UNCOMMON

Chapter 2

The way we dream at night, such a blissful feeling, like you are taken into a new world, where suddenly you forget everything. Yet, when you wake you realize it was nothing more than a mirage, a figment of your imagination. No matter how hard you try to reach for the memory of a dream you can never take hold of it anymore. You lose it, that is true, but for once if you dream, you can once again dream a better dream.

"Emmm...Excuse me Allie, but aren't you hungry?" Annabeth interrupts me, yet again.

"You've been staring at your monitor for ages there, tapping away." Drew continues.

"Don't be so hard on Allie you guys. She can eat whenever she wants to. Or did you two forget that she's an adult?" Here we have Ashley being Ashley, whenever you need it; you can always count on her to help out.

"Ashley? Have you also forgotten who your best friend is?" Annie defends. "All I'm saying is; she should at least eat something. You know? Actually, make time to eat."

"I eat." I mumble a quick response.

"If by eating you mean those junk under your shelf, then you eat. C'mon Allie, you can't keep starving yourself. Look at you, you're so thin." she pursues.

"Annie, I'm fine, I promise. I can manage." I try to end the impending argument.

"But Allie---"

"Alright Annie!" I grab my lasagna and took a bite of it. "There, happy? Calm yourself, won't you? I am perfectly fine."

"I'm just worried about you, ever since---" she doesn't finish her statement, for she saw the look I was giving her. I never told a soul about what happened back in London. She was the only one who knew everything.

An awkward silence invades our table at the cafeteria; all of their eyes were on me. Great! I really got their attention now. Good job Annie! Well done mate!

"Look, I know you are, but you don't have to."

She opens her mouth to disagree, but I beat her to it. "I know you think it's your job to look out for me, but it isn't. I'm a grown woman now; I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." I say trying to convince her, throwing in a small smile for good measure.

I gather my things to leave, if I stay here I will be eaten up whole by their questions, questions mean more conversations, and that is absolutely not the thing I need right now, I grab an apple from my tray and a bottled water. "I'm going ahead; I have to review for my Creative Writing Class. I'll see you guys in a bit." I leave before anyone can protest.

Don't get me wrong, I eat but not the way I used to. I would usually go out with my friends back then, eat out in some new hip place, but things happen, I dreaded seeing food, at times the thought of eating sickens me. There was a time when I would eat a meal and a few bites later, it would go right back up. My stomach is a contradiction to gravity, anything that goes down, must come up. I take a right just as I was approaching the library towards the girls' restrooms, and once again I empty my hollow breadbasket. Good job Allie! The thought of vomiting makes you vomit, this life is tiring. I was diagnosed with mild anorexia two years back, I'm pretty much recovering a bit, but the big appetite I once had ceased to exist. I gargle, wash my face and take a look at the mirror. My once shiny, well-maintained, curly hair is like a lion's mane in the middle of a safari in the heat. I have bags under my eyes, I never noticed them before due to the glasses I wear, and my once always tainted lips are pale and cracked. That is why I do not own a mirror ever since, nor do I own a comb, or make up...well not anymore. On my side of the room, you will only find a curtained bed, a lamp, piles and piles of books, notebooks, and papers, with a side of different colored pens. I put on my glasses, ruffle my hair a bit, and make my way to my sanctuary—the library. Peace and quiet, no questioning eyes, no snarky comments, no therapists, and most of all, no-----