Flowers and Pop Rocks

32

tw: very brief mention of an eating disorder ( i wasn't sure if i had to include one for this chapter, but i guess it's better safe than sorry! )

p o p p y

Blake asked me for permission to tell all my marshmallow boys about us dating, and of course I said yes. It would've felt wrong not to tell them. Besides, we trusted that they would keep our secret.

They kept it pretty hidden that I was the fifth member of Crown, so I wasn't scared to tell them.

Grant was probably the happiest out of them when we broke the news. He told us he figured it was going to happen soon, but it didn't change the fact that he was ecstatic.

Levi knew it was going to happen eventually. He was probably the first to call it, so he wasn't even remotely surprised.

Curtis was the most neutral of the bunch. He also kind of expected it, and he was happy for us, but the excitement of Grant wasn't there. He was just nonchalant about it.

Angel knew too, and she practically broke my eardrums with how loud she screamed when I first told her. Like I said before, she was probably tied with Grant as the biggest supporter of our relationship, even when we weren't actually in a relationship yet.

I was still figuring out how I wanted to tell Kayley. She wasn't too fond of Blake. Actually, scratch that. She was okay with Blake, but I knew she'd rather see me with Caleb, a hundred percent.

It had only been a total of two days since Blake and I officially got together, and I still hadn't gotten over it. I would still get a little giddy every time I call him my boyfriend.

"Eat lunch at our table today?" Blake requested. "Angel told me she had stuff to do again."

I nodded. "Yeah, she told me. If I'm hungry, I'll eat with you guys."

"Flower, I know that you know by now that I don't like it when you don't eat," he frowned.

"I ate a lot for breakfast," I bargained.

"So you're telling me you're not hungry? Or at least, won't be hungry later?"

"Maybe?" I guessed. I really wasn't sure. There were times I ate like a bear going into hibernation and times I ate like a three year-old with veggies on her plate. It really depended on my mood.

The frown still hadn't left his face. "What if I pay for your lunch, will you eat it? Like a gift!"

"Sure, Fin. I'll eat it," I agreed.

I knew I was never ever going to win with him over this.

He told me a little bit more about what he witnessed with Brianne's eating disorder a few years back, and he told me he didn't want me to struggle like she did.

I didn't know a lot about it, but I didn't wanna push anything, especially because it wasn't his place to say anything. And it wasn't my place to pry either.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," he grinned. "I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

I nodded, watching as he walked away. He'd brought me to my next class like the sweet boyfriend he was. It was cute.

Lunch rolled around eventually, and I was glad Blake offered to pay for my food because boy was I hungry. I got some pasta they were serving before following Blake to their table.

Clearly, even after I'd sat at their table a few times already, the people there still weren't very used to my presence.

I knew I wasn't the same as Angel or Asher, but I thought they'd at least just not mind me. Instead, they would sneak not-so-subtle glances at me like I was some sort of alien. Not fun.