Elias watched as Marquita walked out of the living room. Her long, medium brown hair with the highlights reached the middle of her back. He loved her hair, and dreamed about running his fingers through it one day.
"She's puking again," Sasha said.
Elias turned his head to look at the women who had decided to start a conversation about Marquita behind her back.
"I think she's pregnant," Bayley said.
"That makes sense. She doesn't drink either," Charlotte said.
Elias moved his eyes to the glass Marquita had been drinking from. It was true she had been drinking water all evening despite it being a party. He hadn't thought deeper about it until this moment.
"If she's pregnant, who's the father?" Zelina asked.
"Some one night stand probably, or some hillbilly cousin of hers," Sasha said.
"That's uncalled for," Elias said.
Sasha looked over at him and shrugged.
"Whatever," Sasha said. "It's just a joke."
"No one's laughing," Elias said.
"Get out of my face, Elias!" Sasha raised her voice.
"No one invited you to join this conversation anyway," Bayley said.
Knowing Sasha and Bayley turned into a couple of mean girls running a high school when they got like this, he decided to let it go. Instead he got up without another word and left the living room. He was done with this party and just wanted to go home, but he needed to check up on Marquita first. He walked to the bathroom just in time to hear the toilet flush. She unlocked the door shortly after. She was chewing on a piece of gum to get the smell and taste of vomit out of her mouth. Her warm, chocolate brown eyes seemed somewhat scared about having been caught.
"Are you pregnant?" He asked.
"That's one thing I'll never be able to answer yes to," she pointed downwards. "No ovaries. I had cancer as a teenager so they had to remove them."
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Don't be. I'm okay with it. I never wanted children anyway," she said.
"I..." He sighed. "You're trying to turn this conversation away from where I was going."
She looked nervous and he knew he was right. She didn't want him to catch on.
"Why are you throwing up?" He asked.
"Did you hear me?" She asked.
"No, but everyone's talking about you being pregnant. Apparently you haven't been hiding it well enough in the locker room," he said.
"It's none of your business," she said.
She walked past him and he followed behind. She grabbed her jacket and walked outside. He grabbed his jacket too and followed after her.
"Leave me alone!" She growled.
"I can't. I worry about you. Are you sick?" He asked.
"I got bulimia!" She yelled.
Both of their eyes widened. Clearly she hadn't meant to throw it in his face like that. She sighed and almost looked relieved. Clearly she had been keeping this secret from everyone, and somewhere it felt good to tell someone.
"Why?" He asked.
"I wanna lose weight. My breasts are too big," she said.
"So get a breast reduction," he said.
"My thighs are too big too," she said.
"Who's been telling you these crappy lies to make you feel this way?" He asked.
"No one. I see people like Sasha and Carmella. They're so tiny and they got good men in their lives," she said.
"You wanna lose weight for a man?" He asked.
She shrugged in return. He couldn't believe that some man had gotten into her head that she needed to lose weight in order to be with him.
"If a man tells you to lose weight to a point where you're hurting yourself, he's not worth it," he said.
"He doesn't even know I exist," she said. "Let it go, Elias."
"I refuse," he said.
"Leave me the fuck alone!" She yelled.
She bolted down the street. He was stunned for a moment, then took out his phone and started googling. He stood outside for 15 minutes, screenshotting everything he needed before walking towards Marquita's home. She had told him her darkest secret, and there was no way he was letting her continue without at least trying to help her first. The light was on in her house, and he started knocking on the door until she finally opened.
"Elias, please," she sighed. "Not tonight."
"Yes, tonight," he said.
He walked into her home without an invite. She closed the door and turned to look at him. He held up his phone and started showing her picture after picture of people being sick from years with bulimia.
"Why are you showing me these?" She asked.
"Because that's where you're heading," he answered. "Look at her. She died a week after this picture was taken. Do you honestly wanna look like that and fucking die from this?"
She looked down embarrassed and shook her head no.
"Look at me, Marquita," he said.
She looked up again and met his concerned eyes. He tried smiling at her despite it all.
"Why are you doing this for a man? You look amazing. You have great thighs, by the way," he said.
She blushed and managed to put on a little smile.
"So who is the asshole? He's a fool if he doesn't want you the way you are," he said.
"We work with him," she said.
"Okay, who do we work with who would ever make a woman hurt herself? Is it Brock?" He asked.
"Fuck, no!" She laughed. "He doesn't know I feel anything for him. I never told you... Him. I never told him anything. He doesn't feel the same way so there's no point in telling him," she said.
"If you don't plan on telling him, why go to these extreme lenghts?" He paused. "Wait, did you just say it's me?"
"No," she said.
"I could have sworn I heard you say it was me," he said.
She walked past him, clearly not interested in continuing the conversation.
"I love you," he said.
She froze on the spot with her back turned against him.
"I love you," he repeated.
"Don't say that just to make me feel better about myself," she said.
"I'm not lying. I only went to the stupid party tonight because I knew you would be there," he said.
He walked up to her and placed himself in front of her. He leaned down and kissed her, hoping she could feel every emotion inside him come through in that kiss. He broke the kiss and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth in an attempt to get the remains of the lingering taste of her.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered.
"Don't be," he said.
"I'm so stupid," she said.
"No, you're not stupid. You are confused and lost, but you aren't stupid," he said.
"I don't know what to do," she said.
"Get better. Get some help," he said.
"How? Where?" She asked.
"I got you, boo," he grinned.
He showed her a website on his phone for a treatment center.
"You sign up for two months. It looks really lovely. You get a personal therapist to work with. A lot of doctors who know about eating disorders. Some of them even went through it themselves as younger. Once you're through the program, you still get to call and visit them for checkups and such. And you won't be isolated. You're allowed to call whoever you want at any time of the day, and your loved ones can visit on Sundays. I promise I'll be there every fucking Sunday," he said.
"You will?" She asked.
"I will," he smiled. "And when you're through the program, I will pick you up and cook whatever you want on your first night home. And if you want me to, I'll spend the night. Our first night together. Is it worth going away for two months and getting better if the prize is a night with me?"
"Only one night?" She asked cockily.
"First night," he smirked. "There'll be plenty more."
He leaned down for another kiss.
"What do you say?" He asked.
"I'll do it," she answered. "Fuck, how do I handle it with work?"
"Call Stephanie tomorrow morning and be 100% honest. She'll understand and grant you the time off. Whether or not you'll come clean to your fans is up to you. Just know there will be rumors floating around once you seem to be gone," he said.
"I'll deal with that after I'm through the program," she said.
"Do you want me to stay the night? No funny business. I'll sleep on the couch, or hold you all night. Whatever you feel most comfortable with," he said.
"Yes," she said.
She wrapped her arms around his midsection for a much needed hug. He held her in his arms, knowing this was only the first step, and it would be a tough road for her to travel. At least she wouldn't have to travel it alone. He would be there with her every step of the way.
"I love you," he said. "I've loved you for so long."
"I love you too," she tilted her head to look up at him. "Thank you for seeing me tonight and knocking some sense into my head. I've known for a long time I was on the wrong path but it's hard to get off it on my own."
He placed a hand on her cheek and smiled at her.
"You're not alone anymore," he said. "Whatever you need, whenever you need it, I'll be right here."
"Like a firefly guiding me out of a black forest," she leaned her cheek against his chest. "Following the sound of your heartbeat."
"You've been watching too many fantasy movies," he chuckled. "I can't wait for you to force me to watch them with you."