R&R!
"Hey, Dylan." Claire brushed some hair out of the redhead's face. "I hope you know I cut class for you."
"Sweet little Kuh-laire? Cut class? Never. I don't believe you for a second."
"Call up Massie and ask her then." She smirked. "By the way, were you serious about the wedding?"
"I'm nawt sure." She shrugged, looking upset. "It really depends. I- do you think she'll hate me if I'm nawt there?"
Claire debated between the honest answer and the nice answer. "Probably. But I'm here for you, and so is the rest of the Pretty Commitee. Stawp worrying, Dyl. You can't stress about Alicia's wedding while you're in the hospital for bulimia. You just can't."
"You're right," she sighed. "I know you're right. But what can I do?"
"You can be happy for you," she suggested. "At least there's one advantage: you don't have to run around trying to impress everyone all the time." She laughed.
"Maybe." Dylan allowed herself a snicker. "Alright."
"You got this, princess. Just keep your head up."
She blanched.
"What? What's wrong? Should I call a doctor?"
"No, no, Kuh-laire, it's just... Puh-lease tell me someone kept the press away."
"We told the hospital."
"Good." She visibly relaxed. "Ehmagawd, they'd have a fucking field day. Youngest Daughter of Merri-Lee Marvil Hospitalized for Bulimia! Rehabilitation status pending. Could this possibly be a congenital problem?" She stawped mocking them. "You know, remember when Ryan had anorexia for a little while, and she talked Jaime into trying it too? And then Mom got involved? And, ugh, we don't need another Marvil scandal like that. This wasn't because of my family, or you. Nawt even Alicia."
"Who was it then?" Claire grew still. She even quit fidgeting with the loose thread on the faded pink hospital blanket.
"Mr. Myner," she mumbled.
"What?! The Health teacher? Ehmagawd, did he... I always knew he was a fucking perv."
"Ehmagawd, no!" she shouted, loud enough that a few nurses poked their heads inside, looking alarmed. She waved them away. "He... last year he made us line up outside the classroom and get on scales in front of everyone and I weighed more than every single person in that entire fucking class. Even the boys. Even Bill Timmons, who has all that fucking muscle. I weighed like 20 pounds more." Her head dropped shamefully and her fingers moved toward her throat almost involuntarily. Claire yanked them away and placed her friend's hand back on the bed.
"That's horrible teaching," she sympathized. "I was the skinniest in the entire class. Everyone made fun of me. It was terrible." She knew that was the wrong thing to say as she soon as she heard the words come out of her mouth.
Dylan's sob shattered her heart. "I wish I was the skinniest person in the entire class. Why me, Kuh-laire, why me?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't, and I hate watching you suffer this way. I remember when your smile lit up the world, and your laughter made our fears go away. And now, honestly, Dyl, I don't know who you've become, but I can't wait for you to go back to normal." She checked her watch. "Ehmagawd, I have to get back to school. My dad will kill me if I miss Math. If I flunk one more test, I won't graduate. Bye!" With a wild wave, she disappeared.
"Love you too, Kuh-laire." And, for the first time in ages, she smiled.
For real.
