"I don't care, I'm not eating it!" Demi screamed at her best friend. Selena winced at the sound of Demi's fragile and raspy voice. She knew Demi hadn't eaten a full meal in well over two days and what she did eat, she didn't keep down for long. Being as stubborn as they were, neither friend would let the other have a moment's rest until each had their way. Their arguments usually ended in compromise, Selena promising to spend more time with Demi as long as Demi kept her food down. Desperate to skip just one more meal, Demi lowered her tone and pleaded with Selena.
"Come on, Sel. I'll eat later. Can't we just forget dinner for one night? I wanna watch a movie or something. Puh-lease?" Selena would have none of it.
"Demetria Devonne, you know I hate doing this but you have to eat. I'm walking downstairs right now and telling your mom what's up if you don't eat the food she cooked for you. I'm not playing around with this anymore Demi, eat your food." The two girls were sat face to face on Demi's full size bed in her room, Selena watching Demi push her food around her plate, refusing to take a single bite. They were both sixteen and too young for even Demi, much less Selena to understand why eating was so hard for the young girl. Demi's head lowered in defeat. She picked up her fork, stabbed at a macaroni noodle and lifted it up to her mouth. She paused before suddenly dropping the fork and burying her face in her hands. Selena's face softened when she saw a tear slip through Demi's fingers.
"I can't, Selena. I can't do this anymore. I don't know what to do," Demi sobbed. The broken girl lost it and fell into Selena's arms. Selena ineffectively tried to hold back tears of her own as she comforted her best friend of seven years.
"I'm sorry Dems," Selena tried. "I'm so sorry." Selena looked up for some sort of answer as to how she could help Demi and silently prayed to God that she would get that answer soon.