Uncovered Secrets

The Tunnel Gets Darker

Chapter Two: Demi's POV

Half an hour later, after Anna helps me get cleaned up, we put in a movie. Half way through I hear a sniffle and look up to see Anna crying silently.

"What's wrong?" I ask, siting up.

"I love you so much, Demi. I just don't want to lose you." She whispers. I pull her close.

"You won't." I say. But I know it's a lie. If I'm honest, I've been lost for years. I don't know who I am, and when I look in the mirror I don't recognize who I see.

"Demi I have something to tell you." Anna says, looking me in the eyes.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm going off to boarding school. It's a great school that I got into... I found out last week." I was stunned. Just a second ago, she was telling me how she never wanted to leave me, and now she's telling me she's going to boarding school?

"Where is it?" I ask.

"Pennsylvania." She says, looking down.

"How far away is that from Arizona?" I ask. Anna shrugs. I'm silent for a minute before I finally say, "I'm happy for you. I remember how hard you were working to get into some boarding school. I remember you couldn't come to my birthday sleepover because you were studying." I smile at her. She looks uncertain for a moment before she smiles shyly.

"Well I'll be there next year so we've got almost a whole year." She smiles at me again, only this time it's bigger. "Are you going to tell your mom about... You know... What happened in the bathroom?" She asks quietly. I shake my head.

"I can't, Anna. I can't. And please, promise me you won't either." Anna looks torn.

"I really want you to get better, Dem." I feel tears in my eyes.

"I'll stop." I say, knowing fully well that I won't. "I'll stop, okay? Just please don't tell." Anna falls for it.

"Okay. If you stop, I won't tell." I smile at her and nod. The next day, I wake up at 8 and go downstairs to find my mom making pancakes. They smell delicious, but then I look at my stomach. Nope, no breakfast for me.

"Morning honey. Is Anna up? I thought maybe you two could to the mall today, I could drive you? Does that sound fun?" I nod. I know Mom is trying to make me feel better about what happened yesterday, but part of me feels uneasy. I don't want to make a big deal about this.

"No, she's asleep but I think she'd wanna go to the mall." My mom smiles.

"You okay?" She asks, cocking her head. I sigh.

"I'm fine." She looks doubtful for a moment before she sighs and sits down.

"Demi look, those kids are wrong. You're not fat, at all. You're beautiful." I smile.

"I know, Mom. But thanks." She nods and I quickly go back up to my room.

***

A few hours later, Anna and I are at the mall.

"Do you wanna go get some food?" She asks me.

"No, I'm good." She gives me a look.

"Demi, c'mon. I know you're hungry." I sigh and agree to go the food court. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, 'kay?" She says to me. I nod and continue to pick at my salad with my fork. When I know she can't see me anymore I walk to the trash, and I'm about to throw my salad away when I hear a voice,

"Not hungry?"