Family is Forever

Hiding and lying

Ali was realising everything about the school now. The kids who smoked baccy did it in the alley by the back entrance to school and the ones who smoked weed did so down near the co-op. The year 7's all looked like waking rucksacks. Which teachers were the nice ones and who to avoid! She knew she'd lucked out with all her teachers but the nicest of the lot, maybe even in the school was Mrs Yates!
Ali had also done well with friends. Lexi was in her biology class. Sophie and Rosa in her geography and Rosa was also in her psychology class. She'd also made friends with a girl called Livi who she sat with in her French classes.
She was using her frees to make colourful revision notes, seeming every inch the committed student but all she could think about was food. Every time she was about to walk into a classroom she was getting palpitations and clammy. When she was nervous she reverted to Polish. She answered more than one question in her lessons in Polish. The language made her feel safe and secure, like she was curled up on the sofa with Babcia laughing while Dziadek sat reading the paper in the rocking chair.
Today Ali had an appointment at Rosehill. She was meeting Zosia at the hospital and then Zosia was driving her there. She just had 10 minutes of this French lesson left. "Êtes-vous bien?" Mrs Yates asked. Ali was daydreaming so Livi kicked her lightly under the table. "Taki?" What Ali asked looking at Livi who needed her head towards the teacher stood behind Ali "sorry miss" Ali looked at Mrs Yates. "Merci classe Veuillez terminer la question 3 pour les devoirs. Vous êtes congédié' Mrs Yates said loudly dismissing the class. "Ali, are you ok? You've been away with the fairies all lesson." The rest of the class were leaving
"Sorry miss, I've just got an appointment later for my eating disorder with my cousin Zosia then we have to eat dinner with her father my uncle, Guy self!"
"Zosia Self is your cousin!?" Mrs Yates asked
"Yes, well Zosia March she goes by her mothers name which she anglicised do you know her?" Ali asked
"Well there were never that many children or teens at the Polish mass that our mamas used to drag us to every Sunday, we got on well still did until one day her and her mother disappeared. Apparently her mother died" the teacher mused then realised "I'm sorry about your aunt." Ali smiled she never knew how to react when people said that, do you say thank you or what? "Please try not to worry Ali," the teacher continues "I know it's much easier said than done, but it won't change anything"

Zosia was already waiting in Pulses by the time Ali got to the hospital. "My form tutor is Agata Yates, she used to be Agata Nowak. She said she used to know you. Do you remember her?" Ali asked as she sat down and got her lunch box out. She knew that of Zosia was thinking or talking about something she would be paying less attention on what Ali was eating.
"Yes I remember Agata. Aggie we used to call her" Zosia reminisced while Ali took her pot of Nuts and raisins took a big handful and dropped them into her bag so it looked like she'd eaten them. She did eat her cheese and ham sandwich though. "Let me just nip to the loo." Ali smiled. She knew not to throw up on a day she had an appointment instead she drank most of her water bottle then filled it up to where the water level was before. Water weighs quite a lot.

"Natalia and Zosia. Hi" Jane smiled leading them into a small room. "Weight first" she said to Ali who obligingly took off her jacket and shoes. It was 0.2 of a kg less than the week before despite all the water Ali had drunk. Jane plotted it on the graph she was keeping of Ali's weight and frowned but didn't say anything. "So, do you have your food diaries Natalia?" Jane asked.
"Oh. Sorry I left them in my locker at school!" Ali lied, she hadn't even filled them in.
"Honestly" Zosia sighed at Ali then turned to Jane "I'll fill some in this week too. Just in case Natalia forgets again."
"Good"Jane said "although I hope she won't. So Ali you'll have to tell me what you've been eating and how you've been feeling. Ali lied that she'd been eating everything on her meal plan. "Really?" Jane asked "I would have expected your weight to settle by now."
"She's been eating her meals, I can vouch for that." Zosia said
"Ok "Jane said. "We'll give it a week or two more but if your weight doesn't start to settle then we'll have to increase your meal plan."
Ali didn't know what to do because she knew that they'd find out soon enough. In fact it was sooner than she thought.