Page 2 of Careless

“You're not ugly, kid, and you're not fat. Have you seen my mom? She's fat,” he says seriously.

A laugh falls from my lips, which I try to hide, but it ends up coming out in spouts of giggling.

Rian's mommy is a big lady, but she's still very beautiful. She always looks so sad, though, just like Rian.

“Your mommy is pretty,” I tell him.

“Yeah, she is, but so are you. You're not fat. You're... chunky at worst.”

“Chunky?” I stare at him, confused.

“That's how my mom describes how big I was as a baby. Chunky. Not fat, but extra meat on the bones.. If some people think you're fat, who cares? Those people don’t matter. If they don't take the time to get to know you before they judge you, they're not worth your time.”

Rian's words hit hard. He really means them. Rian thinks I'm pretty just the way I am. He said he cares about me—and it’s not just him, but all of my brother's friends, too.

My heart skips a beat, and it has nothing to do with Tiernan, Colin, or Eoghan. My heart skips a beat because it's Rian telling me this.

This is the moment when I developed my crush on Rian Walsh, my brother's best friend. I didn’t know it as a child, but this is the moment that will alter everything about my life.

The good.

The bad.

The deadly.

CHAPTERONE

HER

The oxygen squeezes and stabs around in my lungs, demanding I stop. I give them a mental fuck you and keep pushing myself past what my body wants to give. I refuse to concede. I'm so damn close to getting past my personal best.

It’s in part to the routine I developed. I wake up early, run through our dilapidated neighborhood, take a hot shower then make a healthy breakfast. The only thing that changes is if I go to school, or dance practice before going to the gym.

I've known since I was a little girl that I need to work harder than the other girls. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at a young age, which means it's difficult to lose weight or keep it off. I will always have to fight this battle but I'm strong. I push past any obstacles and exceed expectations. That's part of being an O'Reilly.

Dad and Finn don't care if I’m overweight but I'd be lying if I said I felt the same way.

I wouldn't call myself fat. My weight is on the edge of what doctors consideroverweight.If I lost thirty pounds, I'd be on target.

I want to wear what all the other girls in my school wear, crop tops and short shorts. However I’m too self conscious and I feel like everyone would cringe at my curvy figure.

I can’t eliminate my condition, so I do my best to combat it. It takes effort but I try to make the best out of it.

The slap of my pink running shoe’s soles muffle as I hit my front yard. My racing heart calms a bit as I take a deep breath.

One second higher than my fastest time.

It's something to celebrate. If I keep working hard, I might be able to make the track team in college.

That's if I get a scholarship and get accepted into a university. I'm in the top ten percent of my class, but that’s not saying a lot being from Grove Hill. I’m always flirting with the ever sought after 4.0. If I wasn’t so busy with my running and other activities I’m sure that I’d have straight A’s.

I sent in my application to Rice and the University of Houston a few months ago, but I haven't received a response.

I don't want to be far away from home, so those two universities are my only options besides my local community college.

Regardless of where I go, it will be a big deal for my family as I’ll be the first to attend college. Education hasn’t always been a top priority in my household, I had to force Finn to go back for his high school diploma. Speaking of school, I need to get ready.

I stroll into the house and quickly make my way to the kitchen. The scent of coffee fills my senses shortly after I hit thebrewbutton on the coffee maker. I prepare a grapefruit and plain oatmeal to go along with it, for Dad. For me, I settle on scrambled eggs and a bottle of water.

---