Alora Jones; a shy, 20-year-old who has spent all of her life struggling with her weight. It doesn't help that the main cause of that is because of her parents. Growing up with constant negativity and hurtful words being thrown at her by the two tha...
"Alora! Let's go! We're going to be late!" My mom shouts up the stairs at me. It's our first session at this gym she signed us up for. She says she's concerned about my weight because of how young I am. The doctors have said that I shouldn't weigh this much at only age 10, once my mom heard that she signed me up for every diet plan you could think of. Nothing worked though. So she thought that mommy-daughter gym sessions would make me motivated, she called it "bonding time". I know it's not though, she wants me to be just like her; skinny and beautiful. When she thinks I don't notice, I see her look at me with disappointment. I look at myself in the mirror, flattening my oversized t-shirt that I wore to hide my fat.
This will be good for you. A voice says in my head.
This is the only way she will love you. Another voice speaks up.
I try shaking them away, but maybe they're right. Maybe if I lose this weight my mom will finally love me again.
Her voice calls me downstairs one last time, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Coming Momma!" I shout as I grab my water and make my way down the stairs to see her waiting at the door.
I'm a little bit out of breath from taking the stairs too fast so I take a drink of my water.
"And that is exactly why you need to lose this weight Alora. You should not be out of breath by walking down some stairs. Plus, you're getting to the age where boys are going to start getting crushes, no boy is going to like you when you look like that sweetheart." She says in a loving tone, meanwhile, venom is falling from her lips which are covered in the most beautiful pink color.
I feel tears prick in my eyes but I quickly suck them back in when I see my dad in the doorway. I'm sure he heard everything she just said but he won't do anything about it. He never does. Sometimes I wonder if he feels the same way but doesn't want to break me even more than my mom already has. Deep down I know he loves me, I just wish he had a better way of showing it. My dad and I don't have a terrible relationship but it could be better. I always dreamed of being a daddy's girl but I guess that just isn't in the cards for me.
Before I could wipe my tears away my mom noticed.
"Oh stop crying Alora, you know I'm saying these things because I love you. Stop being such a crybaby all of the time." She rolls her eyes and goes to open the door.
"Sure you do," I mutter under my breath, making sure she can't hear me and I follow her out the door.
I wake up suddenly, my heart pounding against my chest as if it wants to escape. Sweat beads on my forehead, clinging to my skin like the remnants of the nightmare that just released its grip on my consciousness. My breath comes in short, ragged gasps, each one a desperate attempt to shake off the lingering tendrils of fear that still coil around me.
