Pepper never meant to lose her best friend. Lucas never meant to fall in love.
Yet the aftermath of broken hearts leads them to blur the lines of their friendship forever. When Pepper is dumped by her boyfriend and Lucas is led on by his crush, they...
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MARTSIA IS ALONE when I find her. At least, it looks like her broad shoulders and rippling dark hair from behind. I step into the kitchen, prepared to wrap my arms around her, and beg her to never leave my side for the rest of the night, but when I'm a few steps away, she's covering her mouth and rushing out the back door leading to the patio.
"Martsi?" I panic and break after her as she doubles over the end of the patio and vomits up whatever she just ate. "H-hey, are you okay?" I rub her back and grab her wrist, trying to get a peek at her flushed face. "Was it the food?"
She eyes me almost suspiciously like I'm a stranger and not her friend. "Something just...didn't agree with my stomach, I guess."
"Do you want to sit down?" I glance around Elliot's barren backyard as the evening sky arrives. "It's kind of cold out here, but-"
"Martsia!"
We start at Lena's exclamation and look over to see her standing under the doorway panting like she just raced down several flights of stairs. I open my mouth to explain. "She got si-"
"Did you throw it up?" she demands.
Martsia hunches over and scoops her arms around her knees. "I just got sick," she answers in her weakest voice.
"You promised."
"I got sick, Lena."
"You said you'd try to eat something!"
I make a gradual stand and frown between the two of them. "What's going on? You shouldn't be yelling at her. She got sick."
"She did it on purpose." Though Lena's voice is high with emotion, her eyes are sad and lips are shivering like a ghost of pain clings to her. "Martsia, you have to stop this."
Martsia stands up fast and glares at her. "You wouldn't understand! You're skinny no matter what you eat. It's not fair!" She wipes her mouth with one hand and balls the other into a fist at her side. "I-I hate it!"
"Martsia, you don't need to be skinny." Lena steps forward with caution like approaching a wounded lioness. "You're perfect. I love you."
"No one thinks that," she cries suddenly. "No one thinks fat people are perfect. You just say so to make yourself feel better. Girls like you and-and Pepper and Amber don't have to live like this. You don't wake up every morning and see this." She motions to her body. "You already look perfect. I want to look perfect too."
I blink back tears and touch her trembling arm. "Martsia, we're not perfect. We have insecurities too. I-"
"What are your insecurities?" She throws her anger towards me like a fireball. "What? You're too petite and adorable? Your hair's too long and curly? You're so small your boyfriend can lift you up on his shoulders?" She jabs a finger at her chest. "I can't have that. I don't have those problems." Her lip quivers and she holds an arm over her eyes. "B-but I wish I did!" Before either of us can say another word, she shoves past us and back into the house.
