Thank you everyone so much for the feedback, and I'm really happy that you liked it! Here is Chapter 2, and remember to review at the end!
Two
Her name is Daisy. She's new.
Everyone, including Collin, Brady, and I turn to watch her as she makes her way into the lunchroom. She plops herself down at a table near the window and takes out a crumpled paper bag, dumping out a sandwich, an apple, a bag of carrot sticks, and a small-sized bag of crisps. She smashes the bag and tosses it at the garbage can nearby, then continues to stare at her lunch.
Whispers of 'what is she doing?' and 'come on, eat it' reverberate off of the lunchroom walls. There are small gasps and more whispers, then a few snickers from the table of girls behind her.
Suddenly, a cross country runner from across the room coughs loudly, "Anorexic freak."
I feel as if someone has punched me in the stomach.
The laughter gets louder.
That's when Jason Short walks over to her and takes the open seat on her left. His head shoots up, and he glares at the other girls' table. They turn back around, and the noise picks up again. Jason smiles and turns back to Daisy, nudging her. She picks a carrot stick out of the bag and nibbles on it.
~o~o~o~o~
Down. Set…
"Hike!"
Joseph tosses the ball to me under his legs, and I catch it, running backwards a few feet. I wait until Ben is a few more yards away before chucking the ball at him. I watch it twirl its way into a high arc and land in Ben's waiting hands. He pivots left, narrowly dodging Gil, and continues to sprint his way towards the goal. When he makes it, the players in blue jerseys clap him on the back and let out little cheers.
It's been almost two years since the battle over Renesmee. After Jacob moved with the Cullen's to Alaska, the vampire trouble almost immediately stopped. With less time spent on patrols and wars over everything under the sun, I found the chance to get back into sports; quite like I was before I phased.
I haven't stopped phasing, yet. The hope that one day I would find my imprint - a god-given partner for life - stayed with me everyday, and I cling to it constantly.
"Bring it in, fellas. Bring it in!" Coach yells, motioning with his hands. "Hustle!"
We all jog in close to Coach Wilkens.
"Great moves out there, boys. That's what I'm talkin' about!" he congratulates, and we clap. As he continues talking, I see movement on the bleachers behind the fence.
It's Daisy.
She sits down, and then looks up, catching my eye.
My breath catches.
…
Nope. Nothing. Damn.
Her face is so thin. She reaches up a bony hand to brush away stray amounts of her long black hair. Then, she gives me a small smile and waves.
I raise my hand, but it kind of hangs there for a bit.
She's so…thin.
Coach whacks my head lightly.
"Clearwater, stop ogling the girl! Don't you wanna hear my End Practice Speech?" he gives me his look, which, frankly, looks like he has to take a big shit. I purse my lips together to stifle a laugh.
His End Practice Speech was practically the same every day.
Work hard, fellas. Together, we can really take this team somewhere. And, above all-
"-keep. Healthy! I don't need you guys slowing down on those plays. Eh, Clearwater?" he chuckles, firmly patting my stomach.
"Ha-ha," I mutter. He makes this joke everyday. Gee, never gets old, Coach Wilkens.
"Alright, men! Put 'em in!" he bellows, taking off his old baseball cap. The rest of us pull off our helmets and raise them up, holding them out towards the middle.
I shout, "Two-three!"
"SPARTANS!" everyone else finishes.
"Get outta here," Coach Wilkens pats my back twice, and we jog towards the school gym. Jason passes me and I reach out for his shoulder.
"Hey, Jase."
"Huh?" he turns towards me.
"Who's that girl? The one you were sitting at lunch with?"
"Why?" he crosses his arms defensively. "I know you know who she is; everyone knows, Clearwater." I beat Jason by at least a good five inches in height, but he still tries to look tougher than me, standing back a little and planting his feet out to seem more menacing.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes.
"Whoa there, Jase. I just wanted to know how you know her; she's new today."
"She's my cousin staying with us for the rest of the year from California. Problem?" he quirks a brow.
"No. Just…wondering is all."
He eyes me for a bit longer before turning and jogging out of the gate and towards the bleachers. He turns back towards me again.
"I better not catch you saying anything about her, okay?" his face softens a bit. "She's going through a lot right now, you know?"
Jason turns and runs to the bleachers. I nod.
"Yeah. I know."
~0~0~0~0~
Mom makes spaghetti and meatballs.
I have three helpings, five breadsticks, and even make myself a big bowl of ice cream afterward.
I catch Leah and Mom smiling secretively at each other after watching me scarf down my feast.
"More, Seth?" Mom asks, grinning at me. I shake my head, mouth full of melting cream and cookies. "You sure?"
"Mhm." I swallow. "Positive."
To be honest, I feel as if I could have eaten more…Possibly a whole truckload of food. But, no.
"Leah…?" someone calls from the front door. My sister brightens, zooming from the table and out of the kitchen.
"Johnny!" she squeals. I hear kissing and giggling. They reappear after a few seconds, and John takes a place in Dad's old seat. I set my spoon down and stare hard at my bowl.
"Hey, sport! How's the team?" he asks me, undoubtedly flashing that shiny white grin of his. Without lifting my head, I flick my eyes towards him.
"Fine," I mutter.
"Good, good. Did Leah tell you I'm gonna try to make it out to the game this weekend? I hear you guys are going against a team from the Makah tribe; sweet!"
I shrug, looking at my mother.
"I'm gonna go start some homework, okay? Before I go for a run."
"Alright, that's fine. Hey, just set your plate in the sink, okay?"
"Yeah."
