Hey everyone! This is one of the shorter chapters so keep a look out, I may be posting another chapter before Sunday! Thank you so much for the reviews, I can't wait to see what you guys think about the coming chapters! Happy Hump day!
Staring at the bottle of pills I shoot the doctor a questioning look before looking back to the supposed "band aid" to my little problem.
"So two a day huh?" I ask skeptically. Dr. Oldenzki nods patiently.
"That should help ease the head aches and stomach pains as well as any nausea. But Rose, you need to let me know if your symptoms get worse, I can only help if you keep me up to date." She says firmly. Distantly I feel myself nod. "It should also help you put on some weight, you've lost close to 20 pounds in the past three weeks, we both know that's not a good thing, have you been eating enough?" She can't hide the concern.
"I eat when I can hold it down, which isn't often, an apple and water, that's my usual now a days." I state as I open the bottle and pop a pill in my mouth before swallowing some water to chase it.
"Well those should help, but I'm serious Rose, let me know if you notice anything new." And just like that I'm free to go to my weekly group practice. Joy.
I tuck the bottle into my gym bag and head to the gym.
As soon as I walk into the room it falls silent. Glares regard me and suddenly it seems like everyone is whispering amongst themselves.
That day turns into a new shade of hell when everyone I fight with seems hell bent on trying to kill me. Hits are harder and everyone seems to be trying to go for my head not to mention that for friendly "sparing" the moves that are being used are usually frowned upon. One girl even managed to cut me with a ring that she hadn't taken off.
Lucky for me, however, I don't plan to go down without a fight. Every dirty move is matched with just as much if not more force and every hit I taken I give back double time.
At the end I'm dismissed for being "too rough". I grumble to myself the entire way back to my dorm.
I let myself into my room and immediately head to the bathroom and run some warm water for a bath. While that runs I go to my mirror and inspect the damage. There are a few bruises along my ribs and the cut on my cheek has already begun to scab. I poke at my stomach lightly, tracing where you could begin to see the shadow of my ribs beneath my skin.
I sigh before I strip my clothes off and get in the tub once I turn the water off. I take and deep breath and dunk my head under the water.
For that moment I just exist. There's nothing to really think about, I tend to keep my mind as blank as possible because if I let myself think about what is happening… I don't think I'd be able to dig myself out of that hole.
Somewhere in the back of mind I feel the buzz of the bond… of Lissa. For a second I let myself fall into her head.
She's laughing but something is off, her laugh doesn't have the warmth that used to make me smile, something in it is cold and forced. She's sipping something that tastes strongly of some cheap alcohol and when she looks around I see what remains of those I used to be able to call friends.
Adrian is wrapped around Avery and laughing as well. Beside them are Eddie and Mia, both look drained but are laughing as well, both are clutching red cups that I can only assume contain the same alcohol as Lissa's.
Something feels off but I put it off to my dislike for Avery before I return to my own mind where I'm resting in relative peace for the first time in what feels like an eternity.
I get out of the tub and go through my nightly routine before collapsing into my bed. Sleep claims me quickly and I fall into the embrace of old memories filled with laughter and happiness.