Page 66 of New Growth
I turned sharply toward the counter, my heart kicking up its pace.
“Hey, new girl,” I called out, trying to keep my voice steady. “Which one did you put almond milk in?”
El stiffened beside me, his body going rigid.
The trainee blinked in confusion. “Wasn’t that your order?”
A curse slipped from my lips. Pressure pounded in my head as my airways closed.
“No, honey.” I felt my pulse thundering in my throat. “I’m allergic… to tree nuts.”
The room blurred. Distantly, I heard Lizzie’s horrified gasp, her rushed apologies, and the scrape of a chair against the floor. But all of it was secondary to the terrifying squeeze in my chest and the tightening that stole the air from my lungs.
Christ, did she pour the whole jug of almond milk in there?
“Fuck!” El was out of his seat in an instant. “Do you have an epi?”
I shook my head, struggling to find my voice. “Not… on… me.”
His jaw was clenched. “Jesus, Ellie.”
He turned toward the staff. “Did someone call an ambulance?”
My fingers clawed at my throat as my body screamed for oxygen. My vision wavered, tunneling at the edges.
“Ellie!” El’s voice broke through the fog, sharp and urgent. “I’m gonna have to carry you to the hospital. The ambulance won’t make it in time. I need you to—”
But his words faded, swallowed by thedarkness closing in.
?
The last time I had an allergic reaction, I was in preschool, and a teacher’s assistant gave me a Nutella sandwich. I barely remembered what happened, but I did remember Daddy threatening to burn the place down.
Now, I understood why.
“Christ,” I croaked, my voice barely there. The first thing I saw was El rushing over to me. He leaned in close, his eyes scanning my face, watching my breathing like he was afraid it would stop again.
My throat felt like sandpaper. “Never felt this raw before.”
“They had to put a tube down your throat,” he explained, his voice tight.
I exhaled sharply. “Damn. This time was bad.”
El’s expression darkened. “It was. You stopped breathing.”
I stared up at the ceiling, the fluorescent lights too bright. “This shit is crazy.”
El brushed a stray strand of hair from my face, drawing my eyes back to him. His fingers lingered just a second too long as he studied every inch of my expression with understandable fear.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything?”
He was so close.
His concern wrapped around me like a blanket. It was warm but overwhelming.
I squirmed under his gaze and swallowed hard, making the raw dryness of my throat sting. “Maybe just call the nurse,” I offered.
His eyes flashed with realization and a quick look of panic. “Fuck, you’re right. I’m sorry. My mind’s just scrambled.”
