"I cannot do this right now." Scarlett whispered breathlessly as she backed out of the toilets, followed closely by Ava and Sophie.
"Lettie don't you -" Ava whisper-yelled after Scarlett as she speed walked back to the table.
"Everything okay?" Richard asked with a hint of worry in his eyes as Scarlett sat back down next to him. She quickly nodded, trying to regain control of her breathing.
"What's going on?" Tom asked as Ava sat down, but she simply shook her head.
"Another time Thomas. Anyone for more coffee?"
"Seriously. Are you alright?" Richard whispered into Scarlett's ear. He turned her head to face him, and continued to speak, but Scarlett couldn't hear a word he was saying over the sound of her own heartbeat.
She closed her eyes and took deep, shaky breaths, suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to be sick.
Reopening her eyes, her vision blurred, and panic set in. Richard was still asking her questions - more forcefully now, but the rapidly increasing pounding in her ears drowned out the slightest hint of any sound.
The throbbing grew louder and stronger, and her vision started to pulse along to the same steady beat. Blurring, then clearing, then blurring again.
Her breathing became faster - jagged - and although she was taking many breaths, she felt as though she were suffocating.
The pulsing spread throughout her body, and grew faster, and faster, and louder, and louder with every passing beat.
The hazy, unfocused vision darkened, and another wave of intense nausia swept over her.
And that was when Scarlett passed out.