CHAPTER 3

FLORA'S POV

It had been 3 days since I came to Gardenia and so far I have not even left the house. At all.

I mean yeah, it's not like I'd bump into Helia at the shops or anything, but I can't say I won't bump into anyone. Gardenia is a small town, too small, and in small towns news spread really fast. My arrival in Gardenia spread out just as fast as my departure and my supposed 'mistake' had.

The mistake being that I had 'cheated' on Helia McGregor with Cameroon Cooper two nights before our wedding day. After that rumor was announced at the alter by Krystal Jefferson, it spread out throughout Gardenia like a God forsaken wildfire. That's when my whole life came crashing down like a climax in a cliché chick-flick.

Everywhere I went I'd get looks of disgust and disappointment. People I used to think of as my family and friends would come up to me and insult me and call me names. Either that or they'd shun me to the point where they wouldn't even look at me. And no matter how hard my family or I tried, no one would believe that it was a lie and that I was being framed. It didn't help that Cameroon put no efforts in denying the lie either.

As for Krystal, she went around town gleaming with pride and satisfaction, earning the respect of everyone in Gardenia. I couldn't say I wasn't disappointed at this town's obliviousness. I've never felt so hurt with how easily I was pushed out of the picture.

Growing up, I'd always pleased everyone. I was given the title of 'Gardenia's golden girl' because I was always scoring the top of my classes, doing tones of community service and, well, making my widely popular brownies. I even graduated from the state university as a Valedictorian with a bachelor's degree, earning a name for my family and Gardenia itself. But this was all long forgotten as it seems.

As I mentioned before, Gardenia was a really small town. Everyone knew everyone. There was only one public school which every child in Gardenia went to. Hell, even our parents and grandparents went to that school; one park, where almost every family went to on Sundays for a family outing; a couple diners and grocery stores – all local, family – owned businesses that were passed down from generation to generation, for example, my grandad Joe passed down his diner to my dad after he passed away when I was ten years old.

But after being loved by everyone in the town, it was absolutely horrible to be the most hated. It was even worse knowing that even the people I was closest to went against me. I'd always thought of Helia's family as my own, even before Helia and I started dating. Our families were super close so I always found myself heading to his house whenever I felt like. And up until then, I was always welcomed with open doors. Now they've made it pretty damn clear that they want nothing to do with me. And I think that hurt me more than splitting with Helia. It literally felt like I was being disowned.

After that day at the town church, my family received a lot of hate because of the incident. Things at the diner weren't going so well, people were even hating on my parents for something I did. Well, what they assume I did. Myla was having issues with her friends, with her sticking up for me whenever someone made a rude remark about me. As much as I tried to persuade her to ignore it, she couldn't. And Brandon was finding it difficult to find a job, what with everyone having trust issues with my family. Even poor Stella was getting shade thrown at her whenever she so much as walked out on the streets.

Even though they never complained or mentioned it, it hurt to see my family having a hard time because of me. So I did the only thing I could think of and ran away. I was never the one to run away from my problems, but it got to the point when it was getting too unhealthy to stay locked up in my bedroom – I'm glad I had the sense to know how dangerous that was because if things continued the way it was, I'd have found myself in a pretty bad state of depression and hospitalization.

I walked across my room and sat on my window seat, staring out of the window as the memory streamed in.

…

Wiping the tears from my puffy cheeks, I shoved the snot – covered tissues off my body and rolled onto the floor. My body weak from not eating in a little over a week; I laid there, building up the energy to lift myself off the carpet and onto my two feet. When I finally mustered up the strength, I picked myself up and headed to my bathroom, catching a glimpse of myself in my vanity mirror after not doing so in weeks. I froze, unable to comprehend the image staring back at me. Just when I thought I had gained enough stamina, it all disappeared as I found myself incompetent to moving a single muscle in my body. All I could do was stare at my reflection in the mirror, only blinking in the process. As much as I tried, I couldn't find the sense to pry my eyes away from the vanity table. That all disappeared when I found myself sprinting to the bathroom, hunching over the toilet and throwing up every last bit of food I had in my body. I just sat there, crying my eyes out as I realized what I just saw. Nothing but red eyes, puffy cheeks and…bones.

Even in the state I was in, it alarmed me how far I had come to actually risking my life. I slowly got off the cold, bathroom floor and walked to the sink where I refused to look up at the mirror like I'd been doing for ages now. I washed my face, finally getting rid of the tear stains on my cheeks. I stumbled out of the bathroom and walked over to my vanity and sat down, that's when I finally examined myself in the mirror. My fingers slowly reached up to my face as I stroked my cheeks, shaking my head at how visible my cheekbones were. Getting even more alarmed when I saw how bony my fingers looked in the mirror. I reached for the hairbrush sitting on the wooden table and carefully lifted it up to my hair. Running the brush through my brown mane, I almost shrieked at how much had detached itself from my scalp. I shook my head again, staring at myself in the mirror.

"How could you let this happen to you Flora," I croaked, my voice raspy from not using it in days.

I was twenty three years old and I was on the verge of anorexia and depression.

The thought was so scary it made my gut clench in my stomach. I had always been underweight, what with being born premature and all, but looking at myself in the mirror today – it frightened me.

My stomach let out a loud rumble, and after ignoring it for ages, I decided I was done with this. I didn't want to lock myself in my room and empty out tissue boxes. I didn't want to lock my family out – especially since they are the only people I have right now.

