The Release

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Warning

*Eating Disorder*

Mom was making spaghetti and salad. She ranted about her work again, but something else came up.

"How's Rogue doing?"

"He's good," I said with caution. I forgot that she thinks we're dating. "We're just friends."

Mom furrowed her brows. "Are you using protection with your friend?"

"Mom, no!" I exclaimed. She dropped her jaw and her eyes widened in fury. "No, no! Not no like that! No, like we aren't doing anything."

"Simon said otherwise."

What is wrong with him. "Where is Simon?" I changed the subject. Mom turned off the stove and stirred the noodles.

"Oh, you know," she waved a hand, "on a date."

I sat up straight in the bar stool. "What? With who?"

She shrugged. So, Mom can keep tabs on everything in my life, but when it comes to Simon, she doesn't care what he does? That seems right.

Mom mixed the spaghetti with the sauce and we served ourselves.

"Are you getting your school work done?"

I answered the only way any teenager would. "Yep."

I put a spoonful of food in my mouth.

"I have a history test in a couple days and I think I'm gonna pass."

"You think?"

I nodded. Mom sighed, almost disappointed before I did anything wrong, like she was expecting the worst.

I ate two more spoonfuls of spaghetti.

Mom held up her hand. "Slow down, Bethany," she said with an edge. "I thought you were trying to lose weight."

Stop eating. You're getting fat.

I let her do all the talking, while I moved my food around, giving the illusion I was eating. I got up when she finished.

"Here," Mom reached out for my dishes, "I can take those."

I said a quick thank you and gave them to her. She looked at the uneaten food on my plate.

"I made you dinner, and you don't even care to eat it?"

I gulped. "Sorry, Mom."

She scoffed. "So ungrateful," she said under her breath.

I walked to my room, trying to make my breaths even. I clenched my fists and shut my door silently, not bothering to turn on the light. I crawled under the covers of my bed and layed on my side.

My thoughts got the best of me.

I need to eat less, I tell myself. Don't eat breakfast, you don't have enough time anyway. At lunch, your friends can distract you. After school, you have homework; no time to eat. At dinner, Mom is there, and you can't eat in front of her.

But if you don't eat, she'll think you don't appreciate how much she works hard to buy you food.

Stop thinking.

Stop.

I felt around for my tv remote, the rest of my body frozen. My watery eyes made my vision blurred as I chose a show to watch.

I absent-mindedly chose Parks and Recreation. I took one of my pillows and hugged it.

Hot tears dripped down my face, burning my cold, empty skin. They flowed down my right temple and the side of my nose. The lump in my throat begged my brain to let out a sob, but it gave a migraine in refusal.

I miss Wayne. But, I don't want to bother him with a text.

It's not a big deal.

I know this is a short chapter, but it reveals a lot about the Bethany.

Getting serious, this is based on a true story. This is an actual situation that I went through and I wrote it to bring an accurate representation on this topic.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter,

~B