Off Ones Rockers II • Lashton

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

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No matter how many times nurses and doctors had attempted to explain to Luke about his diagnosis he couldn't comprehend it. It did not make sense to him that he was anorexic— he didn't think he was skinny enough.

His mother tried to explain to him why she was sending him away, that she loved him and this was best for him but he knew he had failed her. That he wasn't a good enough son for her in comparison to his brothers.

Luke let his fingers trace under the sole of his fresh, clean vans that his mother had brought him, arguing they'll last him for his stay there. He let his finger linger in the middle of the shoe in which he knew a small blade lay under his foot, one he had managed to sneak and one he'd cherish. He hadn't had the opportunity to bring it to his skin in over two weeks, his family or hospital staff always by his side.

His mother had mentioned his self-harm once, wanting to know why he would do such a thing to himself but he kept quiet, he didn't know what to say. She wouldn't accept anything else he'd say, saying he was being silly and he was sick, so why should he waste his breath on it.

Luke looked over to the seat beside him and tensed up uncomfortably at how close a younger boy was sitting next to him. Luke was confused as to why he had to sit so close when there were a dozen other empty seats in the room.

Luke quickly turned his head the other way and began to focus on the light white walls which he had seen too much of over the past fortnight and wanted to go back to the comfort of his light grey ones in his bedroom which was littered with posters.

"Hello," the boy spoke up from beside Luke, prodding his arm slightly with his index finger.

Luke internally groaned, he didn't want to interact with someone, especially a stranger. "Hi," he quietly responded not wanting to be rude. Luke looked at home once again and figured he couldn't be much older than ten, therefore wouldn't be much harm.

"Why are you here?" he asked with uncertainty, inspecting the fifteen-year-olds body up and down.

Luke gulped before stating. "Anorexia." The word felt wrong as he spoke it like he shouldn't be using it because he knew he wasn't.

The young boy began to laugh and snicker and Luke grew more and more self-conscious, sucking in his stomach and crossing his arms over his torso protectively. "But you're overweight!" he snorted as Luke felt him jab at his stomach, causing him to squirm.

Luke looked down at his body, his eyes welling up with tears, he was glad someone was finally speaking the truth to him. He didn't want to hear it because he worked so hard to lose weight but he knew it was the truth. "I know," he muttered in agreement

"You know what?" a deeper voice asked, coming from the other side of the blonde. Luke turned his head to see a grey-haired man around his mother's age sitting two seats down, his elbows resting on his legs as he watched him. He'd been sat there for at least a minute watching the blonde stare into space.

Luke adverted his eyes back to where the young boy was sat next to him, but he was gone. "Where did he go?" Luke asked confused, turning his head back and forth in puzzlement.

"There was no one here," he stated, his eyebrows furrowing as he grew more concerned for the fifteen-year-old, worried that his malnourishment was causing hallucinations.

"There was a boy, about ten! Luke exclaimed, quickly standing up wanting to find him. The man also shot up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder to stable him, as he wobbled with dizziness.