That thought itself made me want to run to bathroom again. In this whole planet, I only had 5 people who were not ashamed or embarrassed of me and all I was doing was ignoring them.

I would have slapped myself, but I didn't want to harm my body any more than I already had. I stood up and went back into the bathroom. This time I flipped the shower on and hesitantly stripped myself. Refusing to stroke the visible bones on my body, I quickly hopped into the shower, and cried my eyes out for the last time.

I wasn't going to cry endlessly over people who so easily kicked me out of their lives. I wasn't going to be that kind of person.

I got out of the shower and walked to my closet, flinging the doors open I picked out my outfit.

But to my complete and utter dismay, everything just emphasized my lack off body weight.

Finally deciding on a pair of black leggings and a grey sweatshirt, I combed my wet hair with my fingers – too afraid of using the brush – before hesitantly walking towards my bedroom.

I don't know why, but I felt this sudden rush of anxiety flood through my body as I stood in front of the wooden door. This was my house, my family, and yet this unnerving feeling inside my head was screaming at me not to twist the knob. Remembering the conversation I had with myself in the shower, I ignored the little voice in my head and flung the door open.

I quietly stumbled down the hallway, peering inside every room on the way. They were all empty. I bit back my disappointment as I urged forward, towards the staircase before slowly descending down.

"Myla honey could you run over to the –" I heard someone call from the living room before an audible gasp was heard, "F-Flora?"
I turned my head to see my mum standing in the hallway, her eyes red and puffy as a look of shock and sorrow flashed across her face.

Before I could do anything, she lunged herself at me as she sobbed into my shoulder. I refrained myself from crying too as I just stood there and held her in my arms.

"Flora, honey, look at you! What kind of mother am I to let you get to this state, I've let you –"

"Mum, stop. This isn't your fault okay? The last thing I need is you blaming yourself for this."
"But Flora LOOK AT YOU!" She wailed, placing her palms on each ear and examining my face.

"Flora, Honey, could you do me a small favor?" My mum asked, peeking her head from behind my bedroom door, shaking me out of my daze in the process.

"Uhm yeah, sure." I choked, getting up from the window seat and walking towards her.

She pushed the door open and walked in and then stopped and stood by my desk, looking quite uncomfortable and awkward.

"Uhm mum?" I hinted, trying to get her to say what she wanted.

"Well, I just started preparing for dinner when I realized we need some things and I was wondering if you'd…" She started before I interrupted.

"Don't tell me you want me to go to the grocery store?" I begged, not believing my ears.

"It's only a couple of things. I'd go myself but I have to watch over the food and I've got this HUGE migraine," She gave me a small smile and looked at me hopefully.

"But –"

"Listen, I'll come with you if you want, but you have to get out of this house." Myla interrupted, barging into my room.

I frowned; "I don't have to."

"Yes you do. What's the point of coming all the way here if you aren't even going to get out?" Myla argued, glaring at me, waiting for me to say something to go against her. I rolled my eyes knowing there was no way I'd win this argument.

"Fine I'll go." I huffed before spinning on my heels and walking to my closet.

I swung the cupboard doors open and reached for a pair of tracks, but then my hand was smacked away.

I stared at my sister in disbelief as she reappeared by my side. "Now what?"

"Can I choose your outfit?" Myla asked, already flipping through the hangers of clothes I had to offer. I swear this woman's patience is the size of a teaspoon.

"Uh I guess?"
"Great! So let's see…hmmmm, its cold outside right?"
"Well, yeah. It's autumn, and Gardenia is pretty much always cold."

She handed me a pair of black, ripped high waisted skinny jeans, a grey crop top and a dark blue and maroon flannel shirt. Well actually, she threw it at my face before squatting down to examine my collection of shoes.

"And here I was, edging to wear a hoodie and track pants." I sighed, taking the clothes into the bathroom and quickly changing.

"Well that's why I'm here, to stop you from doing stupid things."

"How is that stupid?"
"Well…it's not, but you should just look good, especially seeing as this is going to be your not-really-first-first impression. You know?"
"Uhhh, I think?" I replied, stepping out of the bathroom and picking up my black combat boots before throwing myself on the bed and squeezing my feet into them.

"Nice shoes! I'm wearing them on my date with Iker this Friday."
"Only if you let me wear that mesh top whenever I want to."
"Deal." Myla grinned, grabbing my hand and shaking it. "Now hurry up, we'll have to walk. B. took the car to Joe's,"

And with that she was out of my bedroom and running down the stairs like a sugar rushed monkey.

I rolled my eyes at her before grabbing my phone and walking over to my floor – length mirror to examine my outfit.

I looked myself up and down before smiling…and then frowning. I completely forgot about makeup and if I started doing it now, Myla would have my head on a stick.

I sighed before walking out my room and closing the door shut behind me and then I too ran down the stairs like a wound up toy with a broken key.

"Took you long enough." Myla groaned, as she flung the front door open and walked out. Leaving me to stand helplessly on the doorstep.

I looked up and down the street, seeing that it was completely isolated. This gave me a sudden boost of relief and I quickly followed her down the porch steps and onto the sidewalk.

…

Okayyyy

So credits for updating quickly, ey?

Anyway, this was a kind of depressing chapter I guess, but I felt like I should include a small tragedy in the story and well, Flora IS the main character.

I hope it wasn't toooo distressing and that you enjoyed it. I know I did.

Please review and favorite the story. Let's try get my reviews to like 10+?

Much Love, shwetz2002