DENIAL

08

He was being kind of decent, he took the time to make breakfast for the both of them when he didn't have to.

Alea couldn't even remember the last time she ate a full meal and she couldn't deny that the smell of syrup dripping down the waffles wasn't tempting.

She swallowed up her pride and reluctantly agreed, sitting down at the small extended table.

He sets the plates and utensils down before sitting down across from her, with a wide devilishly smirk. She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat down already shoving waffles down his mouth. "What?" he says after swallowing.

"Nothing." She replies, trying to avoid any conversation. She picks at the food on her plate, not because it looks undesirable but it's been such a long time since she'd eaten so much.

3 waffles, a good amount of eggs on the side and 4 pieces of bacon was the fullest meal she'd seen in over a year-- maybe 2.

It was hard to keep count.

After her mother died, eating was something she started to find unpleasant. How could she have an appetite for anything when the memory of finding her mother's dead body constantly clouded her mind? Her mother's lifeless eyes and the paleness that washed over her skin.

Soon after her uncle committed Alea had stopped eating entirely, she had gone so long without any real nutrients that she almost died.

She was hospitalized for almost a whole year, she was 15 at the time.

She had gotten better over the years, maintaining her health with the help of her Aunt.

It wasn't easy, it's not like she could wake up and become a new person and all her problems would be solved. Although she was better, she still couldn't stomach full foods nor meals-- usually eating half a salad or sandwich here or there, never eating sweets or baked goods.

But of course, she couldn't and wouldn't tell Leighton Valak that.

She broke a few pieces off of one waffle and ate it, it was delicious.

Her mouth was almost watering from the taste, she continued doing the same thing with the rest of the waffle until it was gone.

She actually managed to eat the whole thing, she smiled to herself. She ate a little bit of the eggs on the side until finally deciding to be done. When she looked up, she saw that Leighton's plate was completely wiped clean.

"Do you want the rest of mines?" He looked almost shocked that she was asking but he nodded nonetheless and ate the rest of her plate for her.

Finishing up what used to be Alea's plate, he asks, "You remember the first time we met, in the library?"

"Unfortunately." He frowns and ignores her snide reply.

"You said that you didn't do relationships because they end badly. But- do you think hypothetically, one could last, like truly last?" Alea thinks for a second, before replying.

Confused about why he would even ask such a thing. "I suppose, I mean- I don't know. I personally just don't believe in that. In love."

Leighton doesn't say anything to this at first, his face is completely unreadable, she wished she could know what was going on inside of his head.

She so desperately wanted to know him, but it was pointless.

She had convinced herself that there was nothing worth knowing and the thought quickly evaporated from her mind.

"Why not?"

He said it like he couldn't comprehend it, as if it was so impossible. "Because what's the point in loving someone if they don't love you back?"