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- 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.
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