Abigail

Chapter 2

I lie on the couch, feeling dizzy and sweaty from my work out on the treadmill. My brothers and James will be home any minute and if they see me, they’ll know what I’ve done. And they can’t know.

                I forced myself up, seeing black and immediately lying back down. I felt so ill, like my body was separate from my mind. My head was reeling, but my body was numb and motionless. I’m going to end up in the hospital again if I don’t do something. And we don’t have the money for another hospital bill.

                The front door opened and I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. It only made my dizziness worse so I stopped and prayed my brother could help me.

                “Abigail?” my face was slapped a few times gently and I pried my eyes open to see my second oldest brother. He looked beyond worried and held my hand in his, looking at the paleness of it. “What did you do?”

                “A mile and a half.”

                “What the hell did we say? No more exercise. Do you realize how lenient we’re being with you?”

                I nodded my head weakly and he sighed, lifting me up and carrying me to my room. He gently laid me on my bed, as if I would break and I listened as my other brothers and James walked through the door, talking and calling my name.

                “Sleep, Abigail. I’ll get you something to eat.”

                “I won’t eat it.”

                “Like hell you won’t. I’ll force it down your throat if I have to.”

                “I’ll throw it up.” I threatened.

                “Then I’ll tie you to the bed and watch you sleep. You need to eat, Abigail.”

                I turned away from him and began sobbing, begging him not to make me eat. If I don’t I’ll end up in the hospital again, being fed through a tube. And that is much, much worse.

                “Crying won’t help. I’ll get you a salad.”

                I continued crying until my oldest brother came in and sat beside me, watching me wail and throw a tantrum. “Abigail, just sleep, you can eat in the morning.”

                With that he walked out and closed my door, leaving me in the darkness, similar to the darkness inside my head. I cried myself to sleep and listened to my brothers downstairs, talking about putting a lock on the basement door. They couldn’t stop me from doing what I wanted. No one could.

***

                Third block ended and I slowly made my way to the cafeteria, almost passing out from the intoxicating smell of food. I refused to get out of bed this morning, crying and begging my brothers to let me stay home, but they were scared I would try to do something to hurt myself, which I probably would.

                I took my normal seat in the back, trudging along until I realized someone sat in my seat. I gingerly sat across from them, keeping my head down and taking out my two water bottles. The guy didn’t say anything and I refused to look at him while he chomped away on his appetizing meal.

                “Why are you sitting here?”

                I still didn’t look up. “I always sit here.”

                “Well, now I do, so leave.”

                I stared in shock, not sure why he was being such a jerk when he didn’t even know my name. I heard there’s supposed to be someone new, my brother told me because he got assigned to show him around, which is called something like the Buddy System. It’s when someone’s new and they get assigned someone to show them around and tell them about the school. My brother’s very smart and reaches the requirements for the system.

                “Are you the new kid?” I asked softly, gulping down half of one of the bottles. I waited until he answered to finish the rest of the water bottle.

                “Have you seen me before?” he asked rhetorically, swiping some ketchup from his face. I took a moment to look at his features, noticing how attractive he actually is. Even with an attitude like that.

                “Um, do you know Alex?” I started, deciding to make conversation instead of argue.

                “Why?”

                I nearly smacked him. He answers every question with a question. He’s trying to get on my nerves and its working. “He’s my brother.”

                He finally finished eating, making my stomach stop begging for food and looked at me after cleaning his mouth with a napkin. He’s so cute.

                Err, why did I just think that? I’ve never liked a guy before and here I am, sitting across from the new guy and thinking about his good looks and built figure in that leather jacket. I drank some more water.

                “Oh.” He responded monotonously, seeming to not have a care in the world. “Cool dude.”

                I nodded my head, but kept it down towards my lap, deciding not to make things even more awkward by staring. I drank the rest of my second water bottle and shoved them in my bag so I could fill them up before class.

                “Are you going to eat?” he asked, finally looking at me and keeping his eyes directly on mine. I blinked in shock and stuttered a no, quickly shaking my head of images of his delicious lips. “Why not?”

                “I don’t have any money.” I replied quickly, having so many more excuses in my head of reasons why I can’t eat.

                He smirked in my direction, almost making me faint. “Sure.”

                With that, he stood up, chucked his lunch in the garbage and strutted out, all the girls watching and whispering after him. I stood up as the bell rang and sped walked to my next class, wondering what that smirk could have meant.