When our eyes met

Chapter four

TW: SELF HARM (partially mentioned)

Katie

"It's finally the weekend" I sighed, taking my towel off and slipping into a set of grey Nike sweats.

This week flew by, mainly because all I could think about, all I wanted to think about, was Thomas.

Am I obsessed with him? No. I'm obsessed with the feeling I get when I liquefy in his eyes. I'm obsessed with the security I feel in his presence. I'm obsessed with trying to understand the meaning behind his actions.

I walked down the carpet covered stairs and into the kitchen to have lunch. I found my mother seated by the kitchen island, reading a newspaper.

"Honey, when are you going to go see the town?" Her eyes were peeping over the top of the newspaper like a hippopotamus out of water.

"I don't plan to" I opened the fridge and, with my eyes, searched for the lowest calorie option available.

"Well now I'm telling you to." She put the newspaper down on the table "We've been here for a week and all you do is go to school, come back and head up to your room like some princess trapped in a tower" she gave me the "I'm concerned" face.

I can't do anything with Thomas on my mind.

"Mom, I'm fine with staying home" I grabbed a cluster of grapes in my mouth and closed the fridge door "in fact I prefer it." I put my grapes in a bowl that was sitting on the kitchen island. I walked over to the sink and began washing my grapes.

My mom got up and walked my way "Well I don't care what you prefer" she closed the tap, stopping me in the middle of my task. "I'm not going to let my daughter become a bat in a cave. You're going out today. You're going out now" she grabbed the bowl out of my hand and replaced it with my car keys.

"But-"

"No buts" she pressed her finger against my mouth and gave me her purse "Go eat lunch out. Have fun! I don't want to see you back until late."

Have fun? How do I do that?

"Okay I will" I lied pretending to remember what fun is.

I drove to a restaurant I see every day on my way to school and bought myself a salad which I ate with no dressing to avoid any extra calories.

I decided I'd take a drive and circle around town. The town is big, so big that I found myself driving around for hours. I noticed the sky started to get dim so I thought I'd drive myself home, until I saw a breathtaking sight. The sky reflected oranges and purples onto the lake, I had to pull over to admire it more.

I parked my car by the side of the road and walked towards a huge boulder that I sat on while hugging my knees into my chest.

"Wow" a breath of relief left my body.

I stayed seated on the boulder looking up at the sky as the sun set.

A warm, cozy feeling took over my body as I let go of all my worries. The way I look, the way I sound, how many calories I did or didn't eat today, school, my past, even my father's passing. All of it slowly dissipated from my body and I became light. I became free. Then I realized that this wouldn't last. The freedom I was feeling would only be temporary because this sunset was only temporary. My body returned to its ever tense state.

I lowered my head and sighed.

"What's wrong?" a familiar deep, raspy voice said as I felt their hard body brush against mine while they took a seat next to me "isn't the sunset beautiful?"