Emily #freementalillness #literasia

f i v e

Ava Padilla was a jerk of a friend. Constantly putting down Emily, however, was only a recent thing. Emily felt like she should've seen their friendship crumbling to pieces earlier, but at least she was rid of her. On occasion, she'd see reminders of their friendship and feel vengeful, but swallowed it. Each time Ava approached her wanting redemption, she wouldn't give it. For far too long had she been the forgiving, complacent doormat. 

Escaping to Culinary Arts, everything felt somewhat balanced once again. 

It was Wednesday, and the assignment was to make holiday cookies to pass out to teachers at the end of class. 

Walter, of course, failed miserably. But he was determined to tag along with Emily after she ditched their lunch thing.

"Soooo, what class are we going to?"

Emily ignored him.

"Hello? Em?"

"Don't call me that," she hissed. It was what Ava called her. Keyword was.

"Hey, how about this class?" Walter ran straight into construction, disregarding her words. Emily groaned. Ava had this class. She reluctantly walked in, at least she could get rid of this plate of cookies. It was getting heavy and she didn't exactly have any body strength. 

"Em!" Ava gasped. Emily glared at her. Friend betrayal wasn't something easy to forgive. Did she think the cookies were for her?

"Mr. Parroty, we're from Culinary Arts here to deliver holiday cookies. Would you like a few?" Walter asked the teacher. 

"I love cookies, OMG, thanks y'all!" He said. 

"Wait, Em, I thought we were okay now..." Ava began.

"Do you have no shame? After what you did to me, how can  even begin to forgive you?" Emily started to rant, but stopped as she was amassing an audience. 

"Forget it, Ava. Let's go, Walter." She faintly heard someone calling her name, but she couldn't make out who it was, or react. 

Everything was just dark as she slumped to the floor outside of the classroom. 

When she woke up, she was lying on her back on an uncomfortable surface. She could hear Walter worriedly panicking, over what she did not know.

"She just passed out! I don't know what happened! It's been a couple of minutes, do you think we should take her to the nurse?" He fretted endlessly. It was annoying. 

"I'm fine." She said and got up painfully. The pounding in her head was louder and hurt more than ever. 

"You're not okay, you just passed out on the floor!" Ava said with tears in her eyes. Emily didn't even spare her a glare.

"I know that." Emily walked away, forcing herself to push away any help offered as she mostly stumbled back to class.  

"You're really pale," Walter whispered to Emily. They sat across from each other at the baking station, both their heads resting unsanitarily on the cool surface. 

"I'm an Asian who does nothing but stay indoors and study, what do you expect?" She snapped.

"That's not true." Walter sat up unexpectedly, catching Emily off guard. "I'm on the school's yearbook, and I was going through some old archives. You used to be a runner." Her stomach clenched at the word. 

"So? I'm not anymore. What does it matter?" She said through gritted teeth.

"It matters why you quit. So I talked to your old coach. He didn't understand why you quit. You were at the top of your game, their best." He leaned forward. "So why, Emily? Does it have anything to do with how you don't eat?" She shut her eyes, willing for the tears to stay hidden. 

"Stop it." Gone was the joking and kind Walter she knew.

"Does it have anything to do with your parents?" He was pushing all her buttons, and he knew it. Walter gazed evenly at Emily as she shook her head, willing for him to shut up.

"Is it your compulsive obsession with food? Yeah, I know about that. I'm not as stupid as I may act." Walter stopped there. He watched as Emily broke down, tearing herself apart inside, and he did nothing. This wasn't his fight. It was her's. He could help open Emily's eyes to the very real problems she was facing but he couldn't pull her out. Emily would have to save herself.