Jamie is aware of Cit at her side, his anxious questions, but she shakes her head and waves dismissively. she can already feel the fit subsiding, thankfully, and although the initial breathlessness is frightening, she’s learnt that panicking only makes it worse. as her lungs eek out the final coughs, Jamie slumps, suddenly exhausted. she’s trembling a little, angry tears welling along her bottom lash-line. she can’t even bring herself to look at Cit, unwilling to face what she knows she’ll find there: pity. he won’t want to wrestle with her ever again; or if he does, he’ll go easy on her. Jamie grits her teeth at the very thought, cheeks burning with humiliation. she’d been foolish, she supposes, to think she’d actually had a chance of holding her own against him. not when her body harbours such weakness.“just…go away please, Cit,” she whispers, staring at her paws.
