Dark Side

Chapter 9

Kaleb sat behind MG, spotting him as he lifted. He finally sighed, fed up with the uneasy silence. "So you and Hope snuck off campus again?"
"How much weight did you put on this?" MG asked, ignoring his question as he struggled to lift the bar. 
"Not that much. Now answer the question."
"We just went out for a snack."
"Really, MG?" Kaleb stood up. "Because your clothes were soaked in blood. So the snack might've been a meal." Kaleb lifted the bar effortlessly with one hand. "And yet you still can't lift this."
"And why is that?" MG sat up and whirled around.
"Because you're not feeding right." Kaleb folded his hands and stared at his friend.
"But it's human blood."
"Doesn't matter." Kaleb shook his head disdainfully. "This whole feasting and then starving thing you've got going on isn't working."
"So … all my effort is making no difference." MG sighed, his shoulders slumping. 
"What I'm saying is: moderation. You can't keep flying back and forth between gorging and then starving yourself because you feel guilty," Kaleb said. He glanced up when he heard high heels entering the gym. One glance at Hope and he grabbed his bag and left, shaking his head more.
Hope watched him as he walked by, waiting until he was gone to speak. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay after earlier." Hope looked down at MG a bit awkwardly. "You seemed a bit … shooken up when I left you."
"I just lost control." MG stood up and smiled softly. "That's all."
"Well that was the point, wasn't it? Working on your control?" Hope was confused.
“Well maybe diving head first into the deep end isn't working for me, Hope.”
Hope took a step back, not liking the feeling in her chest. It took her a moment to find the words. “Fine. Do what you want.”
She left MG alone in the gym and didn’t look back.