TW: Mentions of eating disorder

Laik stumbled out of his room hours later, almost running into someone. He jolted away from the person.

“Woah, Laik.”

Laik gave a wide-eyed look at the man in the hallway. He was holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture. “Everything okay?”

No. Laik sighed and gave a weak smile, “Yeah, just tired. How are you doing, Jace?”

Jace Lowell looked Laik over with worried brown eyes. “I’m doing great. I’m actually here to get Skye.” He slowly lowered his sun-warmed fair hands. “True asked for me to come get you. Kevin called. He needs you to come and help him out at the shop.”

“Uh, sure. I’ll walk out there after I take a shower.”

Jace shook his head. “We drive by. We can wait to give you a ride.”

Laik looked away. “That’s okay. I need the fresh air.”

“Okay.” Jace stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and nodded. “If you change your mind, let us know. We’re staying till dinner.”

He watched as Jace walked back down the stairs, and he let out a sigh. Shower first, and then he’ll call his grandpa. Laik pushed the door to the bathroom open and made his way over to the shower. The sound of the water hissing as it hit the shower floor filled the bathroom, and he slowly undressed. He avoided the mirror as he tossed his dirty clothes on the sink counter. He ignored the shadowed figure in the mirror that loomed over him as he walked past to pull towels out of the small closet. And when he walked back, he ignored it again.

Laik let out a sigh as the warm water hit his skin, and he closed his tired eyes. He was so tired. He turned around fully into the now hot water with another heavy sigh and let the water flow over him.

Skye saw him as he was walking past the kitchen. She hopped down off the barstool, “Laik!”

Laik turned to look at Skye. “Are you leaving?”

He turned back to the coat hooks and pulled his hoodie down. “Yeah. I’m going to walk there.”

“You're wearing shorts.”

“I am.” He tugged his hoodie on.

“It’s supposed to snow soon.”

He shot her a wry smirk. “A little powder on the ground won’t bother me. Besides, it’s October. You guys don’t get snow until November.”

“But it’s cold outside.”

Laik reached out and ruffled her hair. “I’ll be fine.”

“But…”

“I’ll be fine. I grew up in Alaska. It tends to be a good excuse.”

True appeared in the doorway to the kitchen with a dish towel in hand. “Laik. Shorts? Really?”

“Yes, really.”

She sighed and waved her hand as if she was sweeping away the problem. “Fine, put shoes on instead of those,” she motioned to the lime green flip-flops, “things.”

He looked at the mentioned flip-flops. “I like those things.”

“Shoes. Or you’ll be cleaning the bedpans next time you volunteer.”

Laik made a face and nodded, “Fine.” He shoved his feet into his shoes. “Good?”

True threw the towel at him. He ducked out of the door laughing. “Use socks, you heathen. You're just as bad as your mother.”

Laik hopped down the stairs of the porch and across the yard. He shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket as he walked along the sidewalk. A walk should help clear his head before he gets to his grandpa’s auto shop. He took a deep breath of the cool, crisp, clear air. Sounds of humans talking drifted past him. He could make out the sound of kids laughing and bikes speeding down the road a few blocks away.

It took twenty minutes, but he made it to the Main Street of town. He stopped at a drug store to grab some water and a bag of chips. Might as well look like he’s feeling better. He kept on his walk till he rounded the corner at the end of Main Street. Laik could make out the auto shop and his grandpa standing in front of the shop. He paused in his walking, and when his grandpa waved at him before walking into the auto shop, he gave a loud sigh. He picked up his pace as he grumbled. “I’m not a child.”

Laik was pushing the door to the auto shop sitting area open when his grandpa spoke up. “I need someone to sit behind the desk while I work on the vehicles that just came in.”

He looked over to find his grandpa walking out of the office in the back. “Okay.”

“Some people are coming by to pick up their vehicles. Be nice.”

“I’m nice.” He grumbled. “It’s when they’re rude, I’m not nice.”

His grandpa leveled pale blue eyes on him. He wagged a finger at him in time with his words. “Play. Nice.”

When his grandpa turned to head into the workshop, Laik scrunched up his face, and while turning away, he mockingly repeated the same words behind his back.

“Laik.”

Laik jumped and turned around. “Yes.”

“That counts as a snack. You’re still eating dinner tonight.”

He looked at him, confused. When his grandpa pointed at the bag of chips, he sighed. “Yeah, sure, fine.” Laik walked around the front desk and sat down. He sighed as he bumped the mouse for the computer to see if it was awake. When the screen lit up, he pulled up the right programs and a game of solitaire. Might as well entertain himself. He ripped the chip bag open and leaned back in the creaky office chair. Laik stared at the bag of chips and sighed. He was always hungry, but hardly anything stayed down. After a while, it just became old.

Laik was chewing on a chip as he yanked the drawer next to him open. He reached into the drawer and pulled a paperback book out. Tossing it onto the desk, he then pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. Flipping the pad of paper open, he scribbled the pen on the paper to test if it was working. Another chip, and he was soon scribbling words across the paper. The front door opened, and he flipped the pad closed. He caught the mirror out of the corner of his eye. A dark shadow was looming in the reflection, gold eyes looking back at him, and he flipped the mirror around.

Looking forward, Laik watched as a woman crossed the waiting area. Laik plastered a smile on his face. “Hello. Drop off or pick up?”