Pretty When You Cry ୨୧ Rafe Cameron

forty

Living at The Chateau was pathetic in comparison to living at Rafe's. She didn't get to sleep in his bed, or do other things in his bed that they've done over these past months... She had grown to love Belgian waffles over Eggos and hot showers over cold ones. She should probably use some of that money Rafe gave her (which she still hasn't touched) on hot water...

She'd puked every day this week. She felt pathetic. Was it some sort of stress response? Was she coming down with something? Whatever it was, it was annoying as hell.

Isla had slept over at Kiara's last night, like old times. She'd forgotten how much she adored her best friend. They always had fun together. Kiara felt like sunshine. She was so bright and brilliant. She was about to take Isla out for brunch, her treat. Isla wanted to borrow some jeans for the occasion. She had this favourite pair of Kiara's jeans that fit her perfectly, Levi's.

"Hey, can I borrow your light wash Levi's?" she asked, already digging through her best friends closet.

"Yeah, of course," Kiara said as looked up from painting her toe nails a light shade of pink. She shook her head at Isla, laughing. "You can have those jeans you know, they fit you a lot better than me."

Isla was excited by the prospect. "Really? Thanks." She pulled the jeans off the hanger and stipped out of her pyjama shorts into her underwear. She got the jeans over her thighs, but it wouldn't zip. The buttons wouldn't close around her stomach.

"Am I getting fat?" she asked Kiara, slumping her shoulders and fiddling with the zipper.

"What? No, Iz, you're nowhere near fat. You're gorgeous as always."

"I'm not as toned as I was though am I?" Isla frowned. She'd always been meticulous about the way her body looked. She was never too skinny, never too fat. Perfectly athletically built.

"Well— just here, let me try the zipper," Kiara came over and gave it a try, but the damn thing wouldn't budge. "Ok, what the hell?"

"See? I'm so bloated," Isla huffed.

"How would you be bloated, Isla? You told me all you had yesterday was an açai bowl and two bowls of cereal."

"Maybe the sugar got me, I don't know."

Kiara walked around Isla, looking at her from all angles. Isla was a bit weirded out. "What are you doing?"

"Your stomach just looks odd. Bloated, like you said. Kinda round. Like you're pregnant," Kiara joked.

"Ha. Funny. I'd kill myself," Isla said.

"Have you and your boy toy been careful?" Kiara joked.

"Yes Kiara. If you must know, when me and my boyfriend have sex we use a condom. K?" Isla laughed, not too uncomfortable with talking to her friend about this.

"Just a condom?" Kiara continued. "Risky business, Isla. Those fail all the time. Have you had your period?"

"I haven't had my period since we almost starved to death on that island."

"Right. Well, good luck to you, baby mama."

"Don't even put that idea in my head, Kie. You think you're so funny."

"I am so funny."

"Hilarious."

————

Isla went to Rafe's after supper. She missed seeing him all day every day, but any time spent with this boy was valuable time. They sat on the couch watching a movie, Isla's favourite, Perks Of Being A Wallflower.