Skinny Love

Chapter 9

He liked me. He liked me. The words had been dancing around my head for the past week and I still hadn't fully processed it yet. He'd come everyday after the one he missed. I didn't really hold him against it though, he had good reason. But god, he liked me?

I couldn't understand why. I was mean to him all the time after being forced to eat and I wasn't really much of a talker. I was younger than him and for gods sake I was hospitalized for anorexia, but he still liked me!

And I liked him? I never like anybody, I mean most of the stupid teenagers in both of my schools were adolescent and annoying but I guess I was part of that generation. By default at best. But Kye. He was different. Like an old soul. He was sweet and sensitive and patient. I didn't know how he did it, the boy could sit through four hours of babies crying in his face without blowing his cool. He was also kind of lusty, which is something I wouldn't usually share with people but between us, he was good. I wasn't exactly a virgin when we first met, but it was the first time I'd done anything like that. So when we'd snuck off to an empty hospital room during my "relaxation period" I wasn't expecting to get as carried away as we actually did. But then when he stopped first and asked if I really wanted to and assured me that he could wait of I didn't, I just couldn't resist him.

At first I was afraid to let him see me because I thought he'd think I was fat. But some of the brainwashing and judgmental looks this hospital had been pushing my way had gotten through to me. So I got even more afraid that my...well my bones would frighten him.

When he did see me he didn't lie. He didn't say I was beautiful and he admitted it was a little scary but after reassuring me that he wasn't afraid of me and I had nothing to be ashamed of he seemed to stare at me with a goofy grin for what seemed like forever. After a while I asked what he was smiling at and his smile grew bigger as he pointed with his eyes.

"Boobs." He said.

We both looked at each other and started laughing immediately. We laughed for a while and you would think that would have messed up the mood but it didn't. We were in sync that day and it was nice. All of it.

Now I was hiding out by the wall at school watching him hand flyers out around the halls. They recommended I go get my own homework from now on so I wouldn't get too in tuned with the hospital but with six pounds already down I didn't understand why I couldn't just go to class. It was enough wasn't it?

Whatever. It gave me an excuse to find Kye and watch him. He'd been handing out flyers for their upcoming pep rally and he was literally surrounded by a posse. He always was though, there was no way I'd approach him here. I doubted he'd approach me either. "Whoops!"

I covered my mouth and hopped back around the corner I'd been peeking over. He almost saw me that time. That was close, even though I wasn't expecting him to acknowledge me here at school I still wasn't sure how I'd react to his rejection. I'd probably cry. Again.

Peeking around the corner I almost shouted in surprise as I jumped back quickly. He was right there leaning casually on the other side of the wall peeking over his shoulder at me. How long had he been there?

"Why are you hiding out here?" He asked me while turning completely. Then he looked down at me with a confused face. Taking in my appearance he shook his head and added. "Wait, why aren't you in the hospital?"

Placing my hands on my hips I glared up at him. "What I don't look fifteen pounds heavier to you?"

"Not a chance," he scuffed.

"Good." I mumbled but he heard me and gave me a disapproving look. I ignored it and continued. "Well they're basically walking me around town like a scared dog. They thought this would be a good stop, but they also thought the ice cream parlor would be a good stop so I'm not a big fan of their judgment."