chapter 5

Che dressed himself and poured a cup of tea. He was mortified. He felt like he had violated the poor girl and was disgusted with himself. He couldn't explain himself, maybe it was too intimate, but even then he should have been able to control himself. He dreaded running into her on the stairs.

Ellie stood in the boiling hot shower, the grease was melting off her and her skin starting to bruise all over. She was weak kneed and trembling a little. She was slightly in shock from before and was starting to let it sink in. She felt pretty disgusted with herself and dared not touch let alone look at her body.

Whatever mixed feelings she had were starting to wear off. Self pity melted into guilt. Che was probably feeling worse than she was and none of it was his fault. There were worse ways to react and he was only trying to help. She needed to fight any selfish embarrassment and apologize as soon as possible.

She dried herself off quickly, slipped into a warm, fleecy dressing gown and wrapped her hair in a towel, she was used to looking ridiculous by now.

Che answered the door. Ellie stood there holding the pizza boxes.

"Do you want them? I was only going to throw them away."

Che shook his head. "No. I was just going to go to sleep now."

"You didn't need to run away. Thanks for helping tonight."

"I'm sorry." He avoided eye contact. "I didn't mean to get so personal."

Ellie shrugged a little. "It's not the end of the world. I thought about it and there were much worse ways to react. You don't seem like a creepy person."

Che smiled. "So you won't call the police?"

"No. Not tonight. Want to chat for a bit?"

"Sure I suppose it's not too late. Wine?" He asked to be polite, but only had expensive red in.

"Yes, why not? I think I need it."

He ushered her in politely to the living room where they sat on opposite sofas. He poured out two glasses and left them on the table.

They took a glass each and gave one another an awkward smile across the room.

"Sorry again, let's be friends, downstairs neighbour." She said

Che took a sip and coughed, it was strong wine. "Sounds like the best way to be." Still feeling awkward, he ran out of things to say.

Ellie sipped a large amount of wine quickly. "I've seen you go running most evenings. Why do you do that?"

Che shrugged. "I like it. Did you want to try?"

"I don't know. I wish I had willpower to be healthy, but I don't. I need motivation."

Che felt awkward. "I just like running, you know? Some people do. I can't really teach that."

"Maybe I need someone to shame me, every day. Tell me that I'm a fat bitch or stop stuffing myself." She let out a nervous giggle.

"I'm not going to do that. It sounds cruel."

"That's the point I guess."

Che thought for a second. "Um. You should do sit ups."

Ellie shook her head. "You're not very good at that."

"Does it even matter? You look normal to me."

"Seriously? You were upstairs half an hour ago."

"I don't know. We've all been in stupid situations before because we didn't think. I twisted my ankle falling off a sand dune a year ago. I had to limp for three miles and spent a month pretending nothing was wrong."

Ellie scowled "that's not the same and you know it isn't."

Che wanted to mention the sauna, but felt that was too serious. "Look, try not to dwell on it, I'm not going to tell anyone about it. I barely know anyone here."

Ellie smirked. "I guess I could try to forget it. But right now I just feel shame. A fat, disgusting loser."

"I don't think you're a disgusting loser. Don't worry."

"Just fat?"

Che rolled his eyes. "Well."

Ellie lifted her finger to stop him. "Sorry I should stop taking it out on you."

Che smiled. "Have some cold pizza with me and forget about it."