011 ~ A Mileven Fanfic

Chapter the Seventh

hey guys before you read this i just want to warn you, this chapters a shitstorm

Max's POV (3 weeks ago)

I feel like I'm living a secret life. I go to school, etch on my facade of okay-ness, eat nothing, go home, fight with my mother about my eating nothing, and then sometimes, on the really special days, go to the hospital. I feel like I don't have the right to talk though. I mean I don't eat. Mike literally has voices in his head. Will was abducted by a demonic creature. El was that demonic creature. I care a little too much about my weight. It's nothing compared to what they've been through.

I passed out in math so now I'm in the nurses office, who's fully aware of my condition. The blinding white of the room hurts my eyes and makes me slightly nauseous as she hands me a cup of juice.

"You can't leave until you drink this whole thing."

"I guess I'll never leave then." I mutter.

"Yeah, looking at your schedule I see someone has an English test next." She responds. Shit.

I bring the cup to my lips.

I want this. I need this.

I don't want this. I don't need this.

My body, my brain have to have this.

My hand can't touch this. My arm can't move this closer.

I can no longer move the cup but my starved mind is screaming at me to go, to drink it entirely to eat that jar of lollipops on the nurses desk, to eat the brownies I can smell in some sophomore's bag. To eat everything, guzzle it all up till I'm overflowing with extra skin, my fat rolling over my pants.

I think of the pictures of skinny girls taped across my desk. I think of my calorie limit, how I can't have more than 150. I think of El and her tiny little thighs you could wrap your hand around. I think of my own thighs and the space between them, the sunlight shining through. I think of how happy I'll be when I reach goal number one, 95 pounds, how I'll be free at goal number two, 90, and how I'll soar at goal number three, 85. I think of my current weight, 98.4 pounds and the ways I have to.

I think of this cup in my hand and how it will ruin all of that.

And then I faint again.

Mike's POV (present day)

I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Max is in front of me, half-conscious, literally dying, and I can do nothing to help.

El helps her onto her bed, tears streaking down both of their faces. El runs downstairs and comes back up with a jar of peanut butter, forcing it into Max's mouth who's too dazed to stop her. And I'm just standing in the corner doing nothing.

As Max swallows the food she slowly gains consciousness and her eyes widen as she realizes what she eats. She sprints into the bathroom but not before grabbing something from under her dresser. A scale.

El screams and runs after her but Max shuts and locks the door just in time. I can hear Max place the scale on the floor as El bangs on the door for her to please come out and just talk to us. Max gasps and whimpers and then we both hear the noise of gagging. El stops her yelling and simply slides down the door into a sitting position, sobbing into her hands as the noise of Max purging her food wafts through the hallway, taunting us.

And I'm still stuck in the same position paralyzed as the entire thing plays out.

That is until I hear a chorus of voices screaming. I fall to the ground, clutching my ears but it does nothing to diminish the sound. El looks up and runs towards me as I yell at the top of my lungs, "STOP."

El's POV (present)

As Mike grips his head, tears leaking from his eyes, I automatically know what's happening. His schizophrenia may not be bad but it's still schizophrenia and he still hears the voices.

A few tears squeeze out of his eyes as he attempts to make the voices go away.

"SHUT UP. SHUT. UP. SHE WON'T DIE." He yells and I automatically know what's going on. I rush towards him and crouch on the ground next to him whispering comforting things in his ear.

"Mike, shhh honey, she'll be fine, we can save her. Better yet, she can save herself."

I'm comforting him as I hear the bathroom door unlock. I jump up and run over there to see Max, hair straggly and face gaunt, leaning over the sink. I'm just about to put my arm on her bony back when I hear Mike scream again.

I run to Mike but then Max collapses and I run to her and then Mike screams and then I don't know what to do. Everyone is dissolving into chaos and I can't help it so eventually I simply collapse on the ground and dissolve into chaos myself, Max's house filled with noise of sobs, anguish, screams, and most of all, disappointment.

hey collectively, who's your favorite character? i need to know for writing purposes.

also, i have some pretty radical writing ideas and i need a wattpad best friend to run them by.