SKINNY LOVE, PETER PARKER

4 | have your cake and eat it

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CHAPTER FOUR
' have your cake and eat it '
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      Genna had never been a morning person. Ever. The brunette needed her space in the morning, otherwise she was a complete grump. Having known the girl for years, Jacob Norton knew this but still decided that waking her up at four in the morning was a great idea ... she had almost strangled him as he stood over her bed that morning.

      Rubbing her eyes and adjusting to the light Jacob had turned on, Genna slowly sat up, "What do you want, pea brain?"

      Jacob smiled innocently, as if it wasn't ridiculously early in the morning, shoving a small cook book into Genna's lap. Her brows furrowed as she looked at it, immediately groaning and falling back onto her bed as she realized the recipe he had marked. For context summary, Jacob was shit at cooking and baking.

      Genna didn't care who needed a cake made or who's birthday it was, that shit could be made at a reasonable hour. But the boy beside her bed was relentless, a pout graced his features followed by puppy dog eyes — which obviously had no affect on Genna.

Genna may be emotionless but she wasn't a stone cold bitch so eventually she gave in — Jacob though his adorable puppy dog eyes had worked their magic for once.

      The pair stumbled around the clinic, searching for the kitchen in the dark (not wanting to use flashlights in case they were seen.) Patients werent normally allowed in the kitchen, a rule mostly for those similar to Madeline — everyone else didn't even want to touch the kitchen.

Eventually the pair managed to gather their ingredients and such with minimal light and a whole lot of shushing ... on Genna's part.

       Genna watched as Jacob settled into a seat in front of the counter, as if waiting for her to begin the baking but Genna couldn't even see through her tiredness. So she shook her head and guided the boy to the other side of the counter, she would help him make it but she wouldn't be making it herself.

       Jacob rolled his eyes but knew it was better than giving Stella not only an ugly cake but a gross one. Genna watched as the boy awkwardly gathered his ingredients and read the cake mix box, squinting at it and furrowing his brows every so often. She had attempted to read the sappy romance novel Natalia had given her (which was taking her an unbelievably long time to finish) but the poor boy before her couldn't even measure water properly. Not to mention she realized a little too late it was probably triggering.

      Genna reached for the measuring tool in his hands and refilled it to the correct line, dumping the water into the bowl and allowing Jacob to sit down. His head fell into his hands, eyes noticeably averting away from the bowl filled with cake mix.

      Genna knew what was running through his head, it hadn't been the first time someone had taken notice to her ironic liking towards baking, "It's comforting in a way. Allows me to be around food without having to eat it."

      Jacob has known the girl too long to be surprised by her knowledge of his feelings before he'd even voiced them. Her answer didn't surprise him either, the clinic had enabled him to understand everyone else's coping mechanisms. Sure, an eating disorder could be considered a coping mechanism in itself but how do you cope with the disorder? Genna cooked and baked. Madeline smoked. Mickey decorated scissors. Stella put on a happy face and Jacob ... well, Jacob wasn't sure how he coped.

      It was a sort of tragedy in and of itself, Jacob Norton had spent so long helping others cope he hadn't found a way to cope with himself. He could help everyone but himself.

"Did you get her a gift?" Jacob blinked rapidly as he zoned back in on reality, Genna putting all her muscle into stirring the mixture. He didn't bother asking how she knew who the cake was for ... Genna knew everything, even if she pretended like she didn't.

"No, I wasn't sure what she liked. So I asked Franco to make her something." Genna nodded, thoughts trailing off to the brown haired boy who kept to himself. She wasn't the only one who had noticed how close Franco and Stella were, even with their awkward age gap.

      "You don't find it weird how they're always with each other? Maybe that's just me." Jacob shook his head as he stuck his finger into the cake mix and stared at the pink goop on his finger, "Franco lost his younger sister a couple of years ago, I think Stella reminds him of his sister."

      Genna felt guilt swallow her, having been judging their unlikely friendship without realizing the wholesome truth behind it. Franco was all most as closed off as Genna, the news coming at no surprise to the girl as he rarely shared anything with anyone but it did come at a surprise that Jacob knew something she hadn't. But she didn't have time to ask any questions, Madeline sneaking into the kitchen, keys dangling in her hand and eyes darting every which way. The blonde didn't notice the pair behind her until she opened the fridge, Genna and a Jacob both watching as she grabbed a sandwhich from the fridge.

      If it had been about three years earlier and the pair had been younger, they would have told Madeline to put the sandwhich back but they didn't. They had both come to know that you waste energy by trying to help those who don't want to be helped and Madeline Moore did not want help from anyone.

      Silence passed through the room as the blonde grabbed her sandwhich and left, no comment towards their presence in the kitchen nor the cake they were making. Bulimic bitch.

  

      Birthday parties weren't a casual thing at the clinic, they were rare. Mostly because birthday's often included a lot of food and attention, which most kids there absolutely hated. But for some odd reason everyone was willing to make an exception for Stella Walters, the girl everyone adored.

      Franco had used one of his passes to get Stella a gift that he swore she would love, though he wouldn't show anyone else. Jacob and Genna had spent almost an hour and a half decorating her cake to match a picture they had saw in a magazine. Natalia had decorated their small cafeteria with streamers and balloons and anything else she could find. Even Mickey decided to help ... in her own way.

        The young girl had no idea so much effort had gone into perfecting her special day. For some odd reason they were all a bit anxious for her reaction, no one really knew how she would react. But her blue eyes widened as she took in the decorations and cake that was leaning slightly to the left.

        Genna smiled as a few tears slid down the birthday girl's cheek, the young girl hugging each of the kids in the room. The gratefulness could be felt without the endless spew of 'thank you's that poured out of Stella's mouth every second she got.

Genna, being the only one who could touch food without feeling sick to her stomach, was in charge of passing out slices of cake. It was impossible for her not to take notice of how each and every person treated the slice they were given. Genna had never realized how unique everyone's eating habits were until now, as she watched some poke at the cake while some stared at it and others chose not to eat it at all.

Her now curious eyes scanned the small cafeteria watching as different people interacted with their food. Jacob would take noticeable bites as soon as someone glanced his way, grimacing afterwards but seeming happy that the other party was pleased. Natalia hadn't even bothered to grab a slice but Genna knew that she wasn't all that into sweets and sugar. A mop of brown sat beside the birthday girl as she poked her fork into the cake but rarely making it to her mouth, Franco talking but had no sight of cake in front of him. Even Madeline had joined the small party, of course helping herself to heaps of cake and ice cream.

What a shit show this would appear to be from an outside view.