~
Recap;
This summer should be perfect training for him, with more than fifteen people that showed up.
"Get your ass down here before we drink all the booze!" Marleys says and then yells at the end of her sentence, "And Samson, I actually haven't seen Samson, I thought he was upstairs with you." Marley says making my stomach drop instantly.
Where the hell did my dog go?
~
Chapter Five
I wander the halls on my way down, the endless stairs were quite agitating. I don't think I've ever gone up and down so many stairs in my entire life, well. So far at least.
I like the idea of claiming the attic room, but why can't they build elevators inside big cabins like this, there is so much space to roam, they should have called this a mansion instead of a damn cabin.
I walk down the back stairs in the living room and hear the chatter of a lot of voices chiming in all at once and turn around to look out the side deck to see Samson and Caiden of all people.
Samson was on a collar and leash, not the one I brought as that was laying on the bed in the attic and Caiden was sitting on a white porch chair, ruffling through Samson's fur. Caidens usual closed face was open with warmth and love as he stares down at Samson, brushing his fingers through his fur.
I stand there, for a moment and even at this distance I could see the twinkle of the light blue in his eyes, his lips turn up into a smirk as he leans down to wrap his arms around Samson, giving him a hug.
Caiden leans back and rests against the chair and I get a full view of his chest.
I wasn't expecting it and jump, my eyes transfixed upon the rippling muscle and toned body he had. Caiden was not skinny, but semi-thick, and had hard muscle coating his upper body, his blonde hair tousled to the side and shorts dawned his lower half.
When I jumped in surprise, I end up jumping back into a chair I didn't realize I had walked in front of, staring at Caiden.
Upon hitting the chair so roughly, I make a loud thump and scraping noise. The noise startles Caiden and his head shoots up, his wide eyes settling on me and they turn a degree or two up as his stare starts to make heat crawl up my face.
I duck my head and step forward, staring at Samson as I walk up to the open doorway leading to the side deck.
I gulp and find I could not finish my gulp as the first round of shakes hit my body violently.
My panic attack.
I suck in a tingly breath and find I could barely breathe, as I cough out my breath. My lungs are already on fire, I was trying to hold out my attack for as long as I could.
My knees tremble and threaten to collapse under me.
Caiden goes to stand up, but I jerk my head to the side and parted my lips, "No. Samson!" I say, calling him to my side.
I could barely breathe but thankfully got out the words before Caiden could interrupt the training for Samson and a lifesaver for me.
I needed Samson. Upon life or death, because my attacks are so severe, if he was never there for me one attack, I could possibly die. He is the only thing to calm me down now because my attacks have progressed as much as they did.
Samson without hesitation comes flying to my side, smelling my hand. I hold it up for him, palm up.
Just like we practiced.
I don't think Samson had a feeling one of my lesser episodes was coming on, everything here was a distraction for him and not a good one either, so when I pick my left hand up, palm up Samson whines and instantly puts his paw on top of my arm, pushing my arm down.
Samson leans forward and curls his muzzle up to carefully place my wrist in his mouth and tug. After a moment of soft tugging on my wrist, he settles on my sleeve. Samson first tugs me to the wooden floor, directly in front of the side deck and lays on top of me, making sure I can't move and I'm secure.
I try my hardest to ignore Caidens stare.
I sit down with my legs out, Samson on top of them and instantly staring into my face, he gets up after a moment's pause and first rests his face on mine, accessing the damage. He then proceeds to lick my entire face. He pulls away after a moment to lean his head down and sniff at my lap and my hands.
"It's not the anxiety, Sam. Panic." I struggle out.
Samson still has a hard time figuring out which is which.
But upon hearing the word panic, he knew to stop concentrating on my hands and focus on my face and breathing. After giving me a few more licks on the face, he lays up against me, letting me throw my arms around him and give him a long front hug.
After a moment or two, I calm down, my breathing turns to normal once again and, my lungs pass air through easily, my heart has finally stopped screaming in my chest.
"What the hell just happened?" Caiden's voice is one of shock and when I open my eyes to glance at him, my lips screw up into a smile.
"This is not a laughing matter, but the expression on your face is not one I thought I'd see on you, ever." I awkwardly laugh.
"What expression is that? And how are you even talking after all that? What the hell was that Raven?" Caiden asks, getting up from the porch chair and coming to stand before my feet, holding his hand out.
"I get anxiety and panic attacks, they're so bad they could potentially stop my heart, but Samson just prevented that and shock."
"Wow, I'm, sorr-"
"Don't apologize, it's alright. I'm just sorry you had to see that." I say lifting my hand and letting Caiden wrap his fingers in my own, holding onto my hand tightly as he pulls me up to a standing position.
"I'm not." Caiden says, lifting me up fully and letting our hands stay clasped together hanging down at our sides.
"Raven -"
"Has anybody seen Rave! Rave? Oh, Rave!" Caiden and I instantly spring apart, our hands unwound from each other and our bodies lean a few inches away from one another.
"Are you okay? Your face looks horrendous." Marley loudly announces as she flies over to me, throwing her arms around my neck and giving me a bone-crushing hug.
"Marley!" Caiden's voice is tight and a little on edge, probably thinking she had offended me.
But, I have been around Marley my whole life, and nothing she does or says really affects me in a negative way, she may seem stuck on herself or obnoxious, but that is the reality of fun Marley.
Marley pokes fun at people while drunk, but sober she is the most well-mannered person with a mild temper, she just has a wild side and sometimes a dark side that both come out when she drinks.
Marley's light blond curls bounce every which way as she talks and throws her head about, completely blocking my vision, but I just cough out a few times and respond to her hug by wrapping my arms around her waist, finally answering the hug.
"I had an episode, Marley. Caiden came at just the tail end of it and had to witness the horrendous ordeal." I say, my voice light and teasing and I send Caiden a smile, reassuring him it was all right.
Even though Marley had meant well, Caiden didn't understand the harmless fun Marley was poking at, but I did.
Marley and I haven't seen each other in about two or three months.
About four months ago she had called me up from her house stating she was leaving the city and moving to another state because she met a man she liked.
She had been apparently dating Caiden that whole time and building a future with him, but even that much time apart wasn't enough to deter Marley from her usual fun, and me of my usual best friends snarkiness.
I wanted to defend her and snap at Caiden, but I wanted to lean into Caidens looming body warmth and forget about everything.
How does that work?