An Orphic Love

TWENTY EIGHT

Author's Note: funny story, I uploaded part III too soon! This is still part II! also, pt.3 has lots of drama. 

TW: mentions of eating disorder, language

...

DARIO

After reading the note a few too many times, I think I have it memorized now, and talking about everything else under the sun, Mercedes and I decide to go back to the hotel, and get comfortable. It's getting dark out, and we're supposed to be there when our friends get back from their pointless gala.

I can't help but watch her as we walk, though. I'm thinking. Either Joey fucked her up so much that she developed an eating disorder, or she already had one, and Joey just made it worse.

Or, it's not an eating disorder, like she said. I mean, what do I know? It's not like I'm living her life. I have no idea what she feels, or what it's like for her to exist. I don't know anything.

But, whatever it is, I don't think it's healthy. She seems fine now, but she started worrying me after we left the Nederlander theater. And then at the restaurant, after I brought up an ED (which I shouldn't have done because again, what do I know?) she was about to cry. Again!

I don't know, it hits. Too close, I mean, Bella had one when she was younger, and it was scary. It didn't get to the point where she was unhealthily thin, or you know, she had those scary, serious symptoms like fuzziness on her arms or anything. She got help. Joy saw it before I did, which I'll always be grateful for.

Still, it was scary. She was so upset, and hurt. This was around the time Nonno died, but apparently, it had lasted before then. I don't think she was ever planning on telling anyone either, which is a lot for her. She tells me everything. And I mean everything. This morning she texted me a paragraph about how pissed off her period tracker is making her.

She didn't tell anyone, but somehow Noah found out. They kept it a secret between the two of them until I caught her puking after Easter dinner- the one I made. Not that it's important. Anyway, that kinda hurt, but I'm not surprised she felt more comfortable with him. Everyone did.

Noah was just that kind of guy. Everyone loved him, and went to him with their shit. But he came to me with his, until he stopped. Obviously, I mean if I had known...

Bella still doesn't eat much. She's gained weight back, and she's in therapy (which no one talks about how expensive it is). She's better, thank God. But I don't want Mercedes to go through the same shit.

Lucky for us (me), we had just made a major breakthrough! A fantastic subject change!

She's listing off all the possible meanings of the letter to me as we walk. I'm still surprised about what that stage manager lady said. Some other group of kids is trying to find this treasure. Who are they? Are they ahead of us? I didn't think that we'd be competing with anyone else for this treasure. Let alone people our age.

"Dario?" Mercedes's voice brings me out of my thoughts.

"Hm?" I can't hear much of anything very well. There's too much noise on the streets, and my hearing aids are picking up both too much and not enough at the same time. Luckily, she's on my right. But does that really make a difference?

"Did you hear anything I just said?" She asks me. I snort.

"Of course I did." Mercedes raises a brow at me. "What? You said something about lost and something about unsolved mysteries.... And stuff." Did I zone out, or just not hear her? I don't remember. What's the last thing I heard?