Odd One Out | Jacob Black

2.

*trigger warning: food talk/potential ED triggers

"Family" dinner was becoming my living nightmare. It didn't happen everyday, or really even often enough to be a habit. But it's happened enough now that its crawled its way to the top of my list.

My only saving grace this time was that Jeremy would be joining us.

I could hear Jen banging around in the kitchen while my dad prattled on about some client. I sat at the top of the stairs staring at my phone waiting for Jeremy to show up. According to his location he was still about ten minutes away, making his way down 110. I could feel my leg start to bounce out of nerves. I already knew how tonight was going to end. In a screaming match, no doubt.

This will be the first meal that Jeremy and Brady will be together for though and that made me extra nervous.

And I didn't know what Jen was making for dinner which sent my anxiety through the roof.

Food and I had a weird relationship. I was fully aware my eating habits were not normal. It was probably the top thing about myself I would change if I could. Jeremy used to tell me it wasn't a big deal as long as I was getting enough nutrients in, no matter how I did it.

But some food was just not safe foods. I didn't know how to describe it. Like chicken. Chicken should be almost burnt to make sure you can eat it. But why even risk it? So best to just avoid it all together. But like chips? Chips will never kill you. Everything went down as either safe or it's potentially going to kill me in my brain. And unfortunately my brain convinced itself of the latter a lot.

It was a lot worse when I was younger, and dad used to chock it up to me just being a picky eater as most kids are. Jeremy figured out that if I could watch what was being made, or even make it myself it helped. I liked knowing what was going on my plate if it came from my own hands. Jeremy's old truck was to get me to just take one bite and wait. If I didn't die in the next twenty minutes then it was safe.

And I was so obnoxiously aware of how ridiculous this all was but I couldn't get my brain to stop once it started.

I glanced back down at my phone to see Jeremy getting ready to turn onto the side street that would eventually lead up the driveway. I stood up and made my way outside to wait for him, vaguely wondering which car he was driving.

He pulled in and parked behind my car in his pick up truck.

"Have you just been stalking my location?" He asked as he climbed out and I couldn't help the smile.

"Yeah." I admitted before I went down the front porch steps to meet him halfway for a hug.

"How's it been?" He asked a little quieter.

"Okay, I guess. I've just been trying to put my room together." I shrugged.

"With your fifty stupid squish things." He chuckled before looking up at the house. "Nice place. Sticks out like a sore thumb."

"They are squishmallows and they are not stupid. They are very comfortable!"

"Whatever you say, peanut." He pushed me lightly to the front door. "Let's get this shit over with."

"Don't sound so enthused."

—

"I hate to break it to you, peanut. But I'm two episodes behind on Big Brother." Jeremy said next to me at the dinner table. I gasped and turned towards him.

"You're missing the best stuff! They did the wall last episode. I tried to watch the lives after the show ended up the WiFi was still being spotty. I was really hoping Clare would win. If she gets HOH then I think she's finally going to send Terrence to the block and he needs to go. He's been playing everyone in the house like a fool and he contributes nothing. He has only won one veto competition and didn't even use it. I think Clare most recently said that she wants to back door Amanda though which I wouldn't hate. Amanda is really good at mental competitions too which aren't as frequent until the end, you know? I just can't wait until we get to the double elim-"