Misty sat at the breakfast table alone, sipping a huge mug of coffee to calm her nerves. What if he didn't come back? What if he just left her? That couldn't happen; she couldn't go back to how she was before. She needed his help, and that took a lot to admit. Misty Waterflower never needed help from anybody.

"Hey babe," a sleazy looking guy in his fifties leant across the table. His breath stank of cigarettes and alcohol, and Misty had to try hard not to recoil in disgust. "Room 702. No price is too high. Catch you later." He winked and strolled off to sit alone at another table. Misty could feel his repulsive gaze never leave her. She shuddered. If Ash didn't return, that's what was waiting for her.

"Hurry up Ash, where are you?" she muttered, and right on queue, Ash walked through the door, smiling and whistling happily. She sighed in relief.

"Hi Misty," he said, sliding into the chair opposite her.

"Hey. Where have you been?"

"I told you; I just went for a walk. I've got a surprise for you after breakfast, though," he grinned.

"Can I see now?" Misty asked eagerly, but Ash just laughed.

"No, you need to eat. Come on, I want a boiled egg."

Misty reluctantly agreed and followed Ash to breakfast buffet. Looking at the food, she grimaced. She wasn't hungry; she couldn't eat anything. But if she didn't, Ash would worry, and he might even find out her secret…

He was already stacking his plate with bread, ham, eggs and everything else from the buffet. What could she do? Making up her mind, she took a slice of wholemeal bread and a glass of orange juice. The acid in the juice would make throwing up easier.

"Is that all you're having?" Ash asked, looking at her concernedly. "You can't have had much food recently…"

"No, no, of course not," Misty laughed, panicking on the inside. She grabbed a couple of slices of cheese and an apple and followed him back to the table. She was getting rid of this anyway; a bit more food wouldn't hurt.

Resolvedly, she took a bite of bread and cheese. It tasted sour and foul, and her gag reflex immediately went into action, but she swallowed it down, determined she wouldn't let this bread ruin her. She swung her legs furiously under the table, to try and burn off a few calories as she ate. Each bite was the same – a battle with herself that she would not lose. She couldn't let Ash find out, even if it killed her. They ate in comfortable silence, Ash sensing that, for whatever reason, Misty couldn't talk right then. After what felt like a lifetime, her plate was empty. It was the first proper meal she'd eaten in a long time, and now it had to go. All her work couldn't be spoilt now.

"Shall we go then, Mist? I need to show you your surprise," Ash said, smiling across the table at her.

"Err, sure, I just need to go to the bathroom though. I'll meet you down here in a minute?" She got up and walked quickly out of the room, not waiting for a reply. Bypassing the lift, she took the stairs two at a time up to Ash's room. She unlocked the door with the key Ash had given her, and went straight to the bathroom after picking up her handbag. Routing around, she found what she was looking for. The toothbrush.

She's been anorexic for a while now. It all started with Tommy. She'd thought at the beginning that if she was thin enough, if she was pretty enough, he could love her. He wouldn't hurt her anymore. Of course, it hadn't worked like that. After a bit though, it stopped being voluntary. The food made her feel sick just looking at it. She'd never made her self throw up, though; no one had cared enough to make sure she ate before. Now, she had no choice. She couldn't break free from this illness, and if Ash found out, he might leave. She couldn't let him leave. She bent down over the toilet and thrust the end of the toothbrush down her throat. She gagged, but nothing came out. Her eyes watered; this was harder than she'd thought. She was resolute though, so tried again. This time it went further down, and she fought the reflex to pull it back with all she had. This time it worked. The vomit burnt her throat and made her eyes water more, but it was worth it. There was none of that disgusting fat in her body now. She quickly flushed the toilet to hide the evidence, and washed her toothbrush under the tap. Getting a spare out her bag, she hastily brushed her teeth to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth, and then fixed her make up. She toned down now that she didn't need to attract customers, only putting on a touch of mascara and moisturiser. Crossing her fingers that everything would go well, she headed back downstairs.

"You look beautiful, Mist," Ash said, his face going slightly pink as she entered the foyer. She smiled widely; this was the first genuine compliment she could remember getting.

"So, what's this surprise?"

He grinned. "Come outside. I've been meaning to give you this for a long time."

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