Castles crumbling (Taylor Swift's little sister)

I *watch* all my bridges burn to the ground (Apple Watch)

You had been saving up for a while the money from some tutoring lessons you were giving, and you decided you wanted to get an Apple Watch. You were super excited about getting something you had worked your money for, and your mom and Taylor were happy to see you that thrilled. You got the rose gold aluminum watch with the light blush sport band and all the way home spent it setting your new acquisition and pairing it with your phone. You started searching online for cool things you could do with your Apple Watch and quickly learned that it could track your heart rate, blood pressure, movement, etc., it could help you keeping habits and it had health related features.

You set some goals in your watch and started planning how to achieve them. You had been doing good, exercising in company and you had joined the contemporary dance club at school. It was good for you to exercise that way—although exercise was still a challenge for you to not see only as compensation, doing it with other people left you less time to be alone with your head when you did it, decreasing at least a bit the chances for your mind to spiral. You were thrilled to see your watch's rings filling and closing, but then you wanted to challenge yourself a bit more, so you changed the goals, increased them slightly. A couple of weeks later you felt good and decided to change them again—increasing them another time. It soon turned into doing everything you could to close your rings and if you weren't able to do it, then cut on food to make sure you were healthy. The familiar anxiety about everything started crippling in again. Your days were now filled with you trying to meet your goals, you would wake up in the middle of the night and throw a half an hour workout routine to then go back to sleep and start the day already ahead of your rings. You were becoming tired quickly, but you pushed through, even when you found yourself more worn out and sleepy during the day.

You had become friends with a girl from another school that was part of the team, Jessica. One Monday Jessica's mom couldn't go and get her, so she was going to walk home, but your mom offered to drive her back home. Since then, both moms agreed that every Monday Andrea would take Jessica to her home and on Wednesdays Jessica's mom would drive you home. However, since some weeks ago you declined the offer saying you needed to go to the stationery shop to meet with your biology group because you needed to boy and print some stuff for a school project, they were hesitant at first—offering to drive you to where you needed to go before going home, but you convinced them it was not a big deal and that you would let them know when you were at home. Each Wednesday, you would walk back home to meet your goals. Today you decided to run back home to close your rings faster, at one point it started raining but you didn't care and kept on with your exercise, thinking you would say that you got wet running from the car to the front door if someone asked you. You were, wet, sweaty and tired.

At home, Tree was in the living room, she was discussing work stuff with Taylor and Andrea, but they had gone to get some tea to the kitchen.

- "I'm home! I'll shower" you screamed as soon as you stepped in. Then you saw a familiar redhead sitting on the sofa typing on her phone. - "Oh, hi Tree" you said as you closed the door behind you.

Tree's face fell down as she took your appearance, not only your face was red, and you were sweaty (and wet), but you looked different. She fought to keep it neutral - "Hey Lizzie" she said standing up to hug you properly, but you stopped her. - "I'll give you a hug once I shower, right now I feel gross" Tree laughed lightly and nodded, she was about to say something about how wet you were, but before she could say anything, you walked to the stairs.

You ran upstairs to shower quickly before someone else could see you that tired. You undressed and looked at your rings before taking off your watch while showering: the exercise one was already complete by far, the move ring was already complete too, and the stand ring was still not completed, but you knew you could manage to complete it within the next few hours. You smiled and took it off, putting it carefully down, then hopped inside the shower.

Downstairs, Taylor came into the living room with a tray carrying four cups of tea. - "Mom said to bring the tea now, so it was still hot, she's letting the cookies cool for some minutes and then platting them"

Tree smiled - "Thank you"

Taylor placed the tray on the table - "She insisted on bringing Lizzie a cup of tea although I told her that she's probably taking her time in the shower. I imagine she greeted you and went straight to her bedroom"

Tree nodded - "Yes, she said she would give me a hug after showering. How is she?"

- "Fine, she's prepping lots for the contemporary dance presentation" Taylor said before taking a sip.

Tree bit her lip before speaking, but she knew she couldn't keep this a secret- "She came home super tired and like she had been exercising. She was also wet"

- "Well, she had been, the dance practices must be demanding. It's raining outside" Taylor replied.

The redhead continued: - "She was very wet, Tay. Her face was red; she looked like she had been running. Why was she running after her practice?"

Taylor frowned, confused - "I don't know"

- "I think she's losing weight again..." Tree said taking her own cup in between her hands.

