The Forbidden Fruit | 12

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Warning: This chapter may be triggering for some readers as it tackles the subject of eating disorders, read at your own risk. If anyone is struggling from such seek help from a trusted family member, friend or councillor because you are never alone and there's always someone willing to listen ❤️

Arabella's POV

"Aaron. . . Interested in anyone?" I asked, shoving at his shoulder softly as we strode around the forest, lazily picking at the garbage that littered the ground. This was apparently part of the schedule, to clean up our environment, other students referred to it as a waste of our time but I quite liked it.

"Well. . ." He trailed off, his head turned towards the garbage bag dangling from his fingertips. I watched silently as he ran his hands through his hair and smiled softly, his cheeks growing slightly red from shyness and most likely embarrassment. "Kind of. . .I--It's nothing, it'll never happen anyway." He mumbled, his eyes trailing from the bag and past me.

I followed his gaze, spinning on my heels to gaze directly at Erika and Max patterned up, laughing as they cleaned up the area beside the lake. "Erika?" I asked confusedly, snapping my head back towards him then snorting as I mentally slapped myself. "Max, oh my god it's so obvious, you guys have been best friends for life. . . does he know?"

"Nah, I can't tell my best friend from childhood that I have a thing for him. That'll ruin our friendship and plus he's straight if you haven't guessed. Now everything would seem awkward and he'll probably hate me," he widened his eyes slightly and scoffed, his head shaking lightly.

"If by any chance you're insecure about Erika don't worry, she has a thing for Ace, although she constantly denies it," I reassured him, squeezing his shoulder softly. He chuckled deeply and pulled his lips into a smile before placing his hand over mine and patting it softly. "It's okay, I like someone else. Although I don't know her much, so far she's been really sweet, but I think she has a boyfriend. . .kinda complicated you know?"

"You think? why not just ask her? I asked, arching my brows questionably as I shoved another discarded can into the bag. "Like I said, it's complicated." He muttered, shaking his head.

"I doubt that," I snorted when we finally came to stop. I swiped a rag over my face, riding it of the sweat that had already begun to trickle down my cheek. "Tyler, Tyler's the guy. That's what makes it so complicated." He exclaimed. The smile that lingered on my face faltered and I trailed my eyes towards Tyler who was currently in his own world, kicking at cans instead of picking it up.

"Tyler does not have a girlfriend."

"No, not exactly." He stated, leaning against the tree beside me. I sighed, shoving my hands into my pocket and frowning deeply. Of course, Tyler could never settle down, what did I expect? Pathetic, Arabella. "I'm talking about you miss clueless, you're the girl that I'm starting to like. But Tyler might just murder me, he's quite possessive over what he wants, and even a blind cow could see he wants you."

Aaron just confessed to liking me.

Tyler's possessive and apparently him claiming me was not some crazy teenage talk but it was actually a serious thing that Tyler has a history of doing. So I'm his plaything and no one else is allowed to touch his limited edition toy. Pathetic, if they thought this would flatter me then Tyler was not the only delusional person here.

"Well, that's just unfortunate then, Aaron. For Tyler at least, come on." I winked, weaving my hand through his and tugging him towards Mrs. Grot who announced for us to all gather up. If Tyler thinks that he owns me then he's dead wrong, and I'll be sure to show him that.

~~~

"You are hopeless." He spat as he snatched the spatula from my hand and flipped the beef over, I shuddered in disgust and spun on my heels, leaving Tyler alone to flip the slab of unsavoury meat on the grill. Walking back to the lunch table, I nearly toppled over a rock but caught my footing, embarrassed I whipped my head towards Tyler to see if he witnessed my near death.

He indeed saw, his lips were currently curled into a smirk as he chuckled and shook his head. I blushed deeply, clearing my throat as I spun back around towards the table and slumped down beside Erika. "Lunch is done," Tyler called out as he approached the table with a platter filled with burgers. I frowned deeply and curled my bottom lip into my mouth before diverting my attention from it.

"What's wrong, you don't eat beef?" Max asked as he eyed me peculiarly. "No, she hates it." Erika piped in, saving me from saying it myself because there would be a lot of unwanted explaining to do. I smiled softly and waved it off, tearing my gaze from everyone.

Tyler suddenly lowered himself beside me and grabbed a hold of my had. Before I could ask anything he tugged me away from the table and towards the grill. I parted my lips to ask what it is that he wanted but he let go of my hand and grabbed a hot dog bun, placing a freshly grilled sausage into it.

"I suppose you eat hot dogs?" He mumbled, placing the plastic plate into my hand and smiling softly. I peered down at it, taking it from his grasp and mumbling a thank you. He nodded his head in reply and spun on his heels, making his way back to the table.

Tyler Hart.

You will be the death of me.

