Life is Hell

Chapter Six - Eating Normally For Once

So here I was, in front of the grocery store in the small town Arcadia Bay with the local drug dealer. Well, this is how fast life can change. Just two days ago I was locking myself inside my room, but now. Now I'm out and do whatever I like to do. I was actually socializing with people, although I think my mother would prefer it to be someone else than Frank Bowers. I guess she shouldn't be picky when her daughter is suffering from depression plus an eating disorder.

"Let's go!" I said and almost had to pull the man into the shop with me. "No beans!" I told him "I saw your stack, that's enough to survive a zombie apocalypse" I said and started going for the bread and cheese and some fruits and vegetables. "How come you don't eat, yet you look happy while shopping for it?" He asked, judging the things I had already in the basket. "I enjoy doing normal things whenever I'm not in that dark hole and it doesn't get more normal than this" I said and got some yogurt. I always used to like it back when I was eating.

"Are you just shopping for you or do I get to choose something as well?" He asked. "Then choose something you might like" I said, watching him walk off, while I looked for something else I used to like when I was younger. It was that one special chocolate my dad gave me whenever I did something great or was feeling down. It was the easiest and cheaper way to show how proud he was of me or how he was there for me. The memory of it pulled me down, but it also made me smile. Dad always knew what I wanted or more importantly what I wanted.

"Got everything?" Frank asked me and I nod, still holding the chocolate. "Do you want that?" He asked. "I don't know" I replied. He took it from my hand and went to buy it, while I paid for the rest. The next step was throwing out the old food, which meant basically the entire fridge. After we were done, we filled the fridge back up with the new food. After we were done with that, Frank drove off and parked somewhere that wasn't the middle of the town.

I don't know how, but somehow we ended up cooking some food ourselves, although it seems like this stove has never cooked anything else than beans. "I had no idea you could cook" He said, while he tasted the tomato sauce. "I did that a lot when I was younger. Chloe and I used to always cook with our dad while mom was still at work. I learned all of that from him" I said. "Here, taste this" He said and handed me a little spoon with a bit of sauce on it. I didn't hesitate and tasted it. It actually tasted good. 

Not ten minutes later we were finished and sat at the little table. I did actually it something without forcing it down when I remembered a conversation with my mom. "Hey, do you mind taking a photo of me to prove to my mom I'm eating?" I asked and held my phone up. "Sure" He said, took it and took a photo of me, then handed it to me. "Thank you, at least she is going to believe me now" I said and continued eating.

After we were done, I offered to wash the dishes, while Frank just watch until I gave him a towel to dry to plates I gave him. After we were finished, I lied down in his bed. "I have no idea when I felt full like that the last time" I said. He lied down beside me while Pompidou lied down between us. I closed my eyes and fell into a food coma wish I haven't done in so long. I woke up through Frank yelling at someone at the phone. I looked at Pompidou, who was looking at me. He looked so cute, it was freaking adorable. I just loved this dog. although I didn't really know him yet.

"Frank" I said, going to the front of the RV "Is everything okay?" I asked. "Yeah, Damon got his money, so everyone can be happy" Frank said. "Damon? As your buddy from the Mill? The guy Chloe was supposed to get the money for?" I asked, immediately worried. "Don't worry, your sister is fine. She already answered my text" He replied, apparently noticing what was going on inside my head. I took a deep breath before getting up and walked over to him. "I'm kind of relieved that she is fine. I don't know what I would have done if she would have gotten hurt" I said. "Then you can be happy now" He said "Should I let you out at your place?" He asked. "A drug lab in front of my house won't be the best to get my mom off my back, don't you think?" I asked. "I guess not" He replied.

He drove till somewhere nearby my house and I said goodbye hugging him briefly, telling him to go to Blackwell tomorrow and that I'll be there as well although it will be Sunday. He agreed and drove off. I watched the RV driving off and went to my house. "Home shitty home" I said to myself and entered. "Clare?" Mom yelled. "Yes, it's me. Don't think Chloe will come home anytime soon" I said and entered the kitchen where mom was eating with her shithead deadbeat boyfriend. "Come, eat something with us" She said. "No thank you, I already ate" I told her, not lying for the first time ever. "Like I haven't heard this one before" She said upset. "I'm serious" I said and got my phone out and showed the picture to her. I just hope she wouldn't ask where I took this. "Want me to send it to you so you can check if it's photoshopped?" I asked her. "No, that's fine" She replied.

"So I'm going to be upstairs" I said and went into my room and jumped into my bed. I took my phone and saw I had a message from Chloe, telling me that she was fine and that everything is alright as well as that she was still with Rachel and that the play is about to start. Shit!

I jumped back up and since there was no way my mother would let me out again, I climbed out of the window and hurried towards Blackwell. It took me a while to get there, but I made it just in time to see Chloe on stage with Rachel. Their chemistry was just wow. Sparks were flying and they were definitely off script. I mean I don't know the script of The Tempest, but I could tell that my sister wasn't that good of an actress.

I was definitely happy for her and Rachel, but I felt sorry for Nathan, who completely embarrassed himself in front of the whole audience. I watched the rest of the show, then sneaked backstage. "Didn't think you're that good of an actress" I said, walking towards Chloe. "Thanks again Clare. This wouldn't have been possible without you" Rachel said and hugged me, ignoring the fact she was basically hugging skins and bones. "No problem, like I said, at least my condition is helping others" I said. In the background I saw Nathan and his father arguing once more. I didn't really knew Nathan, but I did feel sorry for him.

It didn't take me long to go over to them. "Is everything okay here?"