WARNING: THIS CHAPTER TALKS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS & BODY WEIGHT! LOOK FOR THE *! AFTER THAT SYMBOL IT STARTS TALKING ABOUT WEIGHT & EATING DISORDERS!

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! Brent and Campbell have been together for almost a year. Well, they aren't together right now because of her memory loss, but that's beside the point," Grace said with a scowl.

"I'm sorry, what?! My daughter moved here to be here with this lying cheater!" Jessica replied, making everybody go silent.

"Mom," Maya said, standing up from her sit. "Brent and I broke up the summer before my junior year. I am the cheater not him. When I moved here, I thought I could get him back, but he was already in love with Campbell."

Nathan sat in his seat with no reaction. His face was neutral. But his wife on the other hand, quickly stood up from her chair.

"You can't even keep a boyfriend! You are a disappointment to this family!" Jessica exclaimed making Maya's lip tremble as she tried not to cry.

"That's enough," Ross said, calmly, standing up from his chair.

Maya glared at her mother then she took a deep breath before opening her mouth.

"I am not a disappointment! You two are! You two should be ashamed to call yourselves parents! I have tried and tried for years to get you two to love me, but I can see that it impossible. And since I'm already a disappointment, let me tell you the actual truth! I don't want to be a model! I want to be a reporter! I don't want a boyfriend who loves somebody else! My weight is fine! My makeup is fine! How I dress and act are fine!

And if you two are not going to accept that, then there is the door!" Maya exploded, throwing her hands up in frustration. Then she sat back down in her seat without another word.

She took a bite of her food and she smiled. "This food is delicious, Aunt Lisa."

"Thank you," Lisa thanked with a confused look on her face.

"Thank you for lunch, Lisa, but we have to go," Jessica said with a tight smile.

I looked over at Maya to see that she was completely shocked. I don't think she was suspecting that.

"Nathan," Lisa said with a soft expression.

"Jess, you go ahead. I'm going to stay," Nathan told his wife.

Jessica scowled,"Nathan Walker, if you do not walk out of here with me, we are done."

"Well, I guess we are done then," Nathan replied before taking a sip of his water.

Jessica scoffed,"Idiots! All of you are idiots!" Then she stormed into the house, and I heard the front door slam.

"It's not a holiday if there's not family drama," Nick said, earning a glare from Lisa and Ross.

"Maya, may I talk with you in the other room?" Nathan asked, getting up from his chair.

Maya nodded, staying silent. They left the room, and we started to eat our food once more.

"What is everybody doing Saturday?" Grace asked, trying to a conversation.

"Ross will be at work, and I'll be in the city shopping for baby room decor," Lisa responded with a proud smile.

"That sounds fun. Can I tag along? Leah won't be back until Sunday morning," Grace asked.

Lisa nodded, and Nick asked,"I don't what we are doing."

"Well, Brent and I have a date Saturday," I said, proudly.

Brent threw an arm over my chair since he was finished eating. He drew little circles on my back.

"Where are you two going?" David asked us before wiping his mouth off with a napkin.

"It's a surprise. I don't know where this woman is taking me. For all I know, she could be leading me to my murder scene," Brent joked, earning a laugh from everybody.

I shook my head,"Well, I do know what we are doing, and it's not to your murder scene."

Then Maya and her father walked back in with both smiles on their faces. They sat down, and we all looked at each other, warily.

"Is everything okay?" Ross asked, concern.

Nathan nodded,"Yes. Everything is perfect now." Maya smiled, and it warmed my heart.

"Since that's settled, who wants dessert?" Lisa asked, standing up from her chair.

"Me!" My brothers and Brent exclaimed at the same time.

"Elliot, can you come help me?" Lisa asked, making Elliot nod.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, following her into the kitchen.

A few moments later, they returned with a key lime pie and brownies. They set them on the table, and everybody grabbed a piece of dessert, except for me.

I just can't get what Jessica said out of my mind. She is just like Malcom.

I shut down any memory of what happened, and I took a deep breath, clutching my chair.

"May I be excused?" I asked, getting up from my chair.

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows and so did Ross, and Lisa said,"Sure, sweetie. You don't want a dessert?"

I shook my head, but I kept a smile on my face. "I'm full."

"Okay," Lisa replied, still giving me a weird look.

*
I walked into the house and up the stairs. I walked into my room, and I switched my light on. Walking into the bathroom, I lifted up my shirt.

Little scars littered my stomach and back from Malcom and my stomach is not flat whatsoever. Memories of what Malcom said flooded my memory.

It was my second month being in Malcom's care, and it was ten o'clock at night and I still haven't ate dinner.

"Malcom, when can I eat dinner? I'm getting tired and I'm hungry," I said with a small yawn.

"Campbell, come here," Malcom said, gesturing me to come closer.

I walked over to him, and I smelled alcohol on his breath. As soon as I was in arms length, he grabbed me before throwing me on the ground. As soon as my back hit the ground, Malcom was on top of me, and he kept a neutral expression.

"Now, now, Campbell," Malcom said, pinning my hands together above my head.

"Let go of me!" My fourteen year old self exclaimed, trying to wriggle out of his grip.

