The Dragon

Crazy

20 years old

Lindsey hasn't been acting like herself lately. Maybe it was college? She always said online college wasn't all that great... No, that's not it. Is she anxious about something? Is it me? What is it?!
It was driving me nuts. We had decided that even though we had at least some feelings for each other, we were not actually together...yet. We did plan on it though. But lately we've just been working on getting me to a place where I feel comfortable in a relationship. I spoke to my therapist about it as well, so she's also trying to help. It's a work in progress.
But at the moment, all I can worry about is her. She...doesn't eat much anymore. She's become thin, so when I hug her, I can feel her bones poking into my arms and chest.
I know what's wrong...
I just don't know what to do about it...

~~~

"Mark? Honey? What's up? And don't say nothing..."

"Mom...I'm worried about Lindsey. She doesn't eat much, she exercises a lot more, she's gotten so thin...I think she might...have a problem."

I tried to choke back tears as I finally admitted it.

"Yeah, I've noticed it too. We'll try to get her help, okay hun? We're going to your doctor later this week, so I'll bring her and point it out. He'll know what to do. Okay?"

I nodded, still deeply saddened that my friend was...suffering like this.

"She'll be okay. We'll make sure of it."

~~~

2 months later

I couldn't stop crying as I was sitting next to the hospital bed, my face covered by my arms as my head lied next to her on the bed. All of the machines and...feeding tubes scared me. My mom was sitting beside me as she rubbed my back, telling me to breathe. But how could I breathe when my best friend had just had a heart attack and was in the hospital? They did confirm my suspicions though, as the sheet on the table next to her would tell you.

Lindsey Stirling
Diagnosis: Anorexia Nervosa

It broke my heart. And again, I had been a crap friend! She was suffering this whole time! And all I could think about was my problems! I'm such an idiot! My mom kept trying to tell me that wasn't true earlier, right before she had to give me the shit ton of pills since I was "losing it" again. But I couldn't believe her...
Just then, a doctor came in to check on her. When he did, I looked up at him to see what he was doing. He was just poking at the machines. When he saw me, he gave me a sympathetic smile.

"She's going to be alright. It's just going to take time. And I know it's stressful for you, all things considering, but just have faith."

I just looked down and nodded before putting my head back down and slowly drifting off to sleep.

~~~

I opened the door to the room to see her sitting on the bed with her doctor next to her, trying to get her to finish her plate.

"C'mon, Lindsey, you're so close..."

She was very close, so I could see why the doctor was so frustrated. When they turned and saw me, the both smiled at me brightly as the doctor got up and came over to me.