- "We haven't known about her weight for some time now...she has been doing so good-

Just in that moment Andrea entered carrying a plate with the cookies and put them down in the table
- "Where's Elizabeth?"

Tree and Taylor noticed that Andrea was clearly disappointed - "She's upstairs showering, why? What happened?" Taylor asked.

Your mom gasped - "Jessica's mom just called me, asked me if Lizzie came home alright" Andrea said sitting down in front of Taylor and Tree.

- "Doesn't Jessica's mom drive her on Wednesdays back here?" Taylor asked.

- "Exactly" your mom said - "She said that Lizzie has been going to the stationery shop to meet with her biology group for some weeks now, that she texts Jessica as soon as she gets home, but today she hasn't texted anything"

- "Tree said that Lizzie looked like she had been running when she got here, that she was wet" Taylor said - "She also said that it looks like she's lost weight again" Taylor added softly, and Tree tensed up.

- "It's okay Tree, thank you for spotting it. We haven't known about her weight in a while, but I'll be weighting her soon" Andrea said as she took sip of her own tea.

- "Do you think she has been running home all these past Wednesdays?" Taylor asked.

- "Well, she told me that they had been going for smoothies with Jessica and her mom before coming back home and that's why she took longer to arrive, but now I'm thinking she might have been running back here" Andrea said distress and Taylor bit her lip.

- "How are you planning on handling this?" Tree asked.

- "I'm confronting her, I'm not waiting any time on this" Andrea said and in that same moment you came down the stairs.

- "Now I can hug you properly" you said approaching Tree to hug her. The redhead hugged you back and you turned to greet your sister and your mom. You looked at them and knew that something had happened, Tree and Taylor looked worried. - "What's the matter? Am I in trouble?" You asked trying to lighten up the mood.

- "Actually, yes—you are" your mom said straightaway, and your eyes widened.
- "Why did you come home wet and looked like you were running?"

Your immediately glared at Tree, you were about to come up with an excuse and opened your mouth, but your mom was faster:

- "Don't blame Tree. Tell me why I just got a call from Jessica's mom asking me if you got home alright because you went to the stationery shop to print something with your biology group for the project?"

Your face dropped immediately. You couldn't say anything, your mind was blank. Tears threatened to fall, and you just bit your cheeks from the inside and looked up to the ceiling to avoid crying. Taylor looked at your mom—wondering what she was planning on doing. Your mom face showed range and disappointment.

- "Are you going to explain?" She questioned raising her right eyebrow.

Your mom face kept looking up and didn't answer anything for some seconds. She sighed, stood up quickly and grabbed her bag: - "I need some time" she said and left through the front door. You looked to your sister and her publicist, both their faces showed concern but they both had a soft and sympathetic smile. You thickly swallowed and turned around to run upstairs, before they could stop you, you were already half the way up.

- "LIZZIE!" Taylor shouted before your door slammed shut. Taylor rubbed her eyes tiredly
- "I'm sorry" she said to Tree.

- "It's completely fine. Don't worry" Tree said rubbing her hand softly. - "But I think it's time for me to go..." the redhead said softly and stood up slowly

- "Please, stay." Taylor whispered with tears about to fall.

Tree sat down again and squeezed Taylor's hand.

- "I probably should go and talk to Lizzie, but I don't know how" Taylor accepted defeated.

Tree grimaced - "I don't know if she wants me here for that...."

- "I just need your support" Taylor said with some tears escaping.

Tree squeezed Taylor's hand again - "You need to confront her, but not like your mom would. Show her you're worried and you love her. We all just want the best for her"

Taylor nodded and wiped her tears, she went upstairs, and the redhead followed her, but didn't walk all the way to your door, she stayed close but somewhere you couldn't see her. Taylor knocked gently on your door - "Baby? May I come in?"

There was no answer and Taylor looked worried at Tree - "I'm looking for the keys copies that mom has" she said and went to Andrea's room.

Tree walked to your door and turned the doorknob, which, to her surprise, opened. She saw you on the floor doing sit-ups, AirPods on.

You didn't notice her walking in, that's how into your head you were, the redhead saw how you kept glancing at your watch.

Tree's face softened - "Lizzie, honey" she said as she approached to you to sit by your side.

