A Part Of Me

XXVI

RYDER'S POV
It's hard to eat sometimes.

But I force myself to eat for Luke.

I want to get better.

And I know getting better starts with helping myself.

I don't eat portion sizes like everyone else.

I eat really small portions sometimes if it's not salad.

But hey, I'm working on it.

I can't wait until I see a doctor about this and feel normal for once.

I haven't told someone this in a long time.

Barely anyone knows.

But it's so nice to tell Luke everything that I went through and to actually get help from it.

Another reason I can't wait to leave Ohio.

I only have two friends here.

Ashley and Kyle.

Everyone else I ditched me because they only wanted to hang out if they needed advice.

I'd be hurting too but I'd just hide it and put everyone else's needs before mine.

It was hard pretending to be so happy all the damn time.

I'm just glad I finally have someone.

Perfection 💞: I just want to say how thankful I am for you. You treat me like the princess I'm not.

Baby ❤: Are you okay, babe?

Perfection 💞: Not really

Baby ❤: Need to call me?

Perfection 💞: If you're not busy

Baby ❤: I'm never too busy for you. Now dial my number

I put in his number and hear the other line ringing.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He asked.

Like always, my emotions got the best of me and I started crying.

"Baby?" He asked.

"I was just caught up in my thoughts and thought of everything all my ex friends put me through. You're like one of the people I have in my life that wants to help me and wants me to get better." I cried.

"I'm here, babe. I'm here. Don't cry. You're too beautiful to be sad. Of course I want you to get better. You know why? Because unlike all the fakers, I love you. And I want to see the one I love most get better." He said on the other line.

My heart stopped for a second.

Because unlike all the fakers, I love you.

He said he loves me.

"Ryder? You still there?" He asked.

"I love you too." I said.

"That's all I wanted to hear. Now get your ass back home." He said.