‹ Prequel: The Pros and Cons of Loving
The Pros and Cons of Growing Up
Part Four
Aiden’s POV
“Why don’t you eat?” Katie asked, coming into the living room. I looked up from my biology book at my cousin.
“I’m not hungry.” I said simply, shrugging. I didn’t see why she was asking me this again. She wasn’t my mother but with how much she’d been asking me, you’d think she was. I’m getting the feeling she knows about when I was hospitalized in high school for anorexia.
“You’ve said that three days in a row now. I made some soup. Now come on and eat some.”
“I’m not hungry.” I repeated, looking back down at my book and trying to ignore the sudden pain in my stomach. It was true, I had said that the last few days. I always put off eating, and I knew it. I knew it and I was flat out denying it any time Katie mentioned it.
“You need to eat something tonight, Aiden.” Katie snapped. “You’re in fucking medical school. You know how important it is to living.”
“I know.” I grabbed my books and stormed upstairs then lay down on my bed feeling light headed. I knew I needed to eat and I would eat. Just not now.
You’re ruining it, a voice in my head said. Everything you worked for… you’re throwing it away.
I fell asleep there on my bed at 8 o’clock. When I woke up the next morning I could barely stand from the pain in my stomach. I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed an orange, peeling it and quickly shoving a piece into my mouth. The remaining orange got sticky juice on my hand and I licked two of my fingers.
God, oranges were so good….
Katie came in, pulling back her hair into a ponytail, and smiled when she saw me. “Great, you’re eating. Want some pancakes?”
“One maybe.” I said, finishing off my orange. I tossed the peels into the trash and washed my hands free of the sticky juice, refraining from licking my fingers in front of her.
“Go finish getting ready and I’ll have it done when you come down.”
I nodded and headed upstairs. My stomach still ached but it was no longer painful to move.
I got my books together, pulled on clean jeans and a black collar shirt, then headed downstairs with m bag.
“It’ll be done in two seconds.”
“Actually I’m running a little late. I gotta go. But thanks anyway, okay?”
“Aiden, your class isn’t for another—.” She began.
“Bye!” I ran out and down to my car before she could finish.
In the back of my head, I knew I was making a huge mistake. That voice was back, taunting me. Messing up my eating habits was the worst thing I could do in a stressful situation away from home… but I couldn’t eat. I just didn’t want to. That was natural, being away from the love of my life. Then there was also the fact that everyone else here was so skinny. I felt huge compared to most of the guys here that are my age. I know I’m not fat… I do… I just want to fit in. My eating would level out soon enough, when I was used to this college stuff. Until then, I just had to eat enough to get me by….
“Why don’t you eat?” Katie asked, coming into the living room. I looked up from my biology book at my cousin.
“I’m not hungry.” I said simply, shrugging. I didn’t see why she was asking me this again. She wasn’t my mother but with how much she’d been asking me, you’d think she was. I’m getting the feeling she knows about when I was hospitalized in high school for anorexia.
“You’ve said that three days in a row now. I made some soup. Now come on and eat some.”
“I’m not hungry.” I repeated, looking back down at my book and trying to ignore the sudden pain in my stomach. It was true, I had said that the last few days. I always put off eating, and I knew it. I knew it and I was flat out denying it any time Katie mentioned it.
“You need to eat something tonight, Aiden.” Katie snapped. “You’re in fucking medical school. You know how important it is to living.”
“I know.” I grabbed my books and stormed upstairs then lay down on my bed feeling light headed. I knew I needed to eat and I would eat. Just not now.
You’re ruining it, a voice in my head said. Everything you worked for… you’re throwing it away.
I fell asleep there on my bed at 8 o’clock. When I woke up the next morning I could barely stand from the pain in my stomach. I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed an orange, peeling it and quickly shoving a piece into my mouth. The remaining orange got sticky juice on my hand and I licked two of my fingers.
God, oranges were so good….
Katie came in, pulling back her hair into a ponytail, and smiled when she saw me. “Great, you’re eating. Want some pancakes?”
“One maybe.” I said, finishing off my orange. I tossed the peels into the trash and washed my hands free of the sticky juice, refraining from licking my fingers in front of her.
“Go finish getting ready and I’ll have it done when you come down.”
I nodded and headed upstairs. My stomach still ached but it was no longer painful to move.
I got my books together, pulled on clean jeans and a black collar shirt, then headed downstairs with m bag.
“It’ll be done in two seconds.”
“Actually I’m running a little late. I gotta go. But thanks anyway, okay?”
“Aiden, your class isn’t for another—.” She began.
“Bye!” I ran out and down to my car before she could finish.
In the back of my head, I knew I was making a huge mistake. That voice was back, taunting me. Messing up my eating habits was the worst thing I could do in a stressful situation away from home… but I couldn’t eat. I just didn’t want to. That was natural, being away from the love of my life. Then there was also the fact that everyone else here was so skinny. I felt huge compared to most of the guys here that are my age. I know I’m not fat… I do… I just want to fit in. My eating would level out soon enough, when I was used to this college stuff. Until then, I just had to eat enough to get me by….