More Than a Teacher - Ashton Irwin

18

Ashton holds me close to his side in the elevator, leading me through the front door to dump our bags on the kitchen bench. I'm taken straight to Ashton's bathroom, completely ignoring Calum sitting typing away on his laptop on the couch.

He closes the toilet seat for me to sit as he turns the water on, switching it from the shower head to the tap to fill up the bath. He takes some bubble bath, pumping it a few times into the water. He then walks out leaving me confused before reappearing with the body confidence crushers themself.

Scales.

My body immediately slouches as he places the glass scales on the floor, briefly stepping on it to turn it on.

"Have you ever weighed yourself?" He softly asks.

"N-no." I gulp and stare at the mechanism on the floor.

I can tell lies about my weight all I want but this will truly expose how unhealthy I really am.

"Well hop up, it won't hurt." He coos, obviously noticing my nervousness.

Shoving off my shoes, I stand shakily knowing there's no way out and I can't bother to put up a lame fight. He tugs my hands so that I step onto the cold platform, a shiver erupting through me.

What if it's really bad?

I keep my head straight ahead of me, too afraid to face the haunting numbers that will show on the tiny screen

"Um..."  I hear a small mutter leave Ashton's lips making a breath get caught in my lungs.

"What? Is it bad?" My eyes dart to his as I panic internally.

"Oi Cal!" He calls.

"No, no please he doesn't need to know." I plead with fear of people knowing my weight.

"S'ok, just need to ask him something. He's a physical education teacher, he might know more than me." His hand reassuringly rubs over my hoodie clad shoulders.

"Yeah mate?" He yells back and I can hear him trudging through the apartment towards the bathroom.

"What's the average weight range for someone Ava's age and about," He glances me up and down. "five foot four."

"Hmm, it's something like fifty-ish kilos (110lbs) to seventy kilos (154lbs) but it really varies if you're muscular or have a thicker bone structure. I know the tenth grade basketball girls had their height and weight taken yesterday for tracking over the season and no one was less than fifty-five kilos if that helps." He shrugs.

"Fuck Ava."

And with that being mumbled I don't think twice to gaze down and see my weight printed across the tiny screen.

'39kgs' (88lbs).

Eleven whole kilograms under average weight.
I want to collapse to the tiled floor. How could I have done this to myself? How could I have let this go so far? I'm literally death on legs and it's absolutely shameful.

"So you wouldn't consider thirty-nine kilograms healthy?" His voice now lowers as Calum stands at the door behind me.

I don't dare to peer up. I'm so ashamed and disgusted in myself. I'm utterly disappointed.

"No. Not really." Calum exhales as I can feel his eyes rake down my back and skinny weak legs.

Both boys mumble a few incoherent things before
I'm left with just Ash again.

"Maybe I should take you to the docto—"

"No." I snap and step off the scales.

There is no way I'm going to the doctors. I've never been, nor will I ever go. They will only discover the fact I'm being abused and I can't let that happen. That would then lead to the police getting involved and then I'll be put into a foster home.