Hattie isn't anorexic... at least she thinks she isn't. That is until Cole comes along and points out the error in her ways. Can Cole save Hattie before her time runs out or will she just become a skinny love lost right before this bad boy's eyes?
A week goes by with no cooking lessons and, thankfully, no drama from Cadie. I spend every lunch in the photography room, avoiding the canteen at all costs. Today is the day where we have to bake our first experimental cake. This ought to be ok as long as I leave the taste tests to Cole. I enter the kitchens and see Cole sitting at out desk but he's not alone. He's with a boy who I recognise from a couple of classes we have together but I don't really know him that well. Now, what is his name again...? Oh, it's Harry Dibley I think. Deciding not to interrupt their conversation, I walk straight past them and he the ingredients from the fridges, half expecting Harry to be gone from my seat when I get back but he isn't. Sceptically, I approach the table and place the bag down gently, careful not to anger Cole within the first five seconds of the lesson by disrupting him. However, this fails. As soon as I approach the desk the boys look up at me. "Hey" Harry says, breaking the awkward silence between us. "Hey" I reply shyly. "So what are you making then Cole? Or did Hattie do all of the planning for you?" I was about to answer for Cole, not expecting him to know the answer but surprisingly he says "We're making red velvet cake with a cream cheese frosting. What about you Harry? Do you actually know what your making or did your partner plan everything for you?" emphasising the word partner. Why, who was Harry's partner? Answering my question, he glances over to what I assume is his desk with a very eager looking nerd called Tara. In a way I feel sorry for her. At least I don't try to get with people I know I have no chance with. Before Harry can answer Mrs Smith walks in and shouts "Class, you have the next hour and a half to prepare your first experimental cake for your final. Get going." All three of us roll our eyes but Harry walks over to his desk, knowing better than to disobey Mrs Smith.
An hour later and me and Cole have almost completed our cake, barely speaking at all other than communicating who was doing what task. We both sit down rather awkwardly, waiting for the cake to finish baking. I decide to try and stop the awkwardness by speaking first. "Thanks again for helping me on the run the other day. I don't know what happened, it was like my legs just didn't want to work." I joke. "Its fine, maybe don't push yourself so much trying to show off next time and it won't happen again." "I wasn't showing off. I just wanted to hurry out of the park. Why would I be showing off?" I blurt out too quickly to be believable. "I don't know. Figure that out yourself but don't try and deny it. You saw me and obviously wanted to prove something. I just don't know what it was... yet." Ok, this is weird. He has literally spoken to me twice and he already knows me better than anyone in this school. Thankfully, before I can reply, the timer goes off. Saved by the bell, literally. I run to the oven and grab the oven gloves so I can remove the cake but as I get up I suddenly go dizzy and almost fall. Before I hit the ground I feel a familiar pair of arms steady me and push me back into my chair. Cole gets up and goes to the oven, achieving the task that apparently I was so incapable of. I'm pathetic. I glance around seeing whether anyone else saw my little catastrophe and luckily nobody did. Cole sits back down and eyes me cautiously, worry clear in his eyes. "Are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know whay happened. I all of a sudden just felt really faint." He then asked a question that nobody has ever asked me. "When was the last time you ate? I didn't see you in the canteen." I can feel my face warm up and the colour rise from chest up to my face. "Ummmm... I ate at lunch" I lie. "Ok, I don't know what's wrong with you then just stay sitting down for a while." He states, clearly not believing the obvious lie I told.
For the rest of the lesson, Cole did the washing up whilst I iced the cake from my seat. I can't risk getting found out. The bell rings, signalling the end of the day. Deciding against waiting until everyone is gone so I can be tormented by Cadie and Harper. I rush out to grab my bags and make a run for it. I can't deal with the drama today. Unfortunately, as soon as I reach the gates I hear heels clicking behind me. Cadie runs up to me and slings an arm around my shoulder. "Hey Hattie. How are you? Must say you look great today. That top is very slimming on you." She says as she pushes me to the ground. Seriously? How many times can I be knocked to the ground in a week? She bends down in my face and shouts "I don't know why you even bother living any more. I mean, if I looked like you I would kill myself. Nobody will ever love you." I start slowly backing away, still on the solid concrete but Caide only follows. Now Harper approaches and pushes me back again so now I am laying flat on the ground. I can feel my bones scraping across every single bit of gravel on the pavement as Harper and Cadie tower over me. Cadie reaches out and slaps me across the face. Tears threaten to sting my eyes and I brace myself for the second hit Harper is about to deliver but before her hand can mark contact with my face she is pulled away from me. My eyes are so filled with water that I can't see who it is, only a silhouette. But even from that I realise who it is. Cole. Why is he helping me? He reaches down to me and helps me up, guiding me to his car. He soon jumps in and speeds off. Why is he helping me?
