The Freaks Come Out At Night

Chapter 2

I wait for Tyler at his locker after twelfth period. He smiles and kisses me. "I missed you today." He holds me and I collapse into him. I ate lunch in the band room because I just didn't feel like being near everybody. He kisses my head before we go back to his car. He plays The Killers and he drives me home. "I love you!" He says and I say it back. I go inside and wait for dad. I have dad and poppadukes.

"Oh Vivian!" He chimes.

"Oh dad!" I chime back.

"How's my baby girl?" He asks.

"Just fine but I kind of need something..."

"Oh boy."

"Well, funny story, I went to the bathroom at school and when I stood up, my phone fell out of my pants and into the toilet." I bat my eyelashes and give him my best "daddy I love you but I also love my phone and I need a new one" smile.

"Are you serious Vivian? Really?" He sighes. I smile at him and hope that it's working.

"I'm very sorry daddy." I pout.

"Well come one then, let's go to the T-Mobile store."

Luckily, my dad is very nice and gullible. He took me to get a new phone and I set it up. When we got home I went to my room. I took off all of my clothes except my bra and panties and looked in the mirror. You can see the tiny heart tattoo I gave to myself when I was fourteen. It sure is crappy but I gave it to myself so I love it. My stomach stared back at me in my reflection.

Why do you feed me so much? It asks me. Why have you let me get so big?

I start crying. My thighs touch. My arms look weird. My stomach bulges. I hate my body. I hate my everything. I throw my clothes back on and sit down. I decided to go down to Starbucks and write my paper for English. I buy a plain black coffee and get to work. While I'm typing, someone air drops a picture of a cat playing the piano and I die laughing. I heard four other people scream. Only one other person laughed.

"That is great!" A girl with brown hair says.

"Yes!" I say. I continue typing when she comes over.

"Mind if I sit?" She asks.

"Be my guest." I say.

"I'm Grace. And you?" The pretty girl asks.

"Vivian." I state. "Nice to meet you!"

"You too. So whatchya typing?" She asks.

"Oh just some stupid paper on the Wizard of Oz." I say. "Nothing great."

"Aw man that sucks. What school do you go to?"

"Palmyra. You?"

"Cinnaminson." She says. We get to talking and I realize she's really cool. She's got dark brown hair and dark brown eyes and she's skinny and tall. She's really funny and smiles nonstop. Her laugh is contagious and I just know we'll be great friends. We swap numbers and I go home.

I get home and poppadukes is cooking. "Hungry?" He asks. I shake my head no and say I ate out already. I go upstairs and hear my stomach grumble. I don't eat though, I just drink some water. I finish writing my paper and watch some T.V.

"And in just one week, you too can be as fit and healthy looking as these people. Drop the pounds in days!" I continue to listen as the person advertises the dietary supplement that I might be interested in. After the fourth "Before" and "After" picture, I'm hooked. I look it up and you can find them at Wal-Mart and I decide to go after school tomorrow. I'll tell dad I want to borrow the car. I really need to get my own car but I just haven't gotten a job yet. I change the channel and mindlessly watch T.V when I decide to call Tyler.