You Are What You Eat (Book One)

Chapter 39

1989

Marshall

I woke up screaming, curled tightly in my blankets. Suddenly there was a light. "Marshall?" My dad, nearly running to my bed side. I was terrified to sit up, gripping my blanket like a child. My breath coming out heavy. He started petting my hair. "Hey, you're ok. I got you." I started to calm. "Dad?" I looked up at his concerned face. "Yeah. You ok? Sounded like a nightmare. We heard screaming." I started to catch my breath, sitting up. "Yeah." "Wanna talk about it?" I shook my head. "No but some tea would be nice." I saw the clock by my lamp. It was going on 3AM. "Never mind, it's late. I'm sorry I woke you."

He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Let's go get some tea." I nodded, getting up and walking downstairs with my dad.

He turned the light to the kitchen on as I sat at the table. He started the water kettle. "Sure you don't want to talk about your dream?" "Yeah." He nodded, sitting down next to me. "Ok. How's school?" "Good. My math teacher wants me to start 12th grade math and join the math club." He smiled. "That's great. That would be good for you."

I shrugged. "I guess, I'm not too comfortable with the idea of competing. I'm just happy I'm good at something." There was a quiet moment. I continued. "What do you do when someone is hurting your friend?" My dad looked worried. "Why are you asking?"

I swallowed. "It's Margret. Her mom hurts her a lot. Calls her bad things. I don't know what to do about it. Margret says I should just forget about it and be there for her but I want to do more. I want to protect her."

My dad sighed. "Her parents are very wealthy and powerful. Even if we brought proof to light there's not much chance people would believe it or even have them fight against it. ""Then what should I do?" I pleaded. I had to do something. He sighed. "I'm sorry son but there's nothing to do except be there for her."

I frowned. "That's what she said." "Then do what she says: be there for her. You care about Margret very much don't you son?" I nodded, staring at the table. He sighed. "I'm sorry but it seems like Margret knows the situation she's in. You should listen and trust her. Be there for her." Suddenly the kettle whistled loudly. My dad got up, turning the stove off.

"I don't think she eats dad. I've never seen her eat." My dad paused, letting it sink in while he got two mugs and two tea bags, pouring the hot water inside. "Son. You can be there for her, hold her, kiss away her tears and say the things she needs to hear but you can't battle her demons for her." "I can try." My dad smiled sadly, bringing the two mugs over. "That you can son."

My dad and I talked more into the night. Gave me some advice on how to help Margret since he's had to help mom battle her own demons. I knew what I had to do now. Before she runs away into herself, before she got clumsy and cuts a little too deep and before she starves herself into her coffin. I need to ask her out. We kissed last week but she never brought it back up. I think she was just as scared as I was which was why I never pushed the subject. But I wasn't going to be a coward anymore. I'm done running away from my problems. I love her and I want to show her how she's supposed to be treated.

When I arrived at school I went to my locker, I saw her walking down the hallway with her fellow cheerleaders on each side. I hated them. They all seemed so...so plastic. Two jocks followed with them. The popular kids and I want to date one of them. I'm so out of my league or at least it feels like it.

They weren't in their cheering uniforms but regular school clothes. They all wore jeans and some kind of sweater. Margret stood out like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day with her pastel pink dress that came to her knees and sleeves that stopped at her elbows with white heels. Her hair was down and wavy and make up covered her face. I was scared to know what lay under it. I waved to her, weakly.