The door swung open under Carly's hand just as Thea's fingers clamped onto her shoulders. Carly recoiled instinctively, her nose wrinkling at the smell of sweat and earth clinging to Thea. Thea's chest heaved with ragged, uneven breaths. Strands of her usually perfect hair stuck to her forehead, damp, and what might have been hay poked out from the collar of her ruined pink sweater.
"Help...Me!" Thea gasped, her voice raw as if she'd been screaming.
Carly's expression flickered between shock and irritation, her gaze dropping to where Thea's dirt-streaked hands were leaving marks on her clean t-shirt. Thea followed her look and immediately released her grip, wiping her palms awkwardly against her filthy pants.
"Right," Thea muttered, her breathing still uneven. "Sorry."
