Ripples in A Pond by Rose Kephart (microsoft ebook reader .txt) 📕

to talk to Lily and on several occasions they “hooked up” again. Every time was better than the last but worse at the same time. Lily was starting to feel disgusted with herself, dirty. She’d lost weight, and didn’t want to do anything social anymore. She had definitely become a recluse. No one saw her and no one cared to. The only person she ever spoke to was Tristan and a guy at her church named Adam. Adam had moved back to Mississippi from Arizona the year before and they had become friends. He was the only one who didn’t believe any of the stuff he heard because he knew her so well. He didn’t even ask her because he knew the answer. He had become a rock for her; she didn’t feel like she had to put on a show around him like she did around Tristan and didn’t feel the need to talk about scandalous things because he was so pure. He was perfect, but not in the sex appeal kind of way but in the Godly sense and she liked that about him.

Every week at church Adam would look for Lily, she was always by herself and he knew she liked him company. His parents didn’t like that he was always around her but he didn’t care, she wanted him around so he would be. He saw her in the corner with her plate; there was nearly nothing on it. He didn’t like that Lily wasn’t eating. He’d been friends with her for awhile now and noticed when things started changing. Her appetite went first, then the womanly curves she had started to drift away. Now she would hide behind a mask of dark hair and cloths that didn’t quite fit anymore.
He hadn’t realized he’d been staring until she looked up and straight at him. She flashed a smile that lit up her whole face and waved him over. He bounced back into time and walked straight to her taking her plate and putting his in front of her. “Eat” he said, with that stern glare he got when he was seriously serious. He smile faded just a touch.
“Adam I’m not hungry, and you’re not my mother stop trying to feed me!” she said laughing a little and trying to joke it off. He didn’t take the bait. He was tired of her melancholy attitude and the way she tried to use fake humor to get out of everything.
“Lily we need to talk…” now her smile was completely gone.
“I don’t’ feel like talking.”
“To bad.” He grabbed the plate and her arm and lifted her up. Taking her by the wrist he led her out side to the picnic tables on the side of the church. He sat her down with the plate and walked away.
He knew she couldn’t resist chocolate and there was death by chocolate cake inside along with brownies. He grabbed two slices of cake and three brownies and headed back out.
She was staring at the food without touching it. He set the desert down, and when she reached for it he smacked her hand.
“What was that for you moron!” she said, with a pitiful pout on her face. He felt triumphant he had a great idea.
“Well I’ve decided of your going to act like a child I’ll treat you like one. No desert until you eat that food first.” He said pointing to the plate still in front of her. He mouth fell agape for the slightest moment and then snapped shut.
“No I refuse.” She said. “Damn, she’s as stubborn as a mule!” Adam thought, but he knew how to get to her he wasn’t done yet.
“Really?” he said taking a huge bite of his slice of cake, chewing slowly for affect. “You know Lily this cake is really, really good, sorry you’re missing out. I might just eat your piece too!” Adam had her now; she had that pouty look back with cruel intensity.
“Fine, you turd-munch of a butt-face!” Lily said under her breath as she picked up the fork and stabbed what looked like meat loaf. She shoved a huge bite into her mouth. It actually tasted ok. She took another huge bite and then a few more, pausing to swallow. Adam watched her and all his teasing was gone. Lily was starving herself he realized. It wasn’t that she wasn’t hungry her realized and she shoved salad into her mouth, it was something else, like she had no care for her own health. “What in the world was wrong with her!” he thought as she started scraping the plate clean. With a satisfied look she glanced up and said, “Happy now?” the teasing tone and smile was back and she actually looked just a tad bit better.
“Yes I’m very happy, but sad that I have to share this cake now.”
“Well to bad get over it.” She said as she took her plate and two of the three brownies. She bit into a brownie and sighed, closing her eyes. He watched her chew; she was so pretty when she was that determined.
“I’m over it, Lily why aren’t you eating? I know your lying to me about the whole “not being hungry” thing, so what is it?” she froze, she opened her eyes and he saw ice.
“I don’t want to talk about it Adam.” She said it, coolly no emotion in her tone at all. The drabness was back. But Adam wasn’t having it.
“No, you’re going to talk to me; you’re going to tell me right now. Damn Felicity, you’ve got everyone all worried about you and for what? No one knows what the hell is going on with you!” Adam hadn’t meant to yell at her, but it had worked. The ice was replaced by fire. It always amazed him how quickly she switched emotions, but this fire wasn’t the kind that was blazing with furry, it was more an ember being fed again.
“If I tell you… you will judge me like everyone else. You don’t need to know.”
“Yes I do, and I will never judge. I swear Lily.” He watched as her shoulders slumped in inevitable defeat and she sighed.
“Almost three month ago I lost my virginity, and since then I haven’t wanted to be around anyone…I found out what every one has been saying about me and none of its true, I’ve only ever been with one guy and not I’m done with even that. I have never, and will never do drugs and I’ve never been into parties. I practically can’t stand them. Everyone thinks I’m a slut, and I’m not. I have messed up, majorly messed up, I’ve been such a bitch to everyone that it almost makes sense for them to have the opinions they do…….I’m sorry.” She had spoken mostly in a whisper but Adam had heard every word. He wasn’t too surprised. He was shocked about the whole virginity thing but the rest he had sort of known about. He stood up and walked around the table to sit next to her. Lily was hunched over, hiding her face with her hair. He didn’t know how she would react to him but didn’t care. He hated seeing her so down. He reached over and moved her hair, just in time to see one tear slide down her cheek. That killed all the resistance he had. Adam pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and he felt her starting to cry. She only cried for a few minutes before she reigned in her emotions and sat up. Whipping her face she turned to him.
“Thank you Adam, you’re the best friend I could ever ask for…”
“No, I’m not the best anything, but I’ll always be here for you.” He reached over and pulled her back into his arms. She didn’t resist. They stayed like that until he had to leave. They had talked but nothing to deep. He realized he loved her, and unlike most guys he was determined to tell her right away. As he stood up to go he hugged her one last time.
“Lily I want you to know, that know matter what anyone else thinks you are beautiful and special… and I love you for who you are and just the way you are.” Yes he had paused and stuttered just a little but either way his words had the intended affect. She had s shocked expression on her face and then grabbed him fiercely, hugging him as if she’d never see him again. “Adam, I love you so much! You are the best anyone could ever ask for! Thank you so much!” They stayed hugging until Adam’s dad started yelling for him to hurry up.
Lily let go, and Adam said goodbye. He walked away and Lily felt as if the whole world had been wrapped in band-aides. Everything would be okay.

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Publication Date: 04-27-2011

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