Dreams Never Last

chapter 2

        The cafeteria was noisy today. It seemed everyone was yelling at the top of their longs for someone in the other side of the room.

        It was like this almost everyday, except today it just seemed louder. A headache was starting at my frontal lobe.

        I let out a sigh and went to the front of the line. That's what happens when you date the glorious Daniel Hartner. And well they pity me too, because he was my 'boyfriend' when he had died.

        I don't know how long they will pity me, because somehow I knew he was still alive. Well, I guess that won't be why they'd stop pity me. They will stop, because they are over it, and then it's back at the end of the line, Mona.

        Not that I would mind, because then everyone might stop treating me like some kind of princess.

      I glanced at the food on display. Great, meat for the day.
       I reached out for an apple, but tbe lady  behind counter shook her head and the brought out a tray with a caeser salad placed neatly in the middle. 

       "Ah, thanks," I said as I took the tray.

       "You're welcome, dear," she said and the motioned me to walk. So I did.

       I sat at our usual table wkth Brad on my tail.

       "Weird," he said.

       I was. The ladies never did something special for anyone. Not even if you parents were shot by a serial killer and you ended up paralyzed after the attack.

       Slowly I ate the salad, which was really good and Brad and I talked about football for a while.

       "Mona, what are you doing?" I heard Karen asked stiffly. "You better come with me."

        Slowly I stood up, but Karen wanted none of that. She took me by the hand and practically dragged me to the bathrooms.

        Maybe she thought I was betraying Dans memory by talking to  Brad. Which I wasn't. And I'm sure she would listen to me when I tell her that.

         As we entered the girls bathroom and Karen shouted :"Everyone who wants to survive and not get beaten, get the fuck out of this bathroom!" 

         That just about did that. Everyone knew Karen. She was a nightmare of a enemy. Everyone was scared stiff of her.  Everyone except me. I knew it hurts her when people cringe away from her. I always see it in her eyes, even if she won't admit it.

         Every girl ran out of the bathroom faster then a cheetah running for his prey.

        When everyone cleared out, Karen looked me dead in the eyes. "I'm not going to allow yourself to ruin yourself. We all know you feel hurt that Dan is gone, but you can't ruin yourself."

          "Look, Karen, I'm not..." I started, but was caught of guard when she extended a toothbrush into my face. "What the hell?"

          "You ate oil fried bread without thinking about it? Do you know how much fat that is? The old you use to push it aside. Go now. Get rid of it!"

          She shoved me into a stall and stood in the door way.

          She was right, usually I did set the fried pieces of bread aside because it was disgusting.

          With a nod towards her, I got to my knees and poked at the end of my throat with the brushes end. I felt myself gag and my vision went slightly blurry, but I kept the brush there. Soon all the food I had eaten at lunch came charging up and I threw up.