't get it and i don't know what to do! Helllllp!

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth pouted at the message before responding.

Have you explained to her what you told me? About how the relationship has made you feel?

The blonde paused in her typing, trying to think of something else to add.

Maybe you should just tell her what you're there for?

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Thankfully Zoe felt her phone buzz. She scrambled to get it out, looking over the latest messages. She nearly sighed, especially as she heard Devyn continuing to talk even while she quickly hammered out a response.

I've tried! She doesn't seem to understand! She keeps pressuring me for a date and I just don't know what to do or say! She's really asking me out to coffee or a movie and I think she's going to say she loves me or something at any moment

Panic continued to rise as Devyn just kept going, and Zoe looked back at her phone, where she still had a message half typed up. She bit her lip for a moment, but seemed to realize that she couldn't delay responding to Devyn for overlong without drawing attention. Still, she was seriously considering taking Liz up on an offer to send a phone call to bail her out of this in a hurry.

For now, she just hint enter, along with another quick: help!

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth pulled a face when Zoe's response came back in. "Holy smokes." She shook her head. She didn't know Devyn all too well but she knew the breakup had been brutal on Zoe.

Her fingers flew on her phone to respond.

Say no, Zo. If it were me, I'd say no. I wouldn't be ready. It's only been a couple weeks. I'll call you if anything else happens, kay? Just say the word

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe tried to take pictures, she really did, despite her hands shaking a little. She knew that Liz would help if need be. this should be easy. Just take pictures. Zoe had done that before, right? Done it plenty of times. Finally, she couldn't manage it any more, and she dug into her pocket, sending the shortest text that she'd done so far, just a few words...

get me out. please.

... then she slid the phone back into her pocket, though not before switching the sound back on. Part of Zoe felt guilty for what she did, but, well, she didn't know what else to do at this point.

[Elizabeth Edison]

She didn't need to be told twice when Zoe texted back. Scrolling through her contacts, she picked Zoe's number and called her.

"So blablablabla emergency bla. I cut my finger?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe's started nearly running away from Devyn, her heart pounding, tears already starting to form on her face. She'd already picked up the phone, answered Liz with a hello and walked through it, but now she needed to pull it up again.

"Liz, I'm---she just started---she had this sad smile and---she told me I could leave and then you called and---" Zoe rambled for a bit. She sniffed audibly, rubbing at her face and trying to hurry away, mostly oriented toward heading back to the school. "This was a horrible idea, Liz, I don't think--we must not have been ready and--- and--" she sobbed again, her breath hitching.

[Elizabeth Edison]

Hearing Zoe on the other end breaking down made Elizabeth choke back her own tears. She didn't like it when people were hurt. Especially people like Zoe. She was way too sweet and kind to be upset over anything.

"Meet me at the quad. I'll be there in two minutes, kay?" Elizabeth pulled on a pair of jeans and tied her hair up in a loose ponytail. "What do you mean you weren't ready?" She asked, keeping Zoe on the phone as she rushed out of her room to go and look for Zoe.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe had some trouble orienting herself, what with the tears and her sort of mad dash. she heard quad though, heard and started nodding, even as she realized that Liz wouldn't actually be able to see the nod. more sobs followed, but she oriented herself to try and at least head in the direction of the quad.

"Just---I wasn't ready to see her or--" sniffed Zoe, rubbing at her face again. "She started flirting and then was all---I just---she started being all sad and--I just don't know what to do!" she sobbed again, taking another deep breath and stopping her walking to look around for a moment, reorienting herself before heading.

"I'm, um, near the stables and heading toward the quad," managed Zoe, at least getting out nearly a whole sentence without having troubles. She swallowed again, feeling a lump rising in her throat, threatening to choke off any and all words she might form.

[Elizabeth Edison]

Elizabeth hummed in response, making sure Zoe knew she was still there. "It's gonna be fine, honey." Elizabeth tried to subdue the sobbing girl.

She was finally nearing the quad and from what she was hearing, Zoe wasn't far either. "I'm here, almost. Just breath, babe. It's all going to be fine." The blonde blew out puffs of air, her sweat rolling off her forehead a little.

The blonde didn't know what all she could say anymore until Zoe arrived. And by then, she could at least offer a hug.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"It doesn't feel very fine," sobbed Zoe. She took a deep breath, feeling more air suck in. "I'm sorry I'm do-do-doing this to you," she managed too. "I--it's not-" she swallowed again. Last time it had been Mae, though Liz had found out and become involved soon enough.

"I'm getting close," said Zoe, looking around. She had sort of wandered/dashed into the quad, well, more or less. Soon she found herself nearly tripping over a bench and struggling to get around it. She sobbed again, looking about for a moment. Soon enough she located Liz and approached her.

Someone else might have immediately launched into a hug of some kind. Zoe, however, couldn't help but be shy about it, sniffing and looking at her friend, standing there looking wholly pathetic. She still wore the lent clothes, almost entirely Beau's: the baggy sweatshirt and pants looking ridiculous hanging on her thin form, which probably only made her look more pathetic. The only thing that really looked Zoe, besides the tears, was the camera that hung heavily across her neck, and even that had a few wet spots where loose tears had landed.

[Elizabeth Edison]

"Nooo, don't apologise. There's no need to apologise at all. You're absolutely fine." Elizabeth nodded and looked around to see if she missed Zoe.

Soon enough, she saw the short-haired blonde and smiled. She noted that her outfit consisted of things very familiar to her. "Hey," her smile softened and she hung up the phone. Zoe might have been shy about it but Elizabeth certainly wasn't. She made sure to cover up any bare skin of Zoe's before she wrapped the smaller girl in a tight hug.

"I'm here." She reassured Zoe.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"Sorry," Zoe managed another apology anyway, then felt guilty and felt like she should be apologizing about apologizing so much, which wouldn't be a first or anything. she just sobbed some more, making more pathetic noises into the phone.

which were only continued when they met in real life. Tears continued to shimmer in Zoe's eyes even as Liz drew her into a hug. The outfit did to a marvelous job of hiding most of Zoe's skin (which had been part of the point after all), so there wasn't much to worry about there. Zoe felt the tight pressure and couldn't help but let out another sob. The gesture did make her feel her camera pressing against her chest, trapped as it was between their bodies.

"I'm I'm---it was just---too soon," she sobbed, before burying her face in her friend's shoulder and sobbing again.