• 80: Bellissima •

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Melody

The rest of the week was pretty much the same, and after a while I got used to it. End of term exams were coming up and everyone could feel the stress as the work piled on and the tests came at us. Though it didn't stop the rumours completely, they did dwindle down a little as people were preoccupied with studying.

On Saturday, Carson and I found ourselves at a marble top table, in the corner of our favourite little coffee shop. We were surrounded by textbooks, notes, and writing apparatus. Both of us had a cup of coffee next to us, and Carson had two cookies.

I sat there for three hours straight, working on my English essay that was due on Monday. As I finished it up, I found myself glancing over at Carson's cookies, wondering when was the last time I had had chocolate. Shaking the thought out of my head, I reached for my history textbook and started the essay for that class.

"You want one?" Carson asked, quietly. I hadn't realized that my eyes managed to drift away from the computer and over to the cookies once again.

"Oh, um, no thank you," I said quickly, looking back to my screen.

Snap out of it Melody, I reminded myself. There were way too many useless calories in a cookie for me to have.

After a couple more hours, Carson slammed his textbook shut, startling me slightly. He grinned sheepishly.

"I can't look at another remotely scientific word for at least another few hours," he said. "What about you?"

"Yeah, I could do with a break... how does Hawaii sound?" I replied, saving my assignment and closing my computer. Carson laughed.

"Well, I'm super hungry, so maybe we could grab a bite to eat, then do something fun?" Carson suggested. Despite being nervous about where we would eat, I found myself nodding.

***

"It's not too fancy, but still healthy enough that if you want to get something you can," Carson said as we pulled up to a restaurant called Bellissima. "My treat." I smiled softly.

"Thank you," I said.

He parked the car and we hurried to escape the icy weather. I could feel the cold, biting through the material of my leggings and oversized sweater that was peeking out from beneath my winter jacket.

Carson opened the door and the smell of bread, pasta and other wonderfully dangerous foods overwhelmed my senses. I felt my stomach growl, and my eyebrows knitted into a frown.

"Table for two," Carson said to the hostess who was practically salivating at the sight of him.

I mean, fair enough, Carson was freaking good looking, but I couldn't help feeling a twinge of insecurity wash over me. And by a twinge, I mean a tsunami wave that engulfed me and spat me out. She was gorgeous.

Carson took my hand suddenly, stroking the back of it softly, silent reassurance that he didn't know I needed. We were soon led to a table and I sat across from him, playing anxiously with my sleeves as I looked at the menu. There were so many different selections of pasta, so many appetizers... all so tempting. I hated going out to eat.

"You okay?" Carson asked and I quickly pulled a smile onto my face. He was so sweet. The sensible thing to do was to eat when hungry, but I didn't have the same options as most people.

"I'm fine," I replied. "Do you know what you're having?"

"Yeah, their pasta Calabrese is amazing!" Carson grinned. His menu was already closed, as if he knew from the beginning what he wanted. "Are you having anything?"

"I – um..." my stomach grumbled once again, betraying me. "I guess so."

Carson smiled. "Good."

***

We left the restaurant after we took our time eating. I had decided on a simple Greek salad, minus the onions and cheese. I wasn't sure why, but my mouth impulsively added grilled chicken onto it. I tried to pace myself, well aware of the handsome boy across from me, but my stomach seemed to welcome food faster than a vacuum welcomed dust.

I felt full and disgusted with myself as I got into the car, but I smiled and thanked Carson, nonetheless. I looked out the window as we headed towards whatever fun thing Carson was planning. As we passed a Walgreens pharmacy, my mind wandered back to the idea of appetite suppressants.

I had used them when I first started losing weight. It felt better. Almost good. People telling me that they noticed my weight loss. Feeling like I controlled when I felt hungry, what I ate, how people saw me...

"And we're here!" Carson said pulling into a parking spot. I blinked, not even realizing we had stopped. "Okay, it doesn't look like much from the outside, but I promise you, you will have a blast the second you step through those doors."

"Okay," I said with a small smile.

"And, I think we should take our jackets off and make a run for it. You won't want it inside," Carson grinned. I sized up the distance before shrugging off my coat.

"Let's go," I said.

We threw the car doors open and bolted for the warmth of the building. Carson opened the door for me, and my eyes widened as I walked into a dimly lit room. There were machines in all in similar shapes that were too unique not to be recognized.

"An arcade?" I asked, in surprise. "This is so cool!"

"My dad used to take my brother and I here when we were little," Carson explained as we walked further inside. "A little mind-numbing fun never hurt anyone."

"You got that right," I said, walking towards a Pac-Man machine.

Heaven knows I needed my mind to be numbed for a few hours.



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Author's Note: Yay! Another chapter is up! Carson is soo cute! I would like to visit this fictional coffee shop LOL! Also, Melody, Melody, Melody... what are you thinking? I guess we'll find out in the next chapters!

Special shout outs this chapter for voting and/or commenting go to: FloralroseMari_ibel22sad-witchDianaHart115HOESKEERYwtffinnn, and  book_loving_girl616! Thank you to everyone who continues to vote, read and comment!


I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Keep reading! Let me know what you think might happen next! :)

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