Memoirs of an Outstanding* Teen

Chapter 48: What Would Make You Do That?

Have you ever been at a party, Christmas of Thanksgiving maybe, where you ate so much, that you later told yourself, "I can't possibly eat anything for the next five weeks!"? Me too.

That April, Tina, my prefect friend, invited me to her 18th birthday party. I thought it would be a good way to make up for the fact that I had forgotten it was her birthday earlier in the week. I decided I would go, stay for a little bit, and get back to my studying later.

She had set up a table in the cottage next to their pool. And on the table I saw a whole range of sweets, chocolates, cakes, chips, breads, and drinks. Remember, all bets were off. I was free to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Free at last. Free at last.

There were a couple of classmates from my school there, and some other people I didn't know. As usual, they fell into conversations I struggled to contribute to. Normally, this would bother me a lot, and I would just stand there quietly listening to them, trying to not look awkward, as I counted the minutes till I could leave. But not this time. This time the party was going to be fun even if I was a fish out of water. This time, I could eat.

I didn't bother to listen to their conversations. All I kept thinking of was when I would get another chance to sneak into the cottage and grab something to eat, a chocolate, a cake, a cookie maybe. They were all so good! Have you ever eaten something after being hungry for a while? It was that kind of feeling except, I had been hungry for years so the feeling lasted even after I was full already. I wonder if anyone noticed that I made way too frequent trips.

Later, Tina's mom, brought in the dinner, freshly made lasagna. And she didn't forget to make one vegetarian, for me and the others who didn't eat meat. I could eat dinner too. I washed out the chocolate taste with my drink, and went over to get my plate. A sizeable portion of the yellow, green, orange, and brown goodness. And I sat down next to one of the girls to eat. I was already full when I began to eat, but it was still good, the cheese, and the crust, and the juicy goodness in between.

My dad came to fetch me shortly after dinner, just when Tina was bringing out the cake. A chocolate one, covered in chocolate syrup. I looked at it longingly. But I had to say my goodbyes and leave.

In the car, I was fuller than I had been in ages. It was as if all the food was hugging my very soul, like a mother hugs her child when she returns home from war. I hadn't known such comfort in so long. I was happy.

I had that "I can't possibly eat for the next five weeks" feeling. But later, it must have been an hour or two afterwards, it wasn't that I was hungry. I was just not as full as I had been before. So, again, I made a trip to the kitchen, got myself several slices of bread, layered them with butter and proceeded to eat them. Then I took down a box of cereal from the cabinet and ate several mouthfuls from that too. Then I made a cup of tea (or was it hot chocolate?) and drank it too.

That wouldn't be the only time I acted like that. I would do it again after my sister's birthday, after the prefect's leadership conference, and may more times. Too many times for me to talk about without burning to ashes in shame.