Secrets | 5SOS

[7]

It felt like forever since we'd done something fun together, and I was looking forward to a distraction from everything.

As we piled into Calum's car, the atmosphere was lighter than it had been in days. Luke and Michael were arguing over which movie to see, while Ashton was trying to mediate.

"We should see the new action movie," Michael insisted. "It’s got great reviews and amazing special effects."

"Or we could see the comedy," Luke countered. "We all need a good laugh."

"Why don’t we compromise and see the animated film?" Ashton suggested. "It’s got action, humor, and it’s something we can all enjoy."

I laughed from the backseat. "I’m with Ashton. Animated movies are the best."

Calum glanced at me through the rearview mirror and smiled. "Animated film it is then."

When we arrived at the theater, the smell of popcorn and the buzz of excitement from other moviegoers filled the air. We grabbed our tickets, loaded up on snacks, and found our seats in the middle of the theater.

As the lights dimmed and the movie started, I found myself getting lost in the colorful world on the screen. For a little while, I forgot about everything—the bruises, the nightmares, the anxiety. I was just a girl watching a movie with her brothers.

Luke, sitting next to me, kept leaning over to whisper jokes about the characters, making me giggle. Ashton, on my other side, kept sneaking popcorn from my bucket, pretending to be innocent when I caught him. Michael and Calum, sitting a row ahead, were completely engrossed in the film, occasionally turning back to scold us for being too loud.

Halfway through the movie, there was a particularly funny scene that had the entire theater roaring with laughter. I glanced around at my brothers, their faces lit up with smiles, and felt a warm sense of belonging. These moments, simple as they were, reminded me of how much they loved me and how much I loved them.

After the movie ended, we spilled out into the lobby, still laughing and talking about our favorite parts. Michael tried to imitate one of the characters' voices, causing Ashton to snort with laughter. Luke suggested we grab ice cream on the way home, and no one objected.

As we walked to the car, Calum threw an arm around my shoulders. "Did you have a good time, Bella?"

I nodded, a genuine smile on my face. "Yeah, I did. Thanks for this, guys. I really needed it."

Back in the car, the debate over the best ice cream flavors began, with Luke insisting that mint chocolate chip was superior, while Ashton championed cookie dough. By the time we got to the ice cream parlor, we were all in high spirits.

We sat outside on a picnic table, eating our ice cream and joking around. Michael, in his usual enthusiastic manner, tried to balance his cone on his nose, causing us all to burst into laughter when it toppled over and smeared on his face.

For that evening, everything felt normal. There were no heavy conversations, no worries about the past or the future. Just us, enjoying each other's company and having fun.

As the sun set and we headed home, I couldn't help but hear the voices in my head, making me feel guilty for eating.

It's not that i had an eating disorder or anything. It was just that whenever i ate comfortably, my parents words would ring in my brain. They were constantly bullying me about my appearance.

I tried to impress them and become perfect just the way they wanted, i really did. At first, it was applying makeup to hide all my imperfections. Then, it turned to restricting my diet and working out excessively. But none of that seemed to make them happy.

Alas, noone is ever perfect.