Chapter 3

The mall was packed, as usual, with people rushing from one store to another. The noise, the lights, and the sheer number of bodies moving around made my head spin. I stuck close to Elijah and Easton, trying not to get lost in the sea of shoppers. When we reached the center of the mall, Elijah stopped and turned to face us, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"Alright, guys, you can go off and pick out some new clothes. We'll meet back here for lunch in about an hour."

Miles and Alex exchanged a quick look, eager to get going. Within seconds, they were off, blending into the crowd. Henry followed, probably heading to a bookstore. That left me standing there with Elijah and Easton, my stomach twisting into knots at the thought of being left alone in this overwhelming place.

Elijah must have noticed my anxiety because he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, Adrian. We'll stick with you. Let's get you that new backpack and some clothes, and then we'll meet up with the others."

Easton nodded, giving me a small smile. "Yeah, we're not in a rush. We'll take our time."

I nodded, grateful they were staying with me. The three of us started walking again, with Elijah leading the way. He moved through the crowd with ease, like he knew exactly where he was going. We reached a store with a display of backpacks in the window, and I felt a little relief. At least this part would be straightforward.

Inside, Elijah began pulling a few backpacks off the racks, showing them to me. "What do you think of this one?" he asked, holding up a black one with lots of pockets.

I took it, testing the zippers and straps. It seemed solid, and I liked that it wasn't too flashy. "Yeah, this one's good," I said, nodding.

"Great," Elijah said, slinging it over his shoulder. "Now, let's get you some clothes."

We moved to the clothing section, where Easton started going through the racks, picking out a few shirts and a pair of jeans. He handed them to me with a smile. "These should work. Want to try them on?"

I nodded and headed to the fitting rooms. But when I put the clothes on, they hung off me, way too big. I stared at myself in the mirror, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment. When I came out, I mumbled, "They're too big."

Easton took one look and frowned. "Yeah, these are definitely too big. Let's ask if they have a size down."

Elijah flagged down a store worker, who came over with a polite smile. "Hi, could you check if you have these in a smaller size?" Elijah asked.

The worker glanced at the tags, then shook her head. "Sorry, we don't have a smaller size in these. You might want to check the kids' section."

Her words made my face flush with embarrassment. Elijah and Easton exchanged a worried look, and I could see the concern in their eyes. They were trying not to make a big deal out of it, but I could tell it bothered them.

Easton spoke up first, keeping his tone light. "Thanks for checking. We'll figure something out."

As the worker walked away, Elijah turned to me with a soft smile. "It's okay, Adrian. We'll find something that fits. No big deal."

But I could see the worry in his eyes. Easton looked over at me, his expression serious. "You've been eating, right, Adrian? You're looking a bit thinner than usual."

My stomach twisted at their concern. I hated being the one they worried about. "Yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled, not wanting to make this into a bigger issue.

Elijah nodded, but I could tell he wasn't convinced. "We'll keep an eye on it," he said gently. "Let's just focus on finding you some clothes that fit, okay?"

I nodded, trying to push the embarrassment aside. We headed to another store, but I could feel their concern hanging in the air, making me even more anxious. The idea that they were worried about me, that they thought I wasn't eating enough it just made everything worse.

As we browsed through more clothes, I tried to act normal, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was disappointing them somehow. Elijah and Easton were trying to be supportive, but their concern only added to the pressure I already felt. I just wanted to get through this, find some clothes, and get out of the mall as quickly as possible.

After we finished shopping, we met up with the rest of my brothers near the food court. Miles, Alex, and Henry were already lounging at a table, bags from various stores scattered around their feet. Elijah guided me over, and Easton trailed behind, his hand resting on my shoulder as if to keep me from bolting. I wasn't exactly thrilled about lunch, knowing what was coming.

As soon as we sat down at the large booth in the restaurant, the waitress came over with menus. She handed them out with a friendly smile, but I barely glanced at mine. I knew I wouldn't have much of a say in what I'd be eating.

Elijah took charge as usual, scanning the menu quickly. "Alright, guys, what's everyone having?"

Miles was the first to speak up. "I'll go with the burger and fries," he said, closing his menu and handing it back to the waitress.

"Same here," Alex chimed in, not bothering to look at the menu for long. "Extra cheese on mine."

