Zoe wasn't convinced, but she was too focused on the three dots to reply. Focused on the dots and trying not to be sick. She didn't feel like actually vomiting, but it certainly felt like her nerves were a physical creature that wanted to writhe, dancing out of her throat.
Then the dots disappeared and everything froze. No thought Zoe, loud enough that the universe should have heard it and done something about it. Don't stop talking to me. Please.
The dots appeared again and maybe there was a God.
"Can you - um - Can I have some orange juice?" she asked Liz. Asking for some space right now was too hard, and flinching or shrugging away from Liz's arm felt too mean, but Zoe felt so on edge, she didn't think she could handle the arm rubbing anymore.