Lose The Fat Or Lose A Friend

Part 3

The next day the girls and I went out to that new place, Good Burgers. Becky and I ordered burgers with fries and Lilly got a salmon dish. When we got our plates I looked down at my greasy cheeseburger and perfectly seasoned fries. Then I thought to myself “ I’ll start dieting after this burger.” Lilly was looking at me or my food I wasn’t sure. Then she said with disgust in her voice “really Amy you’re going to eat all of that?” Before I could even get a word out Becky tells her “I mean it is called Good Burger, maybe you should have one too you look thinner than the last time we saw you.” Completely ignoring the comment Becky made about her she says “Yes it makes sense for you, but I thought maybe Amy would consider a salad or something.” For a second I think she would rather have my dish than her own. I push that thought away and ask, “Lilly why do you want me to lose weight so much? Why does it bother you that bad?” I asked in hopes that we could clarify this and move on. “Fine” said Lilly, “I’m embarrassed to be seen with you in public! I mean I like you and all but have you not seen a magazine lately, you can’t find a fat girl in there even if you tried. That goes for television shows as well. Women shouldn’t be fat. So you need to start working on it or I’m going to have to stop talking to you.” Becky’s eyes looked as if they were ready to fall out of their sockets. Her jaw was practically sitting on the table when Lilly was finished talking. I was shocked by Lilly’s response I couldn’t and wouldn’t sit there another minute. I grabbed my little black bag and rushed out of there with tears running down my cheeks. That same day I signed up at the gym with a personal trainer. I hated every minute at the gym but I was determined to never be ridiculed because of my weight again.

A month and three weeks went by. Lilly was trying to contact me for a while now. I decided to call her back. We agreed to meet at her house. When I got there I let myself in and called out for her. She was sitting on the couch with her legs curled up next to her in the living room watching our favorite show, Criminal Minds. She looked a bit pale and ridiculously thinner than the last time I saw her. There were dark circles under her eyes and her cheekbones were exaggeratedly defined. Her shirt didn’t fit tight in the right places like it used to it just hung on her body. “ Dam Amy is that really you? You look great. I never thought I’d live to see the day where you would actually have a curvy waist. Come sit next to me.” I sat next to her with my legs crossed and said “ thanks I started working out and eating a lot healthier. Hey are you okay you look a sort of sick?” She looked puzzled but brushed it off quickly with a giggle. “ Me, yeah I’m fine I’m just not wearing any makeup. Anyways I just wanted to say I’m sorry and that I really missed you. Oh and did you hear Becky started school already she lives in Arizona now.” I never thought I’d get an apology from her, either way I had already forgiven her. “Wow that’s great, sucks I didn’t get to see her before she left. I’ll text her later. Hey lets order Chinese food I’m hungry.” I said “umm, sure we can watch a movie on Netflix too if you want.” Lilly offered. 

After we eat our food Lilly told me to choose a movie while she went to her room to do something. About 10 minutes went by and she still wasn’t back so I went to look for her. There were noises coming from her bathroom. I stepped closer to the door to listen. I twisted the knob. It wasn’t locked so I opened it and walked in. Lilly’s butt was resting on her heels and her torso was up against the toilet while one arm was holding the side of the toilet. She was vomiting everything she had just eaten. When she saw me standing by the doorway she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at me with tears in her eyes. I instantly knew her whole weight issue wasn’t about me; it never really was about me.