Chapter 17

"I have to prove others that they're wrong." Kayla weakly replied to Parker. "By hurting yourself? That just gives them more power over you." "Then what shall I do? Crumple into a small space?" "You're already doing that. Why are you doing that?" "I lived my whole life being insufficient. They never complimented my success instead they would just criticize me for not being enough." "Who made you feel that way?" "If it came from a stranger's mouth then it wouldn't have stung that much but it would always come from my loved ones." Kayla involuntarily let out a tear. "In some sort of way they're strangers too. They're strangers because they are not aware of your feelings so don't focus on them." "I don't know. I just want to disappear but others constantly tell me that I have a better life compared to some unlucky ones." "They're wrong for doing that." "Doing what?" "Setting standards for pain. Just because your suffering doesn't reach their standards doesn't mean that you're not in pain. Everybody has different story to tell but because of people like them, they're afraid to tell it." Kayla was sobbing at this point so Parker held her hand even more tightly and patted it.

When Kayla was able to sit up Cosmos bought her some fruits to eat. Kayla was afraid to eat it at first but Cosmos was persistent so she ended up eating it. Right after having two bites of it Kayla started feeling nauseous and wanted to puke it out so Parker helped her to the bathroom and held her hair while she puked everything out. "See what they've done to you. You're in even more pain but I don't blame you for that. It's okay. Let all the poison that they have filled in you out." When Kayla was done Parker carried her back to bed. "Eat it." Parker told Kayla while pointing his chin to the plate of fruit. Kayla did it and even though she felt like puking it out, she ate all of it. "You did it. Congratulations." Parker said with a satisfied smile. "I think I should go back home." "In this condition?" Cosmos worriedly asked her. "Well they will look for me." "Don't bother about that. We already texted from your phone that you're going to sleep over at a friend's house." Parker said while giving her a glass of juice. "My uncle agreed and you also went through my phone?" "Yes for both of them.Well you didn't have a password so I texted it from your behalf." Kayla nodded and then went back to sleeping.

The next morning Kayla was up early and she still felt weak but she woke up and was about to enter the kitchen when she saw that Parker and Cosmos were already up and cooking in the kitchen. "You're up?" Cosmos sweetly began. "Yeah but why are guys up so early?" "So you do realize that waking up at 4 in the morning is weird." "Shut up." "Aye aye miss." Kayla gently punched him and then went to check on Parker. "What are you cooking?" "Just some pancakes." Parker said while still facing the other way. "Do you feel fine?" "Yeah." "I told you to stop doing that." "You should also stop asking questions like that if you already know what my response is going to be." "I can't fight you so go and sit on the table. I like you." "Seriously. Stop that." "I like you. I like you. I like you. I like you." "Okay okay I'll leave." Kayla was sitting on the table while facing Cosmos when she remembered that she didn't brush her teeth. "Cosmos?" "Yeah?" "Do you have an extra toothbrush?" "Yeah. I already placed it in the toilet. It is green in color." "Oh okay. Thanks." "No problem." Kayla quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face and then started looking for Cosmos again. "Mos!" "Yeah?" He yelled back from the kitchen. "Do you have a sunscreen?" "Yeah. It's on the bedside table!" "Okay!" Kayla applied the sunscreen and then headed towards the dinning table where everything was already set. "Kayla take a seat and try this. Parker made it really delicious." Kayla was hesitant about it but when she looked at Parker's reassuring smile, she sat down and then slowly started eating it. After the fifth bite Kayla was feeling really nauseous so she stopped at that. "Well done! I'm so proud of you!" Parker happily said while giving her a big hug which made Kayla feel awkward. "You know something?" Cosmos suddenly began. "What?" Parker replied. "Kayla's personality changed alot during the break but there was always one thing that never changed about her." "And what's that?" "She never returns our hug." Kayla just smiled at her friend's idiocy while Parker agreed with him.

After the breakfast, they chatted for a while and then left for school. At school, Kayla felt like someone was constantly staring at her and at one point when she turned to look, she saw that it was Ben and his friends. They were muttering something among themselves and Kayla felt really weird but just then Parker approached her. "Don't worry about them. They're just being annoying." "I know." "I love you." "Hey that's an upgrade but it's still annoying." "Ouch! I've been injured by the spear of rejection." Kayla laughed at him. "Now that's what I was looking for. Stay same." "You idiot." "Sometimes I miss the silent you. She would have never said mean stuffs like that to me." "Do you also think that I've changed way too much?" "Yeah." "Is it bad?" "I don't think I've the right to say anything." "Why?" "Well you changed yourself for your own benefit so me being your friend, I'll support your decisions." Kayla smiled at him as a response and so did he.

The three of them were on their way back to home when Parker stopped Kayla and extended his hand towards her. "Ohmigosh! K, Parker's proposing to you." Cosmos said in a girlish tone. "Stop that Mos. You're scaring me." Kayla said while pushing him away. "And why are you suddenly asking for my hand?" "I'm not." "Then?" "I'm asking for the pack of cigarettes that you're carrying." "Why?" "Just give it to me." "You know this isn't going to change a single thing. I already have tons of them at home." "I know but you don't know that I already took all of them." "Woah. You're creeping me out." "Give it to me. I want to make sure that you don't have to rely on these things to make you happy."