Breaking Point [Watty's 2015]

The Before

"Aria! Come on down, we're about to have dinner!" my mom hollered from down the steps.

I trudged down the stairs plopped down at the table. My mother put my plate in front of me. Meatloaf.

While the others ate, I sat silently, waiting, praying for dinner to finally be over. This has got to be the longest meal in history, I told myself.

"You all right, sweetie? You haven't touched your food," my dad said, concerned.

"I'm not that hungry," I lied. "I had a huge lunch. Really. I'm fine."

My mother looked at me questioningly, but said nothing else. 

After thirty more eons, my father said, "Alright, Aria. If you're not going to eat anything, you may be excused."

"Thanks, Dad," I mumbled as I bolted up from my chair back to my room. I stopped in front of the mirror, pulled up my shirt, and looked at my stomach — what was now a daily routine. It had shrunken in the past few days since my breakthrough. A few pounds had been shed. I was down from 115 to 110. But that wasn't nearly enough.

Don't you dare think of breakfast tomorrow, you fatass, my mind whispered.

I sighed. My phone buzzed from my bed. Running to it, I saw that it was Mason — my boyfriend of three months.

Hey, gorgeous, it read. I was thinking of seeing a movie next Saturday — you wanna come with? :)

I was about to type, Sure, baby! But then a voice said, Don't go. You have to go to they gym, remember? Or does your huge stomach affect your memory, too?

I cringed. I picked up my phone again and typed, No, sorry. I'm busy.