Alchemy •Dan Smith•

six

-Dans POV-
My hands lay in my unruly dark hair as I sat slouched over on my bed. In front of me sat two text books, a pile of paper, my song notebook, along with two empty beer cans on the night stand.

The end of term was coming up and I had no where near completed the essays that were going to be due in less than a week. The stress was absolutely killing me. I didn't want to get stuck in a dead end job and do nothing with my life.

Sighing, I pulled myself up and made my way to the kitchen to grab a much needed snack, seeing as my stomach had been growling for the past hour. Opening up the fridge, I found a half carton of milk and a few leftovers. Nothing appealing, except maybe some cold fries that had been in there the last week.

Moving over to the cupboard I found a bag of crisps and box of crackers. Satisfied, I grabbed the crips before a crippling thought stopped me from proceeding any further.

You don't want to end up like you used to, do you? Overweight and unspeaking? Your already on a borderline to falling backwards. Control yourself.

My thoughts reminded me of the time where I was 243 pounds of pure fatness and worthlessness. (AN: I am completely unsure of his weight or feelings at the time so don't hold me to it, thank you). I had taken so much time to realize the problems I had created for myself. One of these being bullying, which lowered my self worth even lower, making me wonder why I would even care. My parents expected me to loose all if it with help of the doctors, which could tell with my condition it wouldn't be easy to divulge. Eventually I learned to skip meals and drown my insides with water and laxatives to remove anything I did eat, along with throwing up when necessary. It's been a while since any of that, but still fresh in my mind and nobody noticed the bad habits to stop me. Just congratulated me for turning myself around.

I slowly set the bag down before deciding going out for a smoke would be better than putting on the pounds, plus a release of stress would be good.

.•*.•*.•*.•**•.*•.*•.*•.

Heading to the bench, I didn't see Jade causing me to both relieved and disappointed. I didn't want her to see me in my current state, but her presence was calming and warm.

I stood next to the bench and lit the cancer stick, pulling it to my lips until it was all but a small bud that I crushed under my worn converse. It wasn't until I was heading back to the building I noticed a person standing by the door with longer hair popping out from a hoody. Jade.

Making my way to her, I said a quick hello only to be completely ignored. Confused, I took another look at her I found head phones sneaking into her hood as she had her face turned downwards. I placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to just slightly and turn towards me.

She pulled out her headphones and made I contact with me. Her eyes were bloodshot making them a brighter blue and her cheeks were crimson.

"Have you been crying, love?"

Of course she had you idiot, don't need to point out the obvious.

"No, just a bit tired is all." She replied in a raspy voice before clearing her throat, "I should probably be going though, are you heading in too?"

Trying not to push her over the edge, and not believing her a single bit, I just nodded and smiled softly. She turned and opened the door to the lobby and mumbled,"Ladies first" as I brushed past her. I chuckled at her for still being sarcastic even when she wasn't at her best.

We walked up the stairs in silence, both wrapped up in our own little worlds. Secretly I so desperately wanted to take a trip into her own world, to see what was troubling her so I could take it away.

Reaching her door, Jade stopped and looked up to me to say goodnight.

"Good night, love. Hope you feel better soon." I said with a shy smile, and her light eyes pierced into my own.

"Nothing to feel better about,Dan, but thank you. You as well, sleep tight."

And before thinking, I wrapped my arms around her short frame and after a few milliseconds she wrapped hers around my torso. Then she smiled at me gratefully and I to her as well before we split ways.

Later on I sang the song The Ride, and I could've sworn I heard a soft voice singing along as I played.