Chapter 15

Annabella started seeing a therapist for her eating disorder. It was a turning point in their relationship. She slowly began to open up to him. Their relationship became deeper and more real.

Her life had been an act, a constant and exhausting attempt to hide her bulimia. Once she stopped acting, she could slowly let the real Bella shine through. She had forgotten who she was when she was bulimic. But, as she began to recover and open up about her eating disorder, she learned to love herself. Cheesy but true.

Gradually, Annabella realized that Derek didn’t hate her if she was bulimic. She realized that she could open up to him, and he would still love her.

The more she shared with him and her therapist about her bulimic experience, the more she felt able to conquer it. She began to understand that bulimia was not everything about her life. It was but a small part of it.

A small part that she could beat.

However, Annabella still had other battles to fight.

Annabella preferred spending time at Derek’s place in the evenings because his home was just so much more comfortable than her tiny apartment. They had gotten into the habit of her sleeping over.

Derek had left work early to go grocery shopping and left Annabella the task of leaving everything ready from the next day and closing the gym.