Mr.Right

I think I'm going to pass out.

As in, I think I'm going to pass out right here, right now, on the cold floor, with my limbs spread out like Nutella on bread. 

"Go faster, come on. Even my Granny can do better than this," Maverick says and I wipe the sweat from my forehead and increase my pace on the treadmill.

You might well be asking why I'm on a treadmill, sweating like a pig and running as though my life depends on it. Well, I got into something resembling a therapy session with Maverick and this was the result.

Our conversation went something like this:

"What are the qualities you admire in a person, April?" he said. He was seated opposite me with one of his legs crossed over the other.

I hesitated. "Um... I like a person who's confident being who they are and who doesn't care what others think of them."

He nodded  at my answer and wrote something down in his notepad before looking back at me. "And why do you admire those things?"

"I want to see the things I don't have in others," I said.

"Do you believe that everyone is beautiful in their own way?"

I gave a dry laugh. "Excuse me? Have you met me? We can't all be beautiful or I wouldn't be here, feeling like this. Some of us are just... existing. We don't like anyone and nobody likes us."

I saw him frown before writing something back on his notepad. "If you had the chance to change something about yourself, what would that be?"

"My size," I said, without thinking, and both his eyebrows shot up. "I've been criticized more times than I can count, just because I'm... big. I get that it's good to love yourself, no matter who you are, but it's hard to believe that when there are so many jerks in the world."

And that was the end of the 'semi therapy session'. The next thing Maverick did was drag out a treadmill and order me to get on it. You know the rest.

I was pretty powerless at resisting him.

"That's forty-five minutes already." He punches a button on the treadmill which causes it to stop.

I place my hands on my knees and pant.

"This is crazy," I say between breaths and watch him tut at me.

"You have to up your game. There're still thirty more days to go." He strolls out of the room, as if he hasn't just given me a death sentence - how am I supposed to do thirty more days of this? - and I follow behind.

When I reach the kitchen, I fling the refrigerator open, taking out a huge, shiny tub of ice cream.

Maverick catches my wrist. "Let me have a look at that. It looks expired."

looking at him

empties all the ice

I stare at the empty ice

out," says Maverick calmly. "Ice cream is the least thing you need, right now. In fact, here's a diet chart that you're going to adhere to from now on." He brings out a marker pen from the cupboards and draws something that looks

on right now. I just

three hard-boiled eggs, some grapefruit, one banana and black coffee." He's writing the items down on the refrigerator as

bananas," I

they go

"But I don't like-"

as though he hasn't heard me. "You'll have two hard-boiled eggs,

many bananas?"

Maverick, turning to write on the fridge again. "In that case, there'll be no

mention of salad. I haven't eaten anything that looks remotely

whole week and the fridge

are officially over.

desperately, in a last-ditch attempt to make the week more exciting.

you later. And no, no

the counter and I pick it up, without looking at the caller

a familiar voice says on the other end of

~~~~~~~~

problem with making breakfast this morning because, according to the

ears and nose turn red. I shrug on

on my way to meet Jim and my brother

night and got whacked with a shovel by his neighbour.

is it with kids these days sneaking into people's

glad he went to Jim's instead of calling Tony.

a table at the far

pressed over one eye and his sleek dark hair

reached their table. Then I nod at Jim as a form

I could say the same," Jack replies dryly. "Did you eat your

sorry I didn't pick up. You should've told me before

you a surprise visit and what I saw at Tony's place

speaks for the first time since I got here.

sorry' as he diverts his gaze to somewhere that isn't

me. I can't even handle my own brother.

it off," Jack says to the both of us. "My sister was so dense at the time. Please take

hair from his head as he yells out in pain. "What do you know? You were twelve and the only thing you should've been worried about at the time

his lips lifting up into a small smile. "But he had his first chest hair at the time