Hollow | BxBxBxB

-12- Weigh Day

That morning Connor was awoken earlier than normal by a knock on his door. He sat up in a slight daze blinking the sleep out of his eyes. "Come in" he called out hoarsely.

The door then slid open and Doctor Mercury's kind face emerged from the dark hallway.

"Morning Connor, sorry to wake you early, could you pop down to my office with me for a chat?" Doctor Mercury asked formally.

Connor nodded timidly his heartbeat increasing, had he done something wrong? Was he going to be punished?

He slowly stood up following the old doctor down the stairs and through a side door into a small little office. Inside the decor was simple. A family photo rested steadily on the oak desk and a laptop lay beside it whirring noisily.

"Take a seat Connor" Doctor Mercury instructed sitting in his own chair, Connor sat opposite him the butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he tried to control his breathing by counting backwards.

Noticing Connor's anxious face the doctor smiled emphatically. "You're not in trouble Connor, I just needed to catch up with you then do a couple things, that okay?"

"Y-yeah" Connor replied shyly.

"How's your first week been then? Settling in okay?" Doctor Mercury questioned.

"I guess yeah, I don't know" Connor answered scratching his head awkwardly.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" The doctor offered kindly.

Connor paused for a moment, he hated when people asked him what they could do to help. Especially doctors. That was their job to figure out, not his. He had no idea.

"Don't know, s-sorry" Connor replied timidly.

"That's another dollar for me" Doctor Mercury chuckled referencing the claim he'd made earlier. Connor flashed him a small smile for this.

"Okay, now for why you're here" Doctor Mercury stated finally getting to the point, Connor felt the pit in his stomach growing as he waited for the old doctor to continue. "Due to you having anorexia, to ensure you're physically safe I'll be weighing you once a week, potentially more than once if I'm concerned. How does that feel?"

"Okay" Connor answered perking up. This was great news, he'd finally be able to see what weight he was and if he was still on track to get to 30kg.

"What are you thinking?" Doctor Mercury inquired looking intrigued as to why Connor had suddenly become a bit brighter.

"Just relieved I can finally see what weight I am again" Connor answered truthfully.

Doctor Mercury sighed standing up. "For your own benefit you won't actually be seeing the number Connor" he told him firmly.

"What?" Connor spat out.

"If you see the number I might as well be giving you scales full time. It won't do you any good" Doctor Mercury explained professionally.

"I'm not letting you weigh me then, you can only weigh me if I get to see the number" Connor countered feeling his breathing quicken. He wasn't use to being the one who gave out the ultimatums. Usually he'd be on the receiving end.

"Connor, seeing the number will only harm your recovery. I know in the short term you want to see it, but think about your long term goals. It'll be better if you don't see it" Doctor Mercury explained patiently as he picked up the scales from inside a big bag.

"No" Connor responded stonily, he could feel tears pricking at his eyes as his anxiety heightened. He was a people pleaser by trade, saying no was a foreign concept to him.

"Connor..." Doctor Mercury started but Connor shook his head stubbornly as the first tear began to trail it's way down his cheek.

Sighing sympathetically the doctor sat back down leaning across the small desk to Connor. "You need to let me do this, and not look at the number. I know how hard it is, but right now, if you don't let me do it. It will mean I won't know you're safe, and will have reason to move you to a general hospital" Doctor Mercury told him lacing a subtle threat within his lenient words.

Connors sapphire blue eyes widened at this, going back to general was his worst nightmare. That was why he was at Golden Eagle, to avoid general.

"I- I- okay" Connor answered giving in. The doctor nodded in appreciation setting the scales down on the floor. Connor slowly stood up stepping onto them backwards as Doctor Mercury had instructed him.

Despite his promise he attempted to swivel his head around to spy the number forming on the scales, however the doctors gentle hand was in the way as he observed it.

"Thank you, Connor" Doctor Mercury said switching the scales off then grabbing a piece of paper hurriedly jotting Connors weight on it. Connor attempted to lean over the tall doctors shoulders to peep at the number but the doctor was quicker in pocketing the paper.

"Okay, let's go to breakfast now. Liam will be in there with us today" Doctor Mercury said leading the way out of the office, Connor followed him nodding at this new information. Liam being in there along with the doctor and Riccardo was nerve-wracking to say the least.

"Morning" Riccardo broadcasted giving Connor a small wave, Connor smiled back glancing nervously at Liam who was sat across from Riccardo. Liam just nodded curtly at him before turning back to his toast. Connor took his seat staring blankly at the bowl of cereal in front of him.

"Alex has no one to annoy now" Riccardo commented giggling sweetly. Connor smiled back at him appreciating the humour, though he did feel kind of bad Alex was by himself now because of him.

Connor slowly shovelled mouthfuls of cereal into his mouth allowing himself time between each one, breakfast had become the easiest meal for him but he knew once he was upped to regular portions it would become torturous again.

"I feel like whoever runs the radio forgets people are actually listening sometimes" Riccardo stated after a particularly rubbish song had finished.

"Seems like it" Doctor Mercury replied taking a bite from his toast.

"I- I wonder how they pick what songs to play?" Connor wondered.

Liam then poked his head up. "My uncle worked at a radio station, a team of djs normally line up the songs, then the host plays them" Liam explained quietly.

"And the host takes all the credit" Riccardo finished.

"That's not fair" Connor answered, he then looked down at his cereal and his eyes widened, it was nearly all gone, only a few straggling pieces remained in the sea of milk. Putting his spoon down Connor glanced nervously at Doctor Mercury, the kind doctor gave him a thumbs up and a warm smile trying to reassure him he'd done well.

Connor didn't feel like he'd done the right thing though, he felt awful for it. Suddenly he felt something soft rubbing against his arm. He turned around seeing Riccardo patting his arm gently, the warm thing had been Riccardo's fluffy sweater sleeve grazing against Connor's bare skin. Flashing Riccardo a small, grateful smile. All Connor could do now was stare down at the table in a shameful silence contemplating what he'd done.