"See ya, kiddo," John chirps. His mouth is full of food. I pretend I don't hear him and collect myself. On my way out, he chuckles. "Wow, Sue, your cooking is so good, I'm starting to see a little gut on Seth over there!"
Leah and Mom laugh. I pad up the stairs.
Leah stopped phasing after the whole Renesmee thing to go off to university in Seattle. Lo and behold, three months after the spring semester began, she meets John Michael Goodard, big shot neurosurgeon at a hospital deep in the city.
Of course, they fell for each other immediately. And now, twice a week, I have to suffer the two lovebirds shmoozing at the dinner table.
I can't stand the man. He eats our food, is too handsy on Leah, and sits in Dad's chair.
The asshole.
My shoulders hike up past my ears as I stick my fingers down my throat. I hate this. This is always the worst part.
Should've thought about that sooner, gutzo.
I should've thought about that sooner.
I pull my fingers out of my mouth and rock back and forth over the toilet, gripping the lid with my left hand. With my right, I push my hair back.
You need to cut that.
I have to cut that.
I retch twice before blowing chunks into the bowl. A bit splashes on my face.
I hate that part, too.
You'll learn this time, Clearwater. You've learned this time.
I'll learn this time. I've learned this time. I've learned this time. I've...
"I-I-I'll learn," I whisper to myself, flushing the commode. I wipe my bottom lip with the back of my hand. I choke back a small sob. "I'll learn."
~0~0~0~0~
A short run to clear my mind.
Two more miles.
Two more miles. Two plus three equals five. Five miles equals five breadsticks.
Three more miles.
Three more miles for three helpings of pasta.
One more mile.
One more mile for-
"Hey!" someone calls. I skid to a stop and turn, raising my hands to rest on the back of my head to allow me to breathe easier. Even though it tired me out a lot more quickly, I liked to run while human as opposed to as a wolf. Never know just who else might need a click clearance of the head.
I stop breathing for a beat when I realise that the person who called my name is none other than Daisy.
Her hair is pulled out of her face into a low ponytail, and she's dressed in loose joggers and a jumper.
"You're that guy from school, huh?" she pants, jogging in place. "I'm Daisy."
"Seth," I breathe.
She is so thin.
"You've passed my house so many times back there. Are you making the loop around the reservation? You must've ran, like, nine miles! You're so fast."
"Y-yeah," I stutter out.
"Mind if I run with you?"
I stare her up and down once, then give a small nod.
"Cool." She jogs ahead of me and I watch her long, skinny legs move in a steady rhythm; pounding softly on the pavement. She turns. "Come on, slowpoke. I'm beating you!"
I run to catch up with her, and when I do I match her strides. She's much slower than I could run, but I put up with it in silence.
"So, Seth," she pants, glancing at me. "You run often?"
"Yeah, I guess," I breathe. "As often…" pant, pant. "As I can."
"So everyday, then?"
"I guess."
"Well, don't you know?"
I look at her with a small smile and giver her a loose shrug, and she laughs. We run in silence for a fourth of a mile; only the sound of our laboured breaths and feet crunching on rock to fill the silence.
"S-"
"How do you do it?" I pant, coming to a stop. She stops with me, leaning over her knees to catch her breath.
"W-" pant, pant, pant. "What?"
"You're so thin. You must be…101 at the most."
She rolls her eyes and gives me a small smile.
"87 as of an hour ago. And it better be 86 by the time I get back home. Come on." She starts to jog off again, but then stops. Daisy turns to me with a small look of shock on her face. "I mean…I'm…Oh, god, please don't tell Jason or my aunt. They're gonna ship me off if you do. I'm better, honest, I am. I'm so better. I ate my whole lunch today, and…" she trails off, her eyes flickering down. She looks back up at me. "I'm better. Honest, I am."
I look around. We're in near the beach; I can hear the waves crashing on shore. She huffs and takes off at a sprint.
"I do it, too!" I call after her. Daisy stops and looks at me. We're quiet again. "It's hard, sometimes. Because, my mother always makes the best food…I can't help myself. So I…"
I can't bring myself to say it. She walks slowly towards me.
Quiet, again.
"I hate it, too. I feel-"
"Disgusting. Yeah. I am."
"Guess we both are, huh?"
"I don't have to force myself."
"I do."
"Don't you hate it when it-"
"Splashes on your face? Yeah. I hate that part."
"I have a stash in my room."
"A stash?"
"Yeah. Toaster strudels, crisps, candy bars…You name it, I have it."
"Why didn't I think of that before?"
"Take it, please. I haven't had a breakdown in over six months. It's driving me nuts seeing it every time I open my wardrobe."
"For real?"
"Mhm."
"Thanks."
We stare at each other for a little while longer, the air thick with an awkward silence.
"W-"
"Why do you do it?" Daisy asks me, hooking her index fingers together. "W…Why?"
I'm quiet for the longest time.
"Well, why do you do it?" I counter, raising my brows at her. She purses her lips and shrugs before smiling at me.
"'Cause."
"…Oh." I swallow, and feel stupid at the thought that I was about to spill out my life to this girl I've only known for not even a day.
Then again, she already knows my most well-kept secret. What harm would it do to just come out and spill everything to her; she seems like a good listener.
When I open my mouth, she cuts me off.
"Come on. I'm not gonna make it to 86 just standing here and thinking about it." She whirls around and takes off at a sprint towards the beach.
I can do nothing else but pick up my feet and follow after her.
Hello everyone! I hoped that you liked this chapter; I think that I will start the habit of updating weekly - every Tuesday. Does that sound alright? Remember to review, please!
- Olivia