Unexpeted

Ch. 22

Eliana's pov

I really didn't expect to have to eat dinner at my grandparents house, but here we are. Was I hoping to get home at like 6 pm say I'm tired and call it a night? Yes. Will I be able to now? No.

I've already tried the whole 'I'm tired, can I just sleep while you eat' and it was a definite no from my mother. Such a clear no I won't be attempting to try again.

As everyone gets up and makes a plate of food I walk to the pantry in hopes of finding something not as bad as pasta. Because I've already had to many carbs and calories this week. Cereal may be full of sugar, but at least the calorie count isn't as awful as spaghetti and breadsticks.

I check the nutrition level for the box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Frosted Flakes which results in Victoria taking the Frosted Flakes away and putting them on the highest shelf.

I turn my head to her and she sends me a warning glare, "What are you doing, I was going to eat that."

"Don't check the label if you want to eat it." She whispers before sitting beside my mom at the table.

I know I didn't just hear that right. I know I didn't hear her just say she's gonna start giving me food with more calories every time I check the nutrition labels. Because that's exactly what she just did to me.

As she sits beside my mom, she acts like not a thing just happened. Fine, two can play this game Victoria. You're not smarter than me when it comes to food.

I get a bowl and put a cup and a half of food into it before putting the box in the pantry again. I grab a spoon and sit between my aunts which puts me right across the table from my mom.

"The dinner of champions." Aunt Dallas says looking at my dinner of choice.

"I know."

"That's not very much." Aunt Madison says.

I turn my head to her, "My stomach already hurts so I figured to keep it on the small side for dinner so I don't spend all night in the bathroom vomiting. Just doesn't seem like a really good idea. Although-" I start as I think.

If I do eat more then decide to purge it later, because technically I could, then it's like I haven't eaten at all. And which how tense I get during vomiting maybe it'll shape my stomach a bit? Because you know how your stomach hurts after you've vomited because of how tight it was when you were throwing up? Yeah, if you do that everyday, would you get abs? Or at least a better stomach?

Plus if I do vomit tonight, I've already said my stomach hurts so I've got myself covered to be able to do so.

"Although what?" Aunt Madison asks.

"Sleeping in the bathroom sounds kinda cool. Like you could make a bed in the bathtub and then be right there when you've got to throw up. It sounds sorta comfortable actually." I lie.

"What part of sleeping in a bathtub sounds comfortable?" Aunt Dallas asks.

"The part where you get snuggled up with some blankets and get comfy in the bathtub." I say.

"With how hard your mattress is, the bathtub might be more comfortable." Aunt Madison says.

"Dear god it's like the things filled with rocks." Aunt Dallas agrees.

"No, just springs." I say.

"Yeah, the bed is pretty uncomfortable. I'm not sure how you sleep in it Eliana." Grandpa says.

"I don't, I usually fall on the floor in my sleep because of nightmares. So I actually sleep on the floor most the night. That's why my arms all bruised." I say.

"It is?" Aunt Dallas asks.

I roll my left sleeve up and show her the bruised arm, "Eliana it's swollen." She says concerned.

"It's fineeee, it's not broken. I couldn't move it if it were." I say before eating a spoon full of cereal.

"Does it hurt?" She asks holding it gently.

I giggle, "Yeah, but it's fineeeee."

My moms made me hurt worse. This is honestly nothing. It's like a minor pain in comparison to what she's done to me before.

"Your moms gonna have to haul out those baby rails she used to put in your bed." Aunt Madison says.

"Those aren't gonna work." I say.

I'm too fat for those now. Like those are made for toddlers. Not a teenager. If I fall into those, the rails going down with me.

"Do you want some ice?" Aunt Dallas asks.

"No, I'm good." I say.

I hurry and finish my cereal and then stare down at my arm and poke it where it's bruised. It doesn't feel broken but it's weird how it's swollen.

"Do you have a lot of nightmares?" Grandma asks.

"Mhm."

"I'm sorry they are back, it seems like they never stay away."

That's because my mom doesn't stay away. It's hard to not have nightmares when the person causing them lives with you and continuously triggers them. But ya know, whatever.

"It's fine." I say.

"I don't really think everything you say is fine, is fine." Grandpa says.

"Yeah it is, like my arms not broken just a bit bruised and it'll be fine. Put some ice on it it'll be good. As for the nightmares haha, spooky season is everyday." I say.

"Well, that's a way to look at it I guess." Aunt Madison says.

No wonder Halloween's my moms favorite time of the year. It's the time of the year she just gets to dress up as herself, scary. Not that she has to dress up period, I fear her even when she isn't dressed up.

"Eliana I thought you didn't like Halloween though." Grandma says.

I shrug, "I have a strong dislike, but if I did the normal Halloween that seems fun. I like the idea of putting myself in danger by knocking on people's doorbells and potentially being kidnapped. It seems interesting. I wonder how many kidnapping reporting there are on Halloween. Sounds intriguing. I'll come back when I have an answer." I say.

"You want to be kidnapped?" Grandma asks.

"No, I mean like it sounds fun to go to strangers house and and get candy. But then my mind went to the idea of kidnapping. Yeah I'm all over the place, anywayyy."

"Honestly Halloween would be the time to kidnap, it gives you the opportunity. I've never looked at it like that."Aunt Madison says.

"You don't like Halloween Eliana?" Grandma asks.

"No."

Why on earth would I like going to Halloween parties with my mom and see a bunch of drunk or high adults? Breathe in second hand cigarette smoke? Listen to blaring music do loud I have a headache? And watch my entire house be turned into a place I don't feel safe in due to all the adults in it? I'll wait for an answer.

"Victoria doesn't like it much either." My mom says.

"I never really celebrated it growing up." Victoria says.

I wish I didn't have to.

*time skip*

At some point we finally make it home and I bolt to my room and lock my door behind me not wanting to be messed with any further tonight. I want to do not a thing more of have the opportunity for my mom to talk to me or anything.

I put my phone on the charger and then change into some pajamas. I then climb into my bed and decide to just go to sleep. That way there's nothing anyone can make me do. I'm too busy sleeping.