Anxiété et peur

Anxiété et peur is the recurring state through which Shelby Anderson Barnum experiences distress as a physical emergency: breath becomes difficult, the heart races, tears come, and the surrounding world can seem threatening even in daylight. The novel gives this fear specific circumstances rather than treating it as a passing mood. Shelby may flee a crowded room, recoil from an unexpected touch, or become overwhelmed by the prospect of facing a courtroom. At the same time, its scenes of care show that support can help her regain control when it respects her boundaries and lets her set the pace.

Bodily Experience and Panic

During an episode in an art class, pain seems to inhabit Shelby’s whole body. Her heart races and feels constricted in her chest; her breathing accelerates, and tears rise before she can explain what is happening. Without speaking, she abruptly leaves the room. Cassiopée Smith follows, but loses sight of her and continues searching. Shelby has found an isolated place, where she covers her ears and tries unsuccessfully to slow her breathing. Anxiety and panic seem to press on her from every side, while the bright sunlight does not prevent everything around her from appearing dark.

When Cassiopée finds her, she places her hands on Shelby’s shoulders. Shelby startles and cries out in pain, then curls inward and refuses to be touched. Cassiopée stays calm and asks Shelby to look at her. Still crying, Shelby raises her eyes; her distress is visible even though she cannot bring herself to ask for solitude. The scene makes a crucial distinction between intending to comfort someone and offering comfort that person can accept: unexpected contact intensifies Shelby’s alarm, while Cassiopée’s steady presence gives her a way to orient herself without demanding an explanation.

A later panic episode occurs in a bathroom after Shelby is reminded of pain and water. A strange sensation grips her stomach; she feels as though she is being strangled, her throat tightens, and she collapses with her hands over her ears. Madison Jefferson crouches to help, but Shelby pushes her away and pleads not to be touched or harmed. Madison recognizes that Shelby is having an anxiety attack and goes to find Jungkook rather than continuing to make physical contact. Jungkook hurries to her. Shelby recognizes his familiar spring scent, puts her arms around his neck, and presses her face to his shoulder as he holds and soothes her. After several minutes, her breathing returns to normal and the distress recedes. The difference from the earlier encounter is not that touch is always safe or unsafe: Shelby first refuses it, then reaches for Jungkook herself.

Support, Boundaries, and Trust

The narrative also shows distress being met with quiet company rather than a ready-made solution. At an underground boxing venue, Jungkook enters the changing rooms after Chen Wu leaves. Hearing water running unusually early, he switches it off and finds Shelby trembling and crying. He crouches in front of her but does not know what to do; instead, he stays beside her until she calms. When she leans against the cold tile and looks at him, she wonders why he has stayed by her side again. His presence does not erase the episode, but it offers companionship without forcing her to speak or accept touch.

On another occasion, Shelby sees bruises in the bathroom mirror, lowers her head toward the sink, and then slides down the wall in tears. Jungkook crouches beside her and places a hand on her knees. This contact does not repel her; she is seeking comfort. He regrets taking her to the place where she was hurt, and she tells him it is not his fault. The scene contrasts the unwanted touch that triggers panic with a contact that Shelby welcomes, making her response—not a simple rule about touch—the measure of what feels supportive.

Trust becomes visible in a confrontation with Connor Barnum. When he is angry, Jungkook steps between him and Shelby and explains that she has told him what happened to her in Los Angeles. He says he wants to help her overcome her fears, despite having been unfriendly at first and not understanding love. Connor is struck by the disclosure because he had not expected Shelby to confide in anyone except her psychologist. He understands her confidence in Jungkook as meaningful and moderates his protectiveness. Shelby and her father then embrace, with Jungkook stepping aside to let them reunite. Her fear is not presented as something Jungkook can simply take over; rather, the scene links growing trust with Shelby’s ability to choose whom to confide in, while Connor learns to respect that choice.

Fear in Public and in the Courtroom

The trial makes fear inseparable from the risks of being publicly visible. During a recess, journalists and advocates for victims of violence gather outside the courthouse. The crowd feels oppressive to Shelby, and hearing death threats leaves her concerned for her safety despite the police presence. She takes Jungkook’s right hand and intertwines their fingers. He restrains his own impulse to lash out; once they reach his car, he holds her and reassures her. Their joined hands register both the pressure of the crowd and the practical comfort she seeks from someone beside her.

On the day of the verdict, questions about Robert Jefferson’s punishment and whether justice will work haunt Shelby. She hopes that the answers might let her sleep more peacefully, though she cannot be sure. She and Jungkook ride to court on his motorcycle. Reporters press her with questions as they arrive, and she avoids them to enter the courthouse. Inside, she sees Dakota, Sandy Sanchez, and other women who were also victimized by Robert. When he enters the courtroom, Shelby holds Jungkook’s hand; anxiety catches at her throat and her inner demons return. As the jury’s decision is read, her hands grow damp, sweat gathers on her forehead, her breathing catches, and her heart pounds. The narration stays with the interval before the decision, showing how waiting itself becomes part of the ordeal.

The judge announces that Robert is guilty of three sexual assaults, two attempted rapes, two rapes of minors, and four rapes of adults. He receives a twenty-five-year prison sentence and a $90,000 fine; at the victims’ request, each is to receive one dollar in symbolic damages. Shelby closes her eyes, cries with relief, and embraces Jungkook. Dorcas Peters, Cassiopée, and Namjoon Kim join them, and Connor and Lydia Barnum later embrace her too. Robert shouts in anger, while Madison smiles with relief and ignores her mother’s hostile look. Shelby feels lighter and relieved that the justice system has believed her. This resolution gives her a concrete reprieve, not proof that fear has vanished: its force before the verdict is part of what makes the relief matter.

Fear Beyond Shelby

Fear also appears in Jungkook’s experience, though in a different form. Two weeks after his accident, he remains distant and speaks to Shelby mostly in formalities. He has kept his promise not to drink, even when the urge has persisted, and he misses his work while recognizing that his situation is his own responsibility. Alone in the shower, he feels that anger has given way to fear and confusion; the feeling recalls the frightened child he once was around his father. Shelby sees his injuries and feels guilty, even while recognizing that she should not blame herself for the position he put himself in. She asks whether he would like to go for a walk because the weather is good and it might help him.

This parallel does not make their experiences interchangeable. Shelby’s fear is repeatedly shown through panic, bodily vulnerability, unwanted attention, and the threat of harm; Jungkook’s is connected here to his childhood fear and his present injured, uncertain state. Together, these scenes make fear more than a single crisis to be solved. It returns in different settings and can interrupt ordinary actions, but the novel also traces small changes in how people meet it: Cassiopée searches, Madison recognizes when to step back, Jungkook waits or offers comfort, and Connor makes room for Shelby’s own decisions. The emphasis is not on fear disappearing, but on the growing possibility of being believed, choosing contact, and facing a frightening situation with support.