Happy Endings Don't Exist...Do They?

Chapter 10: Dizziness, Food, and an Unneeded Visitor

After the weirdness that is Micah Wade the rest of my day went normally. As I made my way home I debate with myself what I am going to do about the food situation. Do I ask for food or do I take the risk and sneak some? If I sneak food and he finds out I won't be allowed to eat for at least a week possibly...probably longer. But if I ask he may give me some because he wouldn't want the attention that would come from me passing out in public.

Done with my musings I decide, I have already risked enough earlier in the week when I took the slices of bread...and the apple. I was able to get away with that but I don't think if I can get away with it again. On the other hand I can't exactly talk so how exactly am I suppose to ask for food. By the time I make it home I still haven't made up my mind on what I am going to do. Luckily I don't have to choose because father is locked in his office. If he hadn't been home then I would have risked the food. Had he been in a common area of the house, I probably would have asked.

Relived the decision is postponed and feeling light headed I decide to stay downstairs until dinner so I sat at the counter doing homework until it was time to cook. Getting up from the chair it takes a while for the world to stop spinning. When it stops I begin to cook dinner for father. Finishing dinner left my limbs shaking from exertion which makes up my mind on what to do. I am going to have to ask for food if I don't I won't be able to make it through another day without passing out.

Waiting for my father to come out for his dinner was torture. When he finally did come out my whole body was shaking in terror. Usually I try to avoid him, today I actually need to talk to him. I wait until he comes into the kitchen before I rasped out "Can I ...food?" Unable to get the full sentence out of my damaged throat and even that small amount caused my throat to seize in pain.

My father looks down at me with disdain and a smirk. "What have you done to earn MY food?" he asks me. I sigh. He has already made up his mind but he is making me go through the process anyway. I think and I think but I can't think of anything that would gain me access to food. After a minute of silence my father speaks again "that is what I thought." He turned to walk away before turning back to me. "If you can somehow not screw up for the rest of the week then I will think about allowing you to have a meal at the end of it," he declares.

I hunch my shoulders as I go up the stairs. I am never going to be able to do that; he would make sure of it. Even if I am able to, he still won't allow me to eat he will find something that I 'screwed up'. Making my way to my bed limbs shaking the whole way, I collapsed onto my mattress shaking my head at myself. I cannot even sneak food now because he will be keeping an eye on it. Stupid. I shouldn't have said anything and just have taken a piece of bread in the morning.

Beep.

I jolt up at the alarm and make my way to the bathroom, having to stop and wait for the dizziness to pass once I make it to my feet. I make it school without much incidence. I end up spending most of my morning with dizzy spells, having a hard time concentrating in class, and could barely hold my pencil. I was trying to think of a way to eat without my father knowing and was coming up blank. Lunch came with me heading to the library, no point in trying to get away from Micah. I have a feeling he would find me no matter where I go. Soon enough Micah also came into the library. He sits down at the table I was at and pulls out food from his bag, a lot of food. I look at the mountain of food quizzically, when Micah hands me a package of peanut butter crackers and a banana.

"Here" he says "my mom packed me too much food and you need to eat." I hold the crackers in my hand for like two seconds before deciding it doesn't really matter. I tear open the package and put the cracker in my mouth. Micah looks on approvingly as I finish the whole package. I am feeling very full so I move to hand Micah back the banana but he won't take it. "No, you should eat it," is his reasoning. I huff at him, writing on the back of my homework 'I'm full. Don't be wasteful,' handing the paper and the banana to him. The bell rings as he is reading so I pack up my stuff and leave, extremely grateful for the food in my stomach.

The end of the day comes quickly, the final bell sends student scattering just as quick. Being that it is Friday no one wants to stay at school longer than absolutely necessary. I stop at the library on the way out, making sure I had something to do if I have to be stuck in my room all weekend. Walking up to my house, I slowly enter. Seeing father's office door closed, I quickly make my way up to my room. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. I'm sitting on the floor in front of my bed when the door rings. I go still immediately.

Crap.

I hear my father's office door open, then the front door. I hear murmurs of words being spoken. I silently open my door and head toward the stairs. The voices are louder now. Holy crap! It's Micah. What the hell is he doing here? I slowly make my way down the stairs, skipping the third one cause it squeaks. "...project, I know she said we could do it Monday before school but I would really feel comfortable getting it done now." Micah spoke.

Project? What project?

Before I could fully think about what Micah was doing here my father is replying to him. "I'm sorry son but Aryn is busy after school, she helps me with my business."

I do?

"If you need to work on a project it will have to be before school or during. I am sure you will be able to get it done before it is due," my father continues closing the door as he finishes his sentence. I stop where I am on the stairs.

Well double crap.

I screwed. What the hell was Micah thinking?!? Father doesn't like people coming to the house. Ever. Especially people who know me. This will not end well for me, I think as father comes toward the stairwell.