𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 ᶜᵒⁿʳᵃᵈ ᶠⁱˢʰᵉʳ

09

A/N: this chapter may be disturbing or upsetting for some people. It involves self-harm, and I will put a warning before the scene starts. Please either skim-read or skip it all together if you don't feel comfortable with reading. 

-🌊-

HEIDI

Getting ready with Taylor and Belly was something that showed me girlhood was beautiful.

Even if Belly doesn't completely like me, I can feel that Taylor does. The whole time, she told me what clothes I had that would suit me, and complimented me on my make up and hair. She complemented me on my bracelets, and I didn't freak out like how I did when Belly complemented them a few weeks ago.

I think I'm healing.

As I walk into the party in a dress that hugs my body in all the right ways, standing beside Conrad, I can feel a smile on my face. I had a half my soup. I'm wearing tight clothes in front of people that I don't know. I'm not getting upset over my bracelets. I can feel it getting better.

Conrad's walking beside me, while Jeremiah and Steven walk in front of us. I look up as the two spin to face us. Jeremiah sucks in a breath before speaking. "Alright. Heidi's the DD, and we meet back here at eleven thirty. Twelve at the latest. We all have our phones turned on, and if any of us leave early, we need to tell the others."

"Got it," Steven says.

"Anything else?" Conrad asks.

"If any of us need help with anything, send one of the others a text," Jeremiah says, deepening his voice, before smiling. "And one of you has to be around when I play beer pong. For fun."

"Nice rules, Jere," I tell him, tightening my grip on my phone that's in my hand.

"Thanks, Little H," he beams, before turning around and trotting into the house with Steven beside him.

I smile watching it. As Conrad clears his throat from beside me, I turn around and look up to face him. He looks down at me with an almost stoic expression. "I'm proud of you."

I furrow my eyebrows slightly at his random words. Despite them being out of the blue, they make my heart throb. "For what?"

"I'm just proud." I know he's talking about me eating well at dinner. I won't say it, but I'm proud of myself too.

"Well, I'm proud of you," I reply back.

"For?"

"Nothing. I'm just proud," I answer, using his words against him. Same words, different meanings behind them. He's proud of me for eating, I'm proud of him for being someone I can constantly rely on.

Conrad leans his head back, letting out a chuckle at my words. I like his smile. It's pretty.

"Wanna go in?" I ask him, gesturing to Nicole's house.

"After you."

"Don't walk behind me." I reach beside me, grabbing his hand to pull him beside me. Once he's in step with me, I bring my hand back to my side. "Walk with me."

He falls into perfect step beside me, the side of his torso grazing against mine as we walk beside each other. I can feel his body heat beside me as his hand bumps mine multiple times.