The Bikini Syndrome | WATTYS2019

» eight: won't you at least drink something?

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let's support healthy eating and a cute couple! c:

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"Holly? Aren't you going to eat?" Oliver waved his head toward my direction and the noticeable lack of food in front of her. She usually brought food from home, or chowed down on the numerous snacks in the store that she was generously allowed to help herself to for lunch, but she'd made up her mind to start eating less since last night.

She never wanted to feel that way again, like she was bigger and fatter and that she couldn't fit into her pants again. She never wanted to be afraid to look down in the shower because there just a little bit more stomach today. She never wanted to have purge again, most of all.

Holly wasn't an idiot - she knew how bad it could be for her body and how it could lead to serious medical conditions, bulimia being the one that would start her down a life of disease.

"I'm not hungry today," she replied with a smile. And she really wasn't, to her surprise. If this was how easy it was to eat less, she would've have started a long time ago.

"Oh, okay." Oliver frowned, but it was quickly replaced with a gentle smile. "I'll mix you up a drink then. There were some days where my mom didn't feel like eating either, or she just didn't have the time for it. But it was always really easy for her to pop something in the blender and take it with her."

"Oh, that's okay," Holly replied, waving her hands in front of her in a frantic no.

"It's made of fruits and low-calorie," he coaxed with a brilliant smile, as if he knew her inner dilemma.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble then," she said, finally conceded. She was a little curious to see what he had for her. And a drink sounded totally healthy and it was low-calorie after all.

He popped into the back room, a few whirring sounds later, he came back out with a glass of pinkish-red liquid. He grabbed a straw from somewhere and presented it to me with a flourish and a grin. "Here you go, mademoiselle."

"What is it?"

"Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and some pomegranate juice. There's whey protein in there too, to give an energy boost. Only 200 calories," he finished.

Holly didn't hesitate before taking a sip this time - she just jammed the straw in her mouth and make a small sound as cold fruity flavors filled her mouth. She wish she could have been delicate. But it was just so good, and she was suddenly hungry. The granola bar she'd grabbed and eaten on the highway this morning seemed to be so long ago.

"That. Was. Good," she proclaimed, setting the empty cup down a moment later, eyes downcast. It was a little embarrassing, the way she'd just slurped everything down.

"I'm glad you think so." His eyes lit up as he said so. "Do you want another one?"

"Um, no, t-that's okay," she said blushing.

"It's on the house," he said with a grin, to let her know he was teasing.

"Well, okay."

"And you can grab yourself a granola bar too. It'll actually resemble a meal that way."

"Hey, are you actually teaching me how to eat?" she said, standing up. But there was a wide grin on her face too.

"Beats not eating." His voice was serious now, but there was a still a friendly glint in his eyes.

Holly shrugged and looked away. "I wasn't not eating. I just-"

"Wasn't hungry."

"You just interrupted me." Her eyes whipped back to his face in amazement. Perfect, polite, friendly Oliver had actually interrupted her mid-sentence.

A face-splitting grin erupted on his face. "I know."

They stood, grinning at each other, and if it hadn't been a bell ringing somewhere in the distance to let them know that a customer had entered the cafe, they would have kept on doing it.

"I'll go whip up that drink," Oliver said first, breaking out of their reverie.

"Right, and I'll go take care of that customer."

They hurried off to their respective spots.