Chapter Six: New Girl at School

Luna Ashley must have sensed what I was experiencing because she reached over to me, grabbed my hand, and started giving me instructions to do, “Claire, using your five senses, tell me 5 things that you can see right now.” I looked at her as she nodded, encouraging me to comply. 

I looked around and answered, “I see you, my purse, the back of the driver’s head (giggle), the radio dials, and the scenery outside.” 

“Now, tell me four things you can touch as you reach out and touch it,” Luna instructed

I responded, “I can touch my hair (tugging my hair behind my ear), my cell phone (reaching in my purse and pulling my phone out), the back of the seat in front of me (reaching forward and putting my palm on the headrest of the driver’s seat) and I can touch your hand (reaching over and holding Luna’s hand, with a slight smile).”

“Now tell me three things you can hear,” She instructed again.

I cocked my head off to the left side, concentrating on the sounds around me, and replied, “I can hear the motor of the SUV, the whistle of the wind from a window that isn’t sealed, and the rustling of the sausage biscuit wrapper the driver is wadding up,” I giggled again. 

“Ok, that’s pretty good; now it gets a little bit more difficult due to the small space, but tell me two things you can smell,” Luna instructed.

Taking a deep breath and rolling down the window a bit, “I can smell the tar from the hot pavement, and I can smell you, Luna. Your scent to me is strangely calming,” I confessed. 

Luna Ashley was taken aback for a moment before regaining her composure, “Ok, last sense, tell me one thing that you can taste,” she requested. 

I thought about what I could taste that I have access to now. I opened my purse and dug into the bottom of it, finding a peppermint from when mom, dad, and I… I mean... Barbara, Charles, and I drove through a carhop-type restaurant to get drinks during happy hour. They gave a Peppermint candy in the bag with the straws. I took it out of my purse, opened it, popping it in my mouth before mumbling almost incoherently, “I can taste this peppermint.”

The Luna chuckled a little to herself. She told me that in a pinch, a peppermint can suffice for all five senses: you can see it, touch it, smell it, hear the cellophane rustle when you open it and, of course, taste it when you pop it into your mouth. She then asked how I was feeling.

I thought about it and realized that I was no longer feeling the symptoms of the panic attack I was utterly drowning in only five minutes ago. “I’m actually feeling much calmer. How did you do that?” I inquired.

Luna Ashley explained that years ago, she had issues with having panic attacks out, seemingly out of the blue, after suffering through a traumatic event. The therapist she talked with taught her this coping skill, “It’s called a ‘Grounding Exercise,’ and it is taught under the umbrella of ‘Mindfulness.” When you are having an episode of anxiety or panic, if you use all five of your senses like we just did, it tends to ground you to the ‘here-and-now,’ not allowing you to get lost in a future that hasn’t happened yet. 

It works because you are taking your mind off whatever you were thinking about and putting it on something else. After all, we cannot think about two things simultaneously. Either we focus on the stimulus that is causing the anxiety or panic, or we focus on something else that takes our mind off of the trigger.”

I nodded in understanding, telling her I would probably use this coping skill a LOT in the foreseeable future with everything being topsy-turvy in my life.

Right as we ended the conversation, I realized that the SUV had pulled to a stop at the front steps of Royal Moon Academy. I pulled myself out of the car and grabbed my purse. After shutting the car door, I squared my shoulders and, with a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, turned towards the entrance, waiting for the Luna to join me before trekking up the steps. 

A man, who I assumed was the principal, met us at the top of the stairs. He took Luna Ashely’s hand, saying, “Welcome, Luna. As always, it is a pleasure to see you.” He then glanced over at me. With a look akin to disgust, he looked me up and down discreetly like I was small (which is precisely how he was making me feel at that moment). “And who do we have here, Luna?” He inquired. 

“Harold, this is Claire McClay. I am here to transfer her from her Silver Moon school to Royal Moon Academy,” Luna Ashley responded with a matter-fact attitude. She then walked towards the front door, looking over her shoulder at Harold, “Are you planning on joining us, or should I request someone else to help me with the transfer?” She kept walking, and he scurried to catch up. After an hour-long discussion, my schedule was set, and I was escorted toward my first class by Luna Ashley, with Harold trailing behind. 

Just as we rounded a corner within reach of my first-hour classroom, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Luna Ashley spotted Kathy and Anthony as we made our way toward the second-period classroom. She called out to them, getting their attention. When they got near, Luna Ashley requested that both of them help me learn the academy layout and possibly introduce me to some of their friends so I wouldn’t feel so alone. She smiled sweetly and responded, “Of Course, Mom. We would be happy to!” 

Kathy then reached for my schedule. After reading it over, she linked our arms together. With a smile and a wave goodbye to Luna Ashley, she declared loudly, “I know exactly where your next class is. Let me show you a shortcut.” 

Just as I was about to tell her how grateful I was for her help, she forcefully yanked her arm away from mine as if she had been burned. She stepped back, looking behind her and around the corner like she was making sure no one else was around. Suddenly, I found myself being shoved violently into the wall behind me. I hit the tile so hard that it cracked when my head bounced off, making me instantly dizzy. She then grabbed me by my throat. With her slightly extended claws digging into my neck and leaning close to my ear, she whispered, “You will NEVER be a part of MY family. I will make sure of it by hook or crook. If you repeat even a syllable of this conversation to anyone, you will regret ever meeting me!”