I’ve lost thirteen pounds. I called Joe over to celebrate my recent weight loss. I couldn’t really tell him that I’d lost the weight though. He’d probably freak and be worried, like usual.

I heard the door open and close from downstairs and the clonking of feet running up the stairs. He opened my door and greeted me with a hug.

I smiled and opened my mouth to speak but I suddenly couldn’t find the words. My mind went blank and it all went black.



“She’s waking up,” I heard a woman’s voice said.

I opened my eyes and saw Joe standing up beside a woman in white. I looked around and saw that I wasn’t home. I sat up quickly and felt woozy.

“Don’t move too quickly. You’re hooked up,” the nurse said.

She was right. There was an IV in my wrist and I had a clamp over my finger. I looked around and saw Joe. He looked mad.

“Do you two want a moment,” the nurse asked awkwardly.

“Yes please,” Joe answered quickly.

“Alright, if you need anything, feel free to press that button.”

With that, the nurse left. There was a long pause and then Joe began to speak.

“Your mother is on her way,” he said quietly.

“What happened,” I asked.

“What happened was that you passed out after not eating anything for almost a month.”

I was silent. I opened my mouth to speak but Joe began again, “What the hell were you thinking? Not eating? Is there something wrong with you?”

He stared at me and I figured it was my turn to speak.

“I just want to be beautiful,” I replied simply.

“Beautiful? You want to be beautiful? Rachel I wasn’t kidding. You are beautiful. You know better than to do something this stupid. You know so much better. What exactly is your definition of beautiful? Some fake, pencil thin girl on a cover of a magazine? Is that it? You don’t need that. You’re beautiful all on your own. Without this. Without you starving yourself or wearing all of this makeup.

“And I still cannot believe you did something this idiotic. I love you, I really do, but you’re one of the dumbest people I’ve ever met.”

He stopped and I sat there. Tears began to well up in my eyes. He was really mad. I was about to say something and he looked away from my face.

He got up and ran his fingers through his hair. I opened my mouth to speak and he shook his head and stormed out of the room.