[TLH/SinKid] Attack

Leia stared at the sudden pop quiz in front of her. It wasn't anything complicated, she was only nine, but she had hit a roadblock.

Beside her were her two friends - Marsha on her left, a brilliant-minded girl born into a rich family, and on her right was Gwen, a working-class girl who managed to win a scholarship. Marsha was already halfway done and Gwen, while obviously struggling, at least had pen to paper.

Leia's gaze never left her quiz. The letters seemed to shift and swirl in her mind. She frowned, trying her best to focus.

But she couldn't. She felt a tightness in her chest, her hand jittering a little as her vision darkened around the edges. She took deeper breaths, but this barely helped. Her head started feeling light.

"Leia?" Gwen's voice was barely heard over her own heartbeat, as was her teacher snapping back at her to remain quiet.

Leia's stomach turned, and the tightness in her chest grew intense.

Something was wrong.

*Very* wrong.

Leia practically leapt out of her seat and pushed past Gwen. She had to see the nurse, and now, hall rules be damned.

She could barely see where she was going as she barrelled down the hallways. She stumbled a little, then found herself on the floor. She fought the urge to throw up, and tried to pull herself up, her arms growing weak and failing to hold her up.

What felt like hours passed. Her chest pain grew to a dull sensation and her breathing returned, but her body felt weak. Feeling returned to her body, and she felt someone shaking her.

"Leia, holy crud, you okay?!" Gwen's voice called out to her, thick with panic.

"I..." She went to reply, but her stomach rebelled against motion. "Sick bay..."

She nearly threw up as Gwen practically hoisted her up over her shoulders. And again, when she was placed down on the bed in the nurses room.

"Jeez, Gwen, take it easy...!"

"Sorry, I panicked." Gwen replied, still obviously concerned. Marsha, who was usually inexpressive, showed a similar but subdued reaction.

Leia felt a nice, cool hand on her forehead, as the nurse started to check her over. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I... I felt like I was having a heart attack." Leia replied. "I think I did."

"Well, I can tell you you *didn't* have one, otherwise you wouldn't be talking." The nurse smiled. "No, I think you had a panic attack."

Leia blinked. "A panic attack?"

"Yes." The nurse nodded. "A lot of the symptoms are similar, or easily confused for one, but in any case coming to me was a good idea."

"Woah, hold the phone, lady." Leia pulled herself upright. Her body still felt sore and weak. "There's no way I just had a panic attack. That's only something my cousin has, and she's a homeschooled nervous wreck."

"If you want to get a second opinion, you can always see a doctor."

"What?! No way! If I see a doctor, and they say I had a panic attack, then Mom will find out, and that's not gonna be good!"

Gwen and Marsha shared a concerned look. The nurse bowed her head a little.

"Well, if you don't want your mom to find out, then there's not much I can suggest except to rest up. I'll write up a permission slip, one of your friends can show it to your teachers so you can rest in here for now, or you can go home and rest there."

Leia felt a wave of dread wash over her. "I... think I'll rest up in here."

"We'll visit you during lunch breaks." Marsha stated, her voice as cool as normal but with a hint of worry.

"Feel better soon, okay?" Gwen added, more obviously concerned, as the two of them took the permission slip and left her to rest up.

Leia sighed, and leant back. Now all she had to do was think of something to do for the next few hours.