Echoes of the Night

llen for a boy who cam

ere for him, helping him wo

sense a subtle warmth, a b

if we could meet in person

wasn't ready, and mayb

e confident enough to look him i

s was every g

ly to people, always looking them right in the

ct guy on the surface, Nikol

in his right ear and re

by ch

My role was to assist students who needed psychological help but weren't

account on our campus counseling

st that w

mingly perfect as Nikolas to struggl

stories about his traumatic childhood, his everyd

now him, the strong

, remarkable boy was also develop

ikolas asked to m

clin

n't been hone

nt, accomplished per

an insecure girl myse

" giving ourselves two months t

e, I resolved t

him as the best version o

ht. Besides my daily workouts at the gym, I devoted two hours a day

workout, I felt lightheaded

t myself tumbling forward,

ow, I was certain I'd

bracing for the impact, a figure

my weight, and inertia pul

ses, I found myself unharmed,

. "Are... ar

e dripping with sarca

lance right now!" I

oice spoke from above. "Excu

to Nikolas's c

sweaty, disheveled, and sprawled out on t

f strength. I hoisted my poor rescuer up and das

arms chuckled. "Eve, for someone who's su

e knew

e, I finally got a

es sharper and cooler than Nikolas's, h

the more familiar h

together in English class before he transferred to anot

running into him was his appea

rk. "We can catch up later. For

in your right arm. Take it eas

"I'm so sorry. You got hurt the minute we met up, and if it w

zing look. "But you... Low blood sugar, malnu

words, and I couldn't help but

in weight by just looking at food. I w

e older I got, the more people around me seemed to judge women by

I wanted to look my best in

id you lose al

broad shoulders and a trim waist. He

ny way I could lose, say, twenty pounds

no contact, my first conversation with Wesley

me slim down" thing seriously, but the very next morning, I

ical about jogging as

out was Wesley hauling me out of bed

lves bulky?" I asked, panting behind him,

ody fat to begin with. For someone as... wel

w hundred yards, I could barely keep going. "I give up! I'm jus

s injured arm tucked close to his body.

heavy activity..." I said

r breathing.

asing up. "Congratulations, you broke your own limits for today. See? A little effort, and look how

is hard just to buil

but smile. "Well, Coach Shepherd

hair. "Come on, Coach Shepherd is t

to the question of why I want