Good, potent chapter, there. o.o I’m very impressed with the attention to detail given to the thoughts and emotions explored in that chapter. No corners cut there—it was a nice, vivid view of the minds of Lisa and Gavin, particularly the former.

The panic attack was very well done. It was clearly a very harrowing experience for her; that it was was conveyed excellently. As it was actually taking place, before I quite knew what was happening to her, I was quite afraid for her. I was pretty concerned for her after, too, for that matter. I’m always impressed when a story can make me feel earnest concern for a character.

Fantastic work on the last scene, too. It was absolutely riveting to read—their interactions and emotions were spot-on, I’d say, very believeable, and a good, dramatic discussion is something that I always enjoy reading. Plus, that little kiss on the cheek that Lisa gave Gavin there near the end of the chapter was really sweet. ^^

A couple of my favorite excerpts:

And then she collapsed. The fear and weariness suddenly bore down on her, an enormous tidal wave of terror crashing down and drowning out every ounce of control and composure she had ever possessed. She was shaking, completely uncontrollably – the pain in the back of her head gave way to a sudden, agonising tightness in her chest. She could not breathe, her stomach was churning … She put her hands over her face and screamed, but silently; no noise escaped her mouth.
Again, it was very easy for me to get a good notion of just how dreadful the experience of having that panic attack was for her, especially with great descriptions of sensations like that there.

“I had like ten stitches in there before, but then it got all infected, so it’s pretty gross to look at still.” He sounded slightly proud.
Proud of how gross it was… that made me chuckle.

“Gavin, of course I would. Gavin, I’ll always – I’ll always be here for you. I'll always be your friend.”

And, almost unconsciously, she kissed him on the cheek and tasted a salty tear rolling down it.

Gavin breathed in sharply, as though he had been caught out doing something terribly unmanly. But all he said was, in a deep and raw voice, “Will you really?”

“Of course I will, Gavin. I promise.”
And again, that was a really sweet moment. ^^

I do wonder if Gavin and Lisa will reunite someday—I’m somehow more inclined to think they will (maybe just because I’d like to see them reunite), but of course, anything could happen. Well, whatever the future does bring for these characters—high or low, bleak or joyous or anything in between—I look forward to seeing it. ^^