Walt E. Disney High

Chapter 49

VANESSA

"Do you want to join me for dinner, suga?" Lottie asked me for the second time this evening, her eyes hopeful. I glanced up from my phone and shook my head. Lottie's face fell. "All right. I could bring you somethin' back if you want?" I shook my head again. Lottie hesitated before disappearing out the door, meeting with Anastasia.

I glanced back at my phone, scrolling through Instagram. My black acrylic nail tapped rhythmically on the screen, images of girls in bikinis and celebrity skin care routines passing beneath it. Finally I began getting bored, the tiny waists and perfect face lifts seared into my mind even after I shut my phone off. I rolled over in my hotel bed.

In truth, my stomach was crumpling with hunger, and I could feel energy draining out of my body with each breath I took. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, but my mother had put me on a strict every-other-day fasting program over winter break. She didn't want me losing my swimmer and dancer's physique.

But, despite my diet, I forced myself to rise. I threw on a huge coat and a scarf, as well as a hat to try to hide my face. I didn't want anyone seeing me getting dinner alone. I quickly stole to the elevator and then across the snowy street to a cafe about to close. I paid for a small quiche, bringing it back up to my room. I gobbled up the food, barely taking the time to savor the actual flavors in my mouth. But, before I could even enjoy the feeling of solid food in my stomach, it clenched and heaved, and I ran to the bathroom to puke it back up. As I wiped my mouth and pulled myself up to the sink to douse my face, I thought, At least Ursula would be proud.

Speaking of Ursula, my phone began to ring, and a picture of the two of us popped up. I reluctantly answered, holding the phone up to my ear. "Hello?" The taste of acidy quiche stung my tongue.

"Hello, Vanessa. Did you get my text?" she asked abruptly.

I sighed. No "how are you" or "how is the trip going." But I would be foolish to expect such a thing. "No, I didn't."

"It's an article about how French food is some of the most fattening cuisines out there. One girl -- a model, mind you -- spent a month there and gained fifteen pounds. Have you been following your program, Vanessa?"

My stomach cinched in response. "Yes, Mother."

"Now, I know you're a vegetarian already, but have you thought about going vegan? It's supposed to be very slimming."

"Mother," I groaned, "it's hard enough to find things here that are vegetarian. All they eat is meat and dairy."

"But think about your weight, Vanessa!" I glanced at my thin arms. Skin still sagged off of them. They weren't thin enough.

"I know, Mom," I replied submissively. "I'll see what I can do."

"That's my good girl," Ursula said proudly, approvingly. Something, a very small part of me grew warm with the praise. "I heard that Eric and that girl Ariel are going out now, hm?"

My chest began to ache. Whether it was heartbreak or hunger, I couldn't tell. "Unfortunately. She doesn't deserve him."

"On the contrary, my pet," Ursula said, her voice filled with scheming, "he didn't deserve you. Honestly, it must have truly hurt your image that you went out with a jock who had a lost father and a vegetable mother, who had hardly a cent to his name. No, you, Vanessa -- we -- deserve much better than that. Tell me, who is the most reputable boy in your class? Rich, favorably."

I thought, trying to rack my brain of all the males in our grade. There was Hercules, whose dad was the owner of Olympus Inc., but he had a thing with Megara, and I honestly did not want to get into Megara Creon's way. That girl was scary.