Stolen Kisses, Pretty Lies

~Chapter 21~

My eyes flickered open, immediately blinded by the light. I closed them again and tried to bury back under the covers, seeking out warmth and darkness.

Something prodded me, and I forced my eyes open again, slowly adjusting to the light. I watched a finger tap me on the shoulder again, and I immediately sat up.

Much to my dismay, I was not in bed. I was sitting on the school bench, in my girlfriend's arms. Well, that was much better when I thought about it.

"Mid?" I yawned, struggling to keep my eyes open.

She smiled and brushed hair out of my face. "Morning," she whispered, my heart swelling with pride.

Suddenly I came to, and a bolt of shock darted through me. I jumped to my feet, stumbling slightly before looking around. "Has the bell gone yet? What time is it?"

Midnights shook her head and pulled me back down beside her.

"Hasn't gone... good," I exhaled a sigh of relief.

"We need to talk, Nine."

As much as I loved hearing her voice again, there were probably words I would've preferred she say. Dread made my stomach drop a little.

"What about?"

"You," she lifted a hand to my face.

Butterflies fluttered inside me, despite the situation. It made me feel something so beautiful to know that she felt safe like this around me, but also slightly overwhelmed. That would never stop me, though.

"Me?"

"When was the last time you ate a full meal? Or even consumed any food?"

I looked down. I hated this subject so much.

"A while."

"A while being how long?"

"Five days," I mumbled.

"Five! Why?"

Her expression was painted with shock and concern, and it made me feel even worse.

"I just... haven't."

"Well have you also not noticed how shit you must be feeling?" Midnights looked almost mad, it made me shrink back a little, mostly with shame.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I just can't do it anymore."

"1989, it's a mind game now, you've let yourself slip away and even though you know what's right you won't do it because you're ruled by fear."

I swallowed. "I'm not, I'm just choosing not to because it's what's best for me."

"Starving yourself is not what's best for you."

"I'm not starving myself! I-..." realisation dawned on me and I went silent.

"I love you, 1989. So much. You make me safe, and seen, and- and it hurt me so much to come back here and see you like this because it's obvious."

"I... I love you too."

"Please, I let you look after me. You can't look after me when you can't look after yourself. You're pouring from an empty bucket."

"Maybe I am but it's because I don't know what I'm fucking doing anymore!" it was then that the tears began to fall. "The sight of food makes me sick, and I feel horrible that I can't be there for you and it's terrifying because I feel so out of control," I choked out.

Midnights tugged me into a hug, and I let myself cry. I tried to be grown up. Always in control, trying my hardest in school, being that mature roll model. Both of us did. But in the end, we were just kids.

"We'll get you help, 1989," Midnights murmured, her hand running up and down my back.

"What? I croaked, "I don't need help, I only need you, and- and no one else can know."

"Your dad is coming home soon, isn't he?"

"Y-yeah, tonight," I hiccupped.

"You know he's going to realise something is wrong the second he sees you, right?"

No. No, I hadn't thought about that. For some reason I'd been living along the delusion that people wouldn't see a difference. As I'd seen previously, my body had changed. I had changed. And not for the better.

"You can't run away from this, Nine."

I exhaled shakily, tears still falling. "I... I'm- I'm scared, Mid."

Her grip on me tightened. "I know... I am too."

~~

Then came the dreaded walk. I dragged my heels, though, I was thankful that Midnights had been able to convince her parents to let her walk home, so she could be with me. That was both a blessing and curse. Multiple times I contemplated running away, but, unfortunately, one of us might crash and fall almost immediately. And it wouldn't be her.

With a hand firmly on mine, Midnights practically dragged me forward, talking about something random to distract me. It was kinda working.

"Hey, look."

I looked up. The taller girl beside me was pointing at the small corner shop.

"You know, I met someone pretty cool there once," she mused, looking at me in her peripheral.

I gave a soft smile. "Really?"

"Yeah, I saw her, and I was like, god, she's so stunning. She was standing by the magazines, and I had walked up to her and asked about the location of the soft drinks."

"Did she tell you?"

Midnights nodded. "She did, and then something even crazier happened!"

"What?" I felt my mood rise, getting caught up in her joke and enjoying it. God, I was lucky to know this girl.

"I saw her at school the next day! I was like, secretly nervous because she was so pretty and she was talking to me! Like what? I was like why is this girl talking to my little old emo self. Also, I was trying so hard to be nonchalant because I had no idea why I was suddenly so infatuated by this girl," she explained, making hand movements to describe how she'd been feeling at the time.

"I have a hunch she was feeling pretty similar," I added, now just playing along.

"It took me like a week to realise I liked her. A week, and the many times she'd cared for me when I was having... family problems," her breathing became shaky at that, no doubt thinking about her sister. However, somehow, she managed to brush it aside for the sake of her story. "And then we ended up dating. Which has been the best thing that's ever happened to me," she squeezed my hand.

"Same," I squeezed back.

Midnights stopped walking. "Well, we're here."

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" I stepped closer to her.

She nodded. "You've gotta do this. And you will. You're strong."

I exhaled shakily and nodded, walking up to the house a little. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

"See you tomorrow, Nine."

I lifted a hand in a small wave before turning and opening the front door to my house, bracing myself.

Dumping my bag by the door, I walked into the kitchen, where I saw not one, but... two figures at the table.

My dad perked up when he saw me. "Eighty!"

Then the other person, a woman, turned around, and I froze.

"Mum?"

~~

Plot twist o'clock