"I will once you see this," Malcom replied, lifting up my shirt. He didn't stop lifting it until it was at my bra.

"I don't see anything. Now let me go!" I said, angrily.

"I see a huge stomach," Malcom said as he looked at me in the face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I looked at my stomach. I had a little tummy, but it was fine.

"Campbell, Campbell, Campbell," Malcom said. "I see what you eat. You eat a bunch of junk. You have breakfast, lunch, dinner and multiple snacks everyday. I think you should only eat a snack every other day. We don't want a bigger tummy now do we?"

I shook my head and he let go of my hands.

"Now, that you understand, go fix me something to eat before I get really angry," Malcom ordered before I scrambled to the kitchen.

"Campbell? What in the hell are you doing?" Brent asked, bringing me back to reality.

I quickly let go of my shirt, and he looked at me with concern look.

"Nothing. I thought I spilled something on my shirt," I lied with a convincing smile.

I tried to walk passed him, but he blocked the bathroom entrance.

"Brent, let me through," I said, trying to push him out of the way.

But that was no use because he is a freaking football player.

"Not until you tell me the truth," he replied, causally.

I pouted,"Nothing is wrong!"

"I can wait all day," he said, not believing me.

"It's something that Jessica said to me is all. Now will you let me leave?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What did she say?" He pressed, not moving one inch.

"She said that I was overweight and I have big thighs! She said that I will never get a man because of it! Are you satisfied now?" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air, frustrated.

"Campbell, don't believe anything that bitch says. You are beautiful," Brent replied, but I kept my eyes on my feet.

When I didn't say anything, he sighed. Then he walked over to me, and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

And he picks me up!

I yelped in surprise as he set me down on the bathroom counter. He stood between my legs, and he put his hands on my hands which were on the counter.

"Okay. Let me try again now that we are at eye level!" Brent said with a stern smile.

"Brent," I started, but he put his finger on my lips.

"Shh!" He exclaimed. "Campbell, you are beautiful. You are not fat. I love your tummy and your thighs. You are perfect just the way you are. And that will never change."

"But," I said, eyeing his finger. He removed his finger. "What she said was true. I have gained at least twenty pounds since I was placed here."

"Campbell, Malcom literally starved you for days on end. You were skin and bones when you first arrived here. Now you are healthy. You gained those twenty pounds because you are actually eating everyday instead of twice a week."

"You know, I have have been struggling with my body since I was fourteen," I said as a tear fell. "It got worse after I recover scars from Malcom's beatings."

"I'm sorry, Campbell," he apologized, rubbing my tear stain away with his thumb.

"It's not your fault. Thank you for telling me that I'm beautiful. It means a lot," I said with a small smile.

"Well, just for your information, I love your scars. They show that you are a survivor and that you are strong," Brent told me.

"They do, huh?" I asked, lifting up my shirt a little to examine my small scars.

Brent stared at my stomach, and I noticed his hands were balled into fists.

"He is not going to hurt me anymore. He's gone for good," I said, putting my shirt down.

"I swear if I could beat his ass, again, I would. He should have never done that to you," Brent said, making me furrow my eyebrows.

"Again?" I asked.

Brent froze as he said,"He was bailed out of jail this past February. He came after you, and he hurt you pretty bad. He shot me and Winter, the Cades' dog."

"What?" was all I could say.

"But it doesn't matter now. He is locked away and he can never put hands on you again," Brent said before wrapping his arms around my waist.

I nodded, not going to go ballistic. I'll get the memory back soon. Hopefully.

"Are you going to let me down or are we going to stay like this all day?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I don't know. I like that you are at my eye level. I don't have to look down to see you," Brent said with a smile.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you are a giant!" I exclaimed, playfully hitting his chest.

"Is that right? Are you sure it's not because you are a dwarf?" Brent asked with a huge grin.

I nodded, stubbornly,"Yes."

"Okay," he replied with a smirk.

Then he started to tickle my sides. I tried to contain my laughter, but it didn't work. I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath.

"Ok!.....you win!......." I said between my laughter.

Brent stopped tickling me and he raised his hand out for me to take. I took it, and he helped me down.

"By the way, how did you know that I was upset?" I asked Brent as we walked out of my room.

"Well, you looked like you were going to puke and you didn't get one brownie! You love brownies!" Brent replied, grabbing ahold of my hand.

"You know me so well."

"Of course," he replied with a giddy smile.

"Then you should know where we are going Saturday," I said and his mouth opened.

"That's not fair," Brent argued, making me laugh.

"Have fun guessing."

He was silent for a moment as we walked down the stairs. Then he started guessing. "Is it outside?"

"Nope," I said, popping the p.

"Are we going to see a movie?"

"No."

"Are we going mini golfing?"

"Nope."

"Arcade?"

"No."

"Are we going to a casino?!"

"NO!"

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Hey guys!!

Thoughts on this chapter?

Also I want to clarify that ALL bodies are beautiful! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! YOU ARE ENOUGH! I LOVE EVERYONE OF YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART!

Also check out my Spotify playlist the cade series playlist!

ALSO I NEED A SONG FOR CAMPBELL & BRENT! PLEASE LEAVE SUGGESTIONS!

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•Kensli•