Memoirs of an Outstanding* Teen

Chapter 16: It's Getting Difficult

The bell rang: it was the last break time of the second term. I went to the usual sitting spot to wait for Riana and the rest. I had been counting the minutes till I could have my packet of Nik-Naks chips, my 100 break-time calories. But the principal had announced that we had to go directly to the school hall for the closing assembly right after the last exam. Too many people had the habit of skipping out and leaving before the final gathering. As I sat on the spot, waiting for the girls so we could head down together, my life science teacher came down from the office shouting that he needed help carrying down some chairs to be used in the hall.

I stood up to join the other kids that were already helping him. Now, this wasn't one of the bad days where I couldn't shake off the dizziness or the headaches. I thought I should be able to manage fine carrying those chairs. I walked over and tried to lift one of the chairs. I wish I was exaggerating when I say, it felt like one huge block of the heaviest metal you can think of. My arms felt like they were aflame under the strain. I barely managed to lift the chair off the ground. I perched it on my leg and tried to shift it along like that. A few meters along, I had to stop. Out of breath. "People are starting to look at you. Try to look normal." I took a deep breath and tried again. "Push through the pain. Just take this one chair to the hall and you don't have to take anything else."

I made it. As soon as I put that chair down in the hall, there was a wave of dizziness. And the hunger returned.