So, I've never done review responds, but I thought it'd be fun.
SandraSmit19: Thank you! Here is your more to read soon! I hope you keep liking it!
Bingbaby: A big reason for writing this was to get a positive message to readers. The first few chapters might not seem that way, but eventually it'll get there!
kbelle720: There were some tears while I was right, it's a pretty raw topic for me as well. That's another big drawing factor for writing this story. It's pretty personal and it hits close to home for me.
Now, on to the story! (:
Part 2
"Mamma I'm home!" River called as she walked through the door of the small house she lived in with her mom and younger brother.
"We're in the kitchen. Tryin' to figure out what to make for supper," Jodi called back.
The 17-year-old red head walked into the kitchen and plopped down onto a chair at the kitchen table, her backpack falling to the floor beside her. She'd just had one of the longest weeks ever and she was so glad that is was the weekend. Early morning practices that consisted of running around the track in the dark every morning was not her favorite activity, especially when she could be sleeping. Then going to school after that and having two-hour practices for four days just for one track meet a week. It was beginning to feel pointless to her, all that hard work when she really wasn't going to use it for anything.
"How was school today, baby?" her mom asked.
"It was alright, just long," River answered with a shrug.
Jodi nodded, "What sounds good for supper?"
"Oh, Ashley, Megan, and I stopped for something to eat on the way home, so I'm not really hungry," River lied.
"Fast food again, River? That's every night this week. It's so unhealthy and if you keep eating like that you'll be gaining a ton of unwanted weight in places you'd never expect," Jodi chastised.
River didn't say anything, just looked at the grain of the wood table. If only her mom knew the truth, she wouldn't say things like that, things that only egged her on. She sighed and stood up from the table, pulling her backpack with her before trudging to her bedroom. Hiding underneath her bed was the scale she bought a year and a half ago.
Has it really been that long? She thought as she pulled it out and prepared herself for her second weigh-in of the day. 101, the scale read. It wasn't enough for River. For some reason, it became about the numbers. When it first started it was only about losing weight and staying fit, having muscle like her daddy and her step-mom, well her ex-step-mom. Now it seemed like it was only about the numbers, if it wasn't under 100 then it was too high.
Sighing again, River put the scale back underneath her bed. She pulled out the journal that she kept only to write down her weight. She didn't know why she weighs herself two times a day; it was just something she had to do. And if she couldn't get in reach of a scale she'd go into a panic attack, it was almost as bad as the panic attacks she went into when she was forced to eat. Family gatherings were the worse. Or maybe when she was visiting her dad. If she wasn't eating he'd get suspicious and think she wasn't ever eating, which was pretty close to the truth.
"Hey Avery, the trainers are asking for you," one of the temporary staffers called from underneath her.
"Alright I'll be there in a minute," she called back.
She knew what they wanted. Her dad must have called them and told them about her wearing multiple shirts during their video chats. He was a great dad, even though he was hardly around growing up, but he had this overprotective thing going on that drove her crazy. Although, when she took a step back and really looked at herself she couldn't argue with him, he had good reason to be worried.
That weekend that she'd just been reminiscing she'd ended up in the hospital and then her mom had sent her to some kind of rehab facility that doubled as a school until she graduated. Apparently it wasn't that safe to weigh 100 pounds at 5 foot 9 inches. Sometimes she cursed her father's height advantage.
When she finally got out of that stupid rehab place, where they literally shoved food in her face if she didn't eat, her mom called her dad claiming she couldn't handle River and he needed to find a way to deal with her. Mark was upset with both Jodi and River, but he took her in, helped her get a job, and tried to keep her eating. He was upset with Jodi for not seeing what was happening with their daughter and for not even trying to truly help her. But on the other hand he was upset with River for letting it get so far without asking for help, without telling him something was wrong.
"River, we haven't seen you in here in a while," Larry said when he say her walking to the training room.
"That's because I have a job to do."
"And part of your job requires that you see us regularly. I got a phone call about an hour ago," Larry said, "Do you wanna guess who it was from?"
"Well if it has to do with me then it can really only be one person," she responded, rolling her eyes, "He's overreactin'. I haven't even weighed myself in almost a year, I let you guys do that for me. It's progress, right?"
"Sweetie, you know that I don't specialize in psychological disorders, but I'd say that is definitely progress. And you are looking a decently healthy weight," he commented, appraising me, "Or are you wearing five shirts?"
"I was cold, Larry. That kind of thing doesn't just go away, I'm always cold," River argued.
"Alright, alright. I'm not trying to upset you, your dad just wants you to be healthy and happy," Larry told her.
"I know. Can I get back to work now? I have siblings to call when I'm done," she said with a smile.
"Of course, we'll get dinner tomorrow okay?" Larry suggested.
"That sounds good, Larry. Thank you, for everything you've done," River hugged him before walking out of the training room and almost running into a brick wall.
"Sorry about that," a voice said from above her spot that was now on the floor, "Here let me help you up."
Two strong hands, that literally circled her waist, pulled her up to her feet. When she got her eyes focused she realized she was looking at a large chest and she had to crane her neck to see the face of the man who she ran into.
"Hi," she squeaked, feeling rather dumb when he chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run into you. I was on my way back to work, I didn't even see you."
"Now that's a first," he chuckled again, "No one has ever not seen me."
"No, I just meant that I wasn't paying attention. I didn't mean that I didn't see-"
"I'm joking. What's your name?" he asked.
She shook her head, trying not to laugh. The man had worked with her dad when she was younger and she'd been working on the same show as him since she turned 18, how did he not know her name? If she were honest, she preferred it that way. That's why everyone called thought her last name was Avery. Even though most of the temporary staffers were given major background checks and applications that were soundproof, she didn't want some crazy fan-girls trying to get in nice with her because of who her family was. Heck, most of the wrestlers didn't even know who her dad was.
"Oh, sorry, I'm River. I'm junior head of the ring crew," she told him.
"I thought you looked familiar. I knew I'd seen you somewhere before," he smiled, "Paul Wight."
"I know who you are," River said, "I should probably get back to work now. Thanks for helping me up."
"It's not a problem River, but you should probably but some meat on that body of yours. You're too tiny," Paul said, "It was nice meeting you."
She closed her eyes as she walked away. He didn't understand, he didn't know what she was going through, he didn't mean what he said. River felt like she could breathe easy when she reached the ring again and saw that it was finished, her job wasn't done but she could at least take a break and call her brother. Climbing into the ring and sitting down right in the middle, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number.
