Don't

Don't eat that, don't touch it, don't smell it, don...

"Yo, earth to Jess..." I look up from staring into the food on my plate.

"Yeah wassup Austin?" Glancing up and looking into his crystal-like blue eyes, I already know what he's going to say.

"You were doing it again..." His eyes full of sadness as he reaches across the table to grasp my small, skeletal hand. He's been there through it all. All the nights at the hospital, the time I flat lined, the night I couldn't take the weight the scale was saying. He's been there through it all and I've always feared him leaving.

"I know...life just kinda sucks again." He squeezes my hand and looks deep into my forest green eyes.

"Listen Jess, I love you so much okay? I know life's hard but you're incredibly beautiful and so smart and I know you're going to go really fucking far in life. You have to believe me on this. You're going to do so many amazing things and I'm going to be there with you through it all."

I feel a cool tear roll down my cheek as I watch Austin's lips say those kind words of encouragement. His hand moves to wipe the single tear away from my pale skin and continues to push the small blonde hairs out of my eyes and behind my ear.

"You really are stunning." He whispers, almost too low for me to hear.

As I get up to leave, I see him. Zack. And he's walking over to the table that Austin and I are at.

Run

I turn to sprint away and out of the cafeteria, but I'm not fast enough.

"Hey Jess" I turn to see Zack smirking at me. He knows I wanted to run. He knows what he does to me.

I feel Austin at my side in seconds. "Zack." I can hear the anger in Austin's voice. I can feel the tension in his arm muscle as he's standing so close to me. I can feel the air thick with tension as if a fight is about to break out.

"Oh look, if it isn't her little guard dog." Zack speaks with an amused smile playing at his lips.

"Leave her alone Zack." Austin threatens through gritted teeth. He was clenching and unclenching his jaw.

"What're you going to do about it Austin? I was just saying hello." Amusement clings to Zack's features as he taunts Austin. Trying to get him to throw a punch.

"Austin we should just go" I mutter, sliding my hand into his. I immediately feet Austin start to relax but I could still tell he was ready to fight for me.

"Yeah Austin, listen to little miss can't keep the pounds off." As soon as the words left Zack's mouth, Austin's fist was connecting to it.

"Austin stop!" I screech as the two boys went at it.

"You hit like a fucking pussy." Zack sneers as Austin pounded his fists into his face.

Straddling him, Austin grabs Zack's shoulders and repeatedly smashes the back of his head into the ground.

"You know what she's going through!" Austin said, "You know what she's been through, fuck, everyone knows yet you still mock her for her weight!"

I grabbed at Austin, knowing full well if he pushed me away I'd fly across the room.

As soon as my hand made contact with his skin, his right arm flew to my shoulder and pushed me away. I felt myself lose balance and fall to the ground. My head connected with the solid concrete and suddenly the world was black and voices became faint sounds in the distance. Soon I saw nothing and heard nothing and then everything went away.