House Empty Like My Heart

Chapter 32

Tw// this chapter can be triggering for people with an eating disorder

"Thanks," I said to Jenny who handed me the pills. I already gave her money. I was on my new diet for a week now, thankfully Jacquline was fine with me preparing my own meals I was happy that Andrew was gone I can focus on doing whatever I wanted. I felt like I was doing something really wrong that will get me in trouble.

Technically diet pills were drugs but of another kind. Not like the dangerous ones, right? It's just some herbs mixed together. I realized as soon as I thought of it for longer than a second that this defense wouldn't be impressive to Andrew. On the contrary, I had the feeling it would only piss him off further.

But still. I couldn't stop. I didn't want to. Boys quickly learned I prefer to eat alone in my room they didn't mind my introverted behavior as well.

I was just in a bad place, mentally. Jenny wasn't doing well either, considering the situation with her father it wasn't that surprising. I wish I could help her somehow, cheer her up but I was just useless.

Henry and I spend quite some time trying to figure out what can we do for Jen to make her feel better but nothing came to our minds.

As I was sitting with my friends in the cafeteria Dan showed up, he sat right next to me as if he was invited. Spoiler alert - he wasn't.

"Why aren't you eating?" He asked. How noisy and annoying.

"I'm eating," I said taking a bite of my apple.

"You're eating an apple for lunch?"

"I had a big breakfast"

"I saw what you were eating at breakfast. Stop lying Ellie"

"I'm eating normally you're eating too much because you're an athlete" I tried to explain in a reasonable way. Dan snorted.

"Don't give me that bullshit. I'm an athlete so I know how much a person should eat an apple for lunch just isn't it"

"Dan. Get a life"

"Dad told us to watch you"

"Aren't you a good boy for listening to him? What are you a dog? Stop doing everything he tells you to. Grow some spine"

I felt like he backed me into a corner with his questions so I tried to defend myself but seeing how his whole posture stiffened I regretted it instantly. Why am I like that?

All of sudden my friendliest and most understanding brother turned into an intimidating stone statue. Truly the way he was build didn't help to calm my nerves. He was huge, way taller than me.

"You will eat a full lunch and we will talk about your behavior later, I suggest you listen to me little girl" Dan whispered into my ear and I shivered. He definitely meant business and I didn't want to piss him off more.

I suffered through eating the normal meal immensely. Everything was too full of fat and it tasted like cardboard. But it wasn't supposed to taste like that.

This wasn't just any normal school it was a private one with a well-established reputation and a lot of completely spoiled children from rich families so when it came to the kitchen they made sure to hire professionals who would provide them with fancy meals, I should be enjoying having a meal that no restaurant would be shy to serve on their menu but I simply didn't have an appetite not desire to consume food. It was ruining my diet plan and made me nervous and unhappy.

♥️♥️♥️

The classes finished at 3 pm.

"You're not coming back with me today" Dan explained, his hand wrapped around my shoulder as he was dragging me towards the adult man who was waving at me with a big smile on his face. It wasn't Russell. It was a complete stranger.