Off Ones Rockers II • Lashton

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

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"How did you sleep, Luke?" Alex asked, placing a small bowl of cereal with a little milk in, in front of the blonde who sat still on the edge of the sofa. His therapist had collected him from the canteen before he could even sit down with Ashton, his breakfast already prepared in his hands.

The man spent all evening planning how he was going to get the blonde to eat, researching into articles that would indicate a good way to go about it, and he had a few he wanted to try but didn't know if they would work.

"Good," he answered, picking at loose threads in his jumper, anxiously knawing on his lip. He had fallen fast asleep as soon as he had got back to his room and woke up with his cover over him. He wasn't sure if that was Ashton's doing or if he did it himself, he assumed it was his own doing.

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked, sitting on a sofa opposite the blonde, leaning forward with his arms resting on his legs. He had work to be doing, which he would normally do before he had sessions with patients, but he felt that he needed to spend breakfast with the blonde in order to get him to eat something.

Luke shrugged, he didn't really feel much, he'd accepted that he was going to have to stay here and that he couldn't leave anytime soon and despite the trauma of being forced to try and eat, it wasn't too bad here. The only emotion that ever surged through his body, was fear. Fear of eating and then what that did to his body then resulted in him becoming upset. "I'm fine."

Alex chuckled at the typical response. He took it as a truth, not noticing the boy being particularly upset or uncalm, even though there was food in front of him. "You're not feeling dizzy or anything, no chest pains," he asked. "I have to check because you're still supposed to be monitored," he added, making the boy aware of the circumstances still.

Luke shook his head, he felt dizzy when he stood up this morning, but that was normal and he could control that. He didn't feel like it was necessary to tell the man.

"That's good," Alex smiled, glad that there weren't any difficulties yet. "Are you hungry? You didn't eat at all yesterday," he asked, knowing this was going to be a more difficult question.

Luke looked down at the floor, as he nodded embarrassed. His stomach had been making noises all morning, Ashton kept staring at him. Luke didn't want to eat, but the pain in his stomach was beginning to drive him crazy.

The therapist was shocked by the response, expecting him to disagree. "That doesn't surprise me, Luke, I would be after not eating for an entire day. Are you going to eat anything?" the man asked with a great deal of hope and optimism.

Luke looked at the small bowl of cereal in front of him. He didn't really like milk, it had a funny taste and it always made the cereal soggy. He bit his lip hesitantly. "I don't want to be a nuisance," he admitted, taking a small sip of a glass of water.

"Nuisance?" Alex frowned. "You won't be by eating Luke!" he chuckled.

The fifteen-year-old shook his head slightly. "No, I- um, I don't really like milk, especially on cereal."

Alex nodded understandingly, knowing that not everything the blonde was given he was going to actually like. "Would you like me to get you some that haven't got any milk on?" Alex asked, already standing up, keen to get him something that he may actually eat.

Luke opened his mouth wanting to interject, saying it was fine that he didn't need any but simply nodded as the pain of the emptiness of his stomach continued to haunt him. "Okay," he whispered. Alex nodded victoriously as he began to open the door to leave the room. "Is that the only option of cereal?" Luke asked nervously.