She jump-scared you and you looked at her with teary eyes. She held your hand and squeezed it with her right hand and took of one of your AirPods off with her left hand. In that moment Taylor walked in, and your eyes turned black in rage.

- "GO AWAY! BOTH OF YOU. LEAVE ME ALONE" you shouted pulling back from Tree.

Taylor took a step forward - "I'm sorry but no. You are not pushing us away. Furious Lizzie won't work on us today. We're going to stay here until you talk to us—we can do it the hard way or the easy way, your choice" your sister said in a flat tone and sat on the floor, in front of you too.

- "Taylor's right. I can leave right now if you don't feel comfortable, but you need to talk" Tree said standing up.

- "No. You can stay. Please, stay" you said softly with a broken voice.

Tree's eyes watered as she nodded and sat again on the floor.  - "What's going on honey?" She said.

- "Nothing" you shrugged.

- "Why did you run home today?" Taylor asked.

- "It was a nice day; I just wanted to enjoy it" you replied fidgeting with your fingers and looking at the screen of your watch.

Both Taylor and Tree rolled their eyes - "It's raining" Tree said.

In that moment Taylor received a text and grimaced.

- "What happened?" You asked and looked at your watch.

- "Nothing" Taylor locked her phone.

- "That's the special tone you have for mom. What did she say? Is it something about me?" You insisted.

Taylor gave you her phone so you could read it: 'Buying some scales right now to weight Elizabeth as soon as I come home. Make sure she doesn't drink anything to cheat the weight in'

Your eyes widened as you read it - "I don't want to be weighted!"

- "We just want to check that you're healthy" Taylor said.

- "I am healthy! You just need to leave me alone" you said and checked your watch.

- "Healthy people don't run in the rain" Taylor said.

- "It was just today, Okay?" You said.

- "We already know that you haven't been coming home in Jessica's car for a while now, Liz" Taylor claimed. - "Why do you keep looking at your watch?" She questioned.

You stopped and hid your wrist behind your back.

- "What do you have there? Show me!" Taylor said.

- "Nothing"

Taylor grabbed your arm, and you fought back but she held strong.

- "TAYLOR! STOP" you screamed but she was able to take your watch off. Tree was looking with wide eyes the whole interaction. Taylor looked at it and inspected it, she was tapping frantically to know what you were doing. Tears started to stream down your face. Taylor face flattered slowly as she realized what was happening.

- "You've been obsessing over exercising, and you've been tracking everything with your watch, haven't you?" Taylor said.

You looked down ashamed, avoiding meeting her gaze.

- "You have been running on Wednesdays after dance practice..." Taylor realized.

You bet your lip - "I just ran today; I've been walking the other days" 

Taylor rolled her eyes.

- "I'm so sorry" you said.

Tree wiped your tears softly with both of her hands.

Taylor spoke again - "You've been restricting too, haven't you?"

You just cried louder.

- "We need to tell mom-

-"NO!"

-"Everything will be okay. You will get well again; we need to get on top of this" Taylor said squeezing your hand. In that moment, the front door sounded, it was your mom - "I'm back. Where are you?"

You looked terrified at both of them.

- "In Lizzie's room!" Taylor shouted back.

As you heard your mom's steps approaching, you started shaking. Tree just mouthed - "It will be okay" but you shook your head and closed your eyes, as if it would make everything disappear. Andrea took the image in front of her and her face softened immediately. Tree and Taylor looked up to her, Andrea took in Taylor's watery eyes and nodded slowly. She walked and stood up in front of you:
- "Darling. Come on, open your eyes"

You opened your eyes, and she smiled softly.

- "Come on, let's go to my room" Andrea said as she extended her hand for you to catch it. Her other arm wrapped a box with some scales. You took her hand and she helped you stand up. - "Everything will be okay, come on"

- "Mom, please. Don't" you whispered.

- "I'm not mad. Come on" Andrea said, and you followed her, but you looked back at Tree and Taylor, you had panic all over your face. They nodded encouragingly.

Your mom placed the scales on the floor and asked you to step on backwards, she gently guided you on top. Your mom gasped as she saw the numbers. She helped you down, then held your hands in between hers and squeezed them

- "I'm sorry for acting mad, I'm just very worried. But I'm not mad. I'm not—not about this. Am I mad about you lying? Yes. Mad about you struggling? Never" Your mom said, and you sobbed. - "I got you, Lizzie. We got you Lizzie" she said hugging you tight.

THE END.