Ashley

It was a few days later sun. sept. 14th. Lia and I were sitting outside that day smoking. The weed helped the pain of her sprained ankle. We were sitting on the green cushioned porch swing.

"So how old are you?" I asked as she lit up.

I looked at her.

"18," she said once she had.

"Oh. I thought you were 16."

"Yeah everyone does. How old are you?"

"18."

"Oh wow same as me."

"Where ya from?"

"Northeast."

"Yeah me too. But where?"

"oh. Um. Mass."

"Oh. I'm from the city. Well new Orleans actually but then moved to the city w/ my dad who. I haven't seen in like 2 yrs. And I. don't want to. We don't get on well or at all actually," I said.

"Yeah I figured."

"um," I began not looking at her.

"Yeah?"

"You have anywhere to stay?"

"Well your house for now. Er I mean. the house ..your alexa's."

"No I get it."

"untill my ankle gets better. The weed is helping btw."

"Yeah I'm no stranger to twisted ankles myself. I've twisted mine like. 4x in the past. Yr, or so."

"Oh wow."

"it comes w/ the territory."

"That it does. That it does," she said.

We both knew the other meant eating disorders.

"But after that. No no I. don't."

"oh."

The day got quiet. No one talked for awhile.

"You know it's been a yr. since."

Since?

"My best friend died," she told me answering my unanswered question.

Oh.

"She died from. Her eating disorder. We'd been friends for 10 yrs. Not anorexia the other one. You're the 1st person here I've told that too. Idinno there's just something about you."

"Oh. Wow. I lost my mom when I was 4. That's why I stopped playing piano. Actually."

"So you get it."

"yeah. I do."

"That's why I left and came here. Actually."

"Yeah you should meet my brother he's the same way and puck have you met puck?" I asked.

"Yes I have. I mean I haven't. Like spent any time w/ him but yeah I've met him."

"You'd like my cousin Annabelle she's just lovely."

It got quiet again.