~~~

It was past six, the dark sky had already crept up on us unexpectedly and our last agenda would be to sit around with our peers whiles we burnt a bunch of wood before us. Another bonfire yet so many bad memories. I made myself comfortable between Aron and Erika. Ace sat right next to her and on the left of Aaron was obviously Tyler who didn't hide the fact that he wasn't happy with me sitting next to Aaron.

I watched as he slid his switchblade against a piece of wood that he grasped tightly, confused as to what he was doing. At my obvious staring he slid the knife against the wood more harshly, his jaw clenched as he glared at me then diverted his gaze towards Aaron.

Damn you, Tyler.

"Anyone wants to sing? sometimes it's good to get those creative juices flowing you know, so someone volunteer or I'll start picking randomly." Everywhere was dead silent and only our breathing and the chirping of birds could be heard around us. No one wanted to sing, I mean who would have the confidence too.

"Okay in five seconds I'm going to call someone."

Shit, Arabella sing! wait why am I even encouraging myself to sing? this is not my problem! But maybe I should, there's nothing to lose anyway, it's not like I sound like a dying cat or anything. So with that thought in mind, I sang the very first thing that popped into my mind.

"Are you, are you, coming to the tree. They strung up a man they say who murdered three. Strange things have happened here no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

I peered up from the ground, only to see that everyone was already staring directly at me as if I'd just confessed to being a serial killer. I parted my lips, stammering in the process as I began to grow self-conscious. A slight nudge at my hand was all it took to tear m gaze from everyone. Aaron smiled in comfort and leaned into my ear, "go on, I'll sing with you," he mumbled.

I searched his eyes for reassurance and he nodded his head then motioned forward. I cleared my throat and parted my lips, using the ounce of confidence left inside me to sing."Are you, are you, coming to the tree. Where dead man called out, for his love to flee. Strange things have happened here no stranger would it be. If we met, at midnight in the hanging tree."

To my surprise, a considerable amount of students knew this song and eventually joined in. A smile crept onto my lips as I turned towards Aaron who was singing along. He nudged my shoulder and smiled back, with a sigh I laid my head on his shoulder, ignoring Tyler's penetrating gaze.

~~~

After a multitude of songs, we were eventually worn out. Half of our peers had already gone to bed, others were eating their dinner and the rest of us were still enjoying the blazing fire before us.

Aaron lowered himself down onto the log and handed me a bottle of water. I thanked him, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig. "A hunger Games fan I see," he grinned as he nudged me in the arm playfully. I chuckled and shoved at his chest, shifting my body closer to his and towards the fire to draw in the heat.

"Yeah, it's one of my favourite movies, my mom and I would binge-watch all four movies. It was maybe the only time when we'd bond."

"I'm sorry. Is she–Is she dead or something? Sorry if it came out offensive." He mumbled.

"No, no, she's not. She just never had time for me. Her job was way more important than raising her child and that kind of forced me to move in with my dad in New York. I came back in tenth grade thinking that my mom changed but she never did. I was only her priority for four hours and then back to her life."

I felt his arm snake around my shoulder, his body pressed against my side as he mumbled into my ear that he was sorry. It was nothing tragic, both my parents had zero time to take care of me and raise me so I did it myself. My dad was nothing different but I spent more time with him than my own mother. His job is ten times more demanding than hers and I got to see him more than her.

In a sense I felt abandoned, the only person who was really here for me, helping me cope with my eating disorder and all together my depression was Erika.

My entire life I've had a struggle with my weight, got bullied severely back in New York to the point where I contemplated suicide. I could never talk to my mother about it and neither my father because we were never that close.

In ninth grade when I came back to DC to visit my mom and Erika, well Erika caught me doing something that I wasn't proud of. Something that I vowed to myself that I'll never do again. I would eat till I couldn't anymore then throw up everything into the toilet, flushing down my pride.

Erika was mortified but most of all livid that neither one of my parents was here to see the internal battle with myself. But through it all she helped me gain control over my life, I started working out, I was not the biggest fan when it came to exercising but I was tired of feeling like I was worthless.

So we changed my diet drastically, I spent my entire summer with Erika working out and taking back control over my life. By the time I made it back to New York, I lost almost half my weight and never reverted back to my former eating habits. School never became easy as I expected it too, I got bullied more for changing my appearance, everyone thought I did it for validation but I did for myself.

So after confiding in my father he sent me back to DC to live with my mom, I eventually told her about the bullying but never got to the suicide and depression bit.

Moral of the story is, my parents weren't here for me as they should have been, I went through a lot of struggles by myself until my best friend stepped in and took the role that was reserved for my parents. And for that, I'm indebted to Erika.

This is also one of the reasons why Tyler claiming that I belong to him makes me irked, I never had control of my life, of my weight, of my mental health. Until I was forced to gain it after being pushed around endlessly. So if anyone has control over me it's myself.

NOT Tyler Hart.

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