Henry leaned back in his seat, casually skimming the options. "I'll have the steak, medium rare, with a side of mashed potatoes please."

Elijah nodded, then looked at Easton. "What about you?"

"I'm thinking the chicken sandwich with a side salad," Easton said, handing his menu back as well.

Elijah turned to me last, giving me a look that said he already knew what I was going to say. "Adrian will have the chicken strips and a salad," he ordered for me, making the decision before I could even open my mouth. I sighed but didn't argue. I knew better than to fight Elijah on food.

The waitress jotted down the orders, then looked back at Elijah. "And for you?"

"I'll take the grilled chicken with steamed vegetables please," he said, before handing over the menus and thanking the waitress.

Once she was gone, I felt the weight of their attention shift off me slightly, but I knew it wouldn't last. They were all chatting about their orders and what they were going to do after lunch, but I could feel Elijah's eyes on me every now and then, making sure I was ready to eat when the food arrived.

I tried to focus on the conversation, but all I could think about was how I'd have to eat the whole meal salad, chicken, and all if I wanted to avoid their teasing and concerns. The knot in my stomach tightened, but I forced a smile, trying to act like everything was fine.

When our meals arrived, I went straight for the salad, picking at it while the others dug into their meals with their usual enthusiasm. The chicken strips sat untouched on my plate, but I hoped that if I ate enough of the salad, Elijah might let me off the hook.

No such luck.

"Bunny, you need to eat the chicken, too," Elijah said, eyeing my plate.

"I'm not that hungry," I muttered, knowing how weak it sounded.

Elijah didn't let it slide. "You haven't eaten enough. If you don't start eating, we'll have to feed you like a baby," he said, half-teasing, half-serious.

I could hear the grin in Easton's voice as he added, "You don't want that, do you?"

The others snickered, clearly enjoying the idea. I glanced at the chicken strips, my stomach twisting. But the thought of them actually feeding me was worse, so I picked one up and took a small bite, trying to ignore the attention.

"There you go," Elijah said, satisfied, before turning his focus back to his own meal.

As I slowly ate the chicken, the conversation around the table shifted. Miles and Alex were going over their latest purchases, showing them off to Henry.

"Think Dad will notice the money missing from the cards?" Miles asked with a smirk, holding up a pair of sneakers that had to cost more than I usually spent in a month.

Alex shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. "He probably won't. Not with how much he gives us anyway. It's like he's trying to buy us off for not being around."

Henry laughed, shaking his head. "Mom's definitely not going to be happy about that. She already thinks all the money should go to her."

"Yeah, she's always complaining about it," Miles said, rolling his eyes. "But whatever, as long as we get our allowance."

Their words buzzed around me, but I didn't say anything. Talking about Dad always made me uncomfortable. He was hardly ever around, but when he was, it was like he was trying to make up for lost time with his wallet. I wasn't sure how to feel about it, and I definitely didn't want to get dragged into the conversation.

But it was hard to avoid the teasing.

"You've got to eat more, Addy," Henry said, nodding at my half-eaten chicken strips. "You're going to stay small forever at this rate."

"Yeah, we might have to start ordering from the baby menu for you," Miles added with a grin.

I tried to laugh it off, but it stung more than I wanted to admit. They were just joking around, like always, but it felt like a reminder of how I didn't quite fit in with them, how I was always playing catch-up.

"Don't worry, Bunny," Easton said, his tone a little softer. "You'll catch up eventually."

I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything without giving away how much the teasing bothered me. I forced myself to eat the rest of the chicken strips, not wanting to give them any more reason to poke fun at me. The rest of lunch passed with more talk about shopping and Dad's money, but I mostly kept quiet, letting their words wash over me as I focused on finishing my meal.

By the time we left the restaurant, I was full, but not in a good way. The teasing, the conversation about Dad, and the pressure to eat had left me feeling drained. I was relieved when lunch was finally over, though I knew it wouldn't be the last time they pushed me about eating or joked about my size. It was just something I'd have to deal with, like always.

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Word count:1799

Hey Guys Thanks for reading this story so please be nice and kind. I am sorry if there are any spelling mistakes or bad grammar.

Thanks for reading my third chapter and please vote and leave a comment.

More chapters will be coming out soon.

*EMMA HETHRON*