Rule of Three
It turns out, that I was not going to slip down the stairs, but that three people would hit their heads, rather.
Fang and I clutched our throbbing heads as we walked into the kitchen. I, more or less, stumbled in feeling dizzy from hitting my head so hard. Fang had one arm out the whole way down the stairs, ready to catch me if need be.
My mom sat at our old kitchen table, bent over some paper work for her clinic. Upon hearing us she glanced at us and returned to her work. Then she looked back up and shot over to the freezer.
"What did you all do?" she said, bent into the freezer looking for ice packs.
"I threw my phone on my bed, unaware that there was a person there. It hit Fang here in the head. He said 'I need ice.' which made me jump into the doorframe and hit my head."
My mom straightened up, smacking her head. She reached in for another ice pack, pulled back out of the freezer completely, before standing up and wrapping the ice packs in a towel.
She handed us ours, and back down at the table resuming her paper work, ice pressed to her head.
That was interesting. At least it wasn't me all three times.
We walked out into the hallway before I turned to Fang.
"What do you want to do?" I asked. In response, he shrugged. I can't honestly say I didn't expect it.
"Well if you won't tell me what you want to do," I said exasperatedly," then we'll go over to Nudge's for makeover's and dress up." I said seriously, 'turning around to leave'.
Fang grabbed my arm and spun me back around, his eyes looking around nervously in a panic mode.
I studied his face for a second. "Alright then, let's go to your house and watch a scary movie."
He raised an eyebrow at me. I translated it to be 'you won't be scared and clutch onto me the whole time, right?'
"No, I won't." I sighed, pulling him to his house.
When he walks, he walks with swagger, which always takes longer then walking normally. Plus he's really tall and muscular, so he's heavy.
I pushed open the door, remembering that coach Smith wouldn't be here to open the door and thinking that Iggy most likely wouldn't let me in-or he may open the door expecting a prostitute-, and that it would take Fang five minutes to get there.
I listened to the house for a minute, not wanting a repeat of Friday.
"Iggy! Will you make us some snacks? We're going to watch a scary movie!" I yelled.
"Sure, sure." he sighed, loping across the catwalk thing.
Fang nodded his thanks before dragging me down to the theater.
He slipped in some horror movie, Psycho, I think, and sat down next to me on the couch. About five minutes in, Iggy joined us with sodas, chips, and candy. Our eyes were glued to the screen as the infamous 'Shower Scene' came on.
"Fang, give me your hand." I whispered.
"What?"
"Hand. Now." I growled.
You see, scary movies don't scare me if I can hold on to something. I don't know why. I just feel safer. Like on a rollercoaster, it works.
I clutched his hand. I saw the shadow and grabbed his hand harder, digging in my nails.
And after she screamed I let go. And I am fine.
Returning most of my attention to the screen, I watched Fang shake out his hand and focused on the pleasant warmth of where his hand had been, unwillingly.
The rest of the movie was good, and it was pretty macabre.
~Nudge & Ella~
"Okay. Open your mouth." Nudge said. Ella opened her mouth and swallowed some dry cereal.
Her face was one of concern. How was Nudge going to stop her from throwing this up? She sure didn't have enough will power to keep herself.
"Okay, now you Nudge." Nudge looked at the spoon with distaste. Her mind immediately jumping to its food reaction.
'Nudge, you are so fat. You do not need cereal. You want to be pretty and popular. You could be skinny. Don't eat it.' Her thoughts ran wild.
She swallowed her qualms and ate the cereal, immediately wanting to spit it back out. Ella's hand stopped her though.
"Nudge you are beautiful and thin. You are so popular, people want to be you. Food is healthy, you are not fat." Ella said at the worried look spreading across Nudge's face. Ella had read in one of the pamphlets that countering the negative things made it easier to overcome the, urges to react.
Ella sat on the couch calmly, focusing on Nudge.
After Nudge took a bite, she would take a bite; then Nudge again. After both had eaten a bowl, Nudge kept Ella on the couch and watched a suspense movie so Ella couldn't leave to shove her fingers down the throat.
Ella and Nudge had the Jordan household to themselves for the night. Ella would get her bags from her house in the morning before school. Both of them had a mission for the next day: Eat breakfast, and if that went well, lunch.
Dinner was last on their list to tackle. It was the hardest one for them to eat.
Ella couldn't throw up the rest of the night. She felt sick from actually eating, but the feeling of progress made her feel good enough to enjoy the rest of the day.
Nudge however felt a lack of progress, and sick, and even worse because she couldn't throw up. She couldn't force herself. So she turned her attention to other problems: boys, clothes, and plans.
When they both woke up the next morning, Ella smiled.
"One meal down,Nudge. And dare I say it, I think I'm feeling a little hungry." She grinned devilishly.
Nudge looked uncertain, but smiled a little. She was going to overcome this. She was going to do it, no matter what it took.