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32

Luke.

"I'm full" she spoke as I held Gatorade to her mouth, trying to make her drink.

"It's a drink, not food" I laughed out to her.

"I'm still full." She spoke, hiding her face in the pillow of the couch.

"Want to go home?" I asked her, knowing she would probably feel better in her own bed.

"Yes." She spoke firmly.

I grabbed my bag as she got up and put on shoes.

I felt her grab my arm as we started leaving, making me pull her closer to me, nodding to nurses as we left.

I opened her door for her, making sure she was in before shutting it and getting in.

I drove us home, her not speaking much, just listening to the music.

"You sing good" she spoke quietly once a song was over, making me smile to her.

"You think so?" I asked, seeing her nod.

"I like it" she nodded.

"Well thank you" I spoke back to her, touching her forehead once I noticed her flushed cheeks, feeling heat making its way back, which immediately made me exhale.

"I wish I knew how you got sick so fast" I mumbled to her, feeling her take my hand off of her forehead, holding it in her own.

We got home and I walked her to her room, grabbing her Tylenol and fluids to drink, along with fruits.

"I don't want food" she whined once she saw me shaking the mixture of fruits in the bowl.

"Why not?" I asked, sitting beside her in bed.

"I do not like being on an eating schedule and you guys are steadily trying to put me on a schedule." She whined out to me.

"We are doing that because you need to gain some weight, love" I told her calmly, rubbing hair out of her eyes.

"I like me the way I am" I heard her speak, making me quickly explain why I said what I said

"I do too pretty girl, I think you are absolutely perfect, this isn't about changing you or your appearance." I told her calmly.

"We- as doctors- just don't want you to have to fight bigger battles with food, right now it's not that bad, so we are just trying to get you out of your foster home habits." I spoke calmly to her, watching her blink to me, unamused.

"I only want pineapple" she gave in.

So I picked out the pineapple, turning on a movie and eating the fruit she didn't want as she ate.

I felt her lean against me once she finished the fruit on her plate, which was quite impressive- she never normally finishes anything we give her.

"Do you think the kids are okay?" She asked me.

"Yes, I think they are being taken good care of." I told her calmly, seeing her nod.

"Are you excited to go back to school in a few weeks?" I asked, knowing we had her put in online for this semester, but we were all urging her to try real school at a different school, of course.

"No" she spoke honestly, making me look to her.

"And why not?" I asked her slowly, watching her shrug

"I just like being with you guys."