Peyton’s POV
When I was eleven years old my mother told me I was beautiful regardless of what anyone said. She told me that I was perfect the way I was and should ignore anyone who tried to tell me otherwise.
What my mother decided to leave out, it seems, is the hundreds of girls surrounding you at all hours. She left out the expectations one faces to be thin, skinny, and small. She never told me about all the people who would judge me, stare at me, tell me what to be.
I wasn’t prepared to live on my own at the age of fifteen and it is beginning to break me.
*** *** ***
Friday, October 12th, 2012
Banana (90)
½ Caesar Salad (68)
8 Almonds (55)
Water (0)
Total: 213 calories
“Hey, Pey…” Mia said unsurely as she squeezed through the door to our dorm room.
I quickly slammed my notebook shut and threw it underneath my pillow. “Hey! Where have you been?”
Mia’s hair was rustled and frizzy, her cheeks bright and pink from the cold. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt that was a size too small, and left a strip of her tanned stomach visible at her waist. Her stomach was completely flat. “Um, nowhere! Why? Did someone tell you I’ve been somewhere?”
I let out a small laugh and looked at my roommate curiously. “No, I was just surprised you didn’t come here after 7th period. Are you okay?”
“Yup! Fine! Listen, I’m going to brush my teeth and then I’m heading to bed early. I’m exhausted from practice yesterday.” She was out of the door and down hallway before I could respond.
That was strange, I thought to myself. It was only 10:15pm - early for Mia. Shaking my head in confusion, I brought my notebook back out from under my pillow and tucked it neatly under my mattress to keep it hidden. I had to make sure the notebook wasn’t found; it would ruin everything.
I managed to eat next to nothing yesterday, only consuming a few blueberries from Mia’s parfait. I was so proud of myself; the loud body-shaking rumble from my stomach was almost a shout of victory. If only I could find a scale to weigh myself…the only one I knew of on campus was in Coach Brooks’ office in the Rec Center. Today was different – I couldn’t handle the hunger anymore so I dived into a banana and a few other things. It wasn’t too bad, but I wasn’t satisfied.
Yawning, I laid myself down on the bottom bunk and wrapped the duvet around my goose-bump-cloaked body. The light remained on since Mia hadn’t returned from the bathroom, but I closed my eyes anyway. If I shut them tightly enough I was greeted with colorful swirls and stars.
My mind wandered through the events of the day as I lay there attempting to sleep. I couldn’t believe I almost kissed Connor outside of the cafeteria this afternoon. I especially couldn’t believe I’d been such an idiot and turned the opportunity down. As scared of falling for him as I was, the way he looked at me earlier today brought tickles to the pit of my stomach. Those chocolate eyes were endless. The more I thought about it the more I regretted running away like I did. Connor wasn’t like Elijah, was he? If anything, they were remote opposites.
Somewhere else, I heard a door click closed and creaks above my head. But I was too far gone too care – too busy dreaming until I drifted off to nothing.
*** *** ***
“Hey, so, what was up with you last night? You were acting really weird,” I asked Mia as I took a small sip of my tall iced coffee. It was late Saturday morning and Mia and I were sitting having breakfast at a Starbucks in town.
YOU ARE READING
Shrinking
Teen FictionPeyton Hill had grown used to her beautiful, sunny life in eastern Florida, where she lived for fifteen years. She was content and surrounded by those who loved her. However, when her parents decide to send her off to an elite boarding school in Mas...
