Shining Stars

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The following morning I don't rush to get out of bed. My mums away to visit that boy with the brain tumour so I'm the only one in the house. Mu right leg aches from leaning on it during the night so I toss and turn a few times.

I love how when your asleep you forget everything, however eventually you have to wake up from sleep and that's the awful part. Once your awake you remember, and you can't make yourself forget it. Its like a curse, one that will bang over my head forever.

Eventually I rise from my bed and walk yk the kitchen, where I find a note that has been left for ne in the table.

"Hazel, there is a grapefruit in the fridge and a croissant in the cupboard. Fill it with Parma ham and mozzarella cheese. Eat it all - I'll check. Love Mum."

I'm not one for disobeying my parents, I learned from a young age that they make me do things (usually things I don't like) because its what best for me and they love me. So I force down the two halves of grapefruit. I wait about 40 minutes before eating my croissant as I knew I would be sick if I ate too much too quickly.

When I've finished eating my breakfast I lie on the sofa, my phone on my lap and a recording of America's next top model on the tv. Halfway through the episode just as a girl named Lisanne is bitching about another contestant my phone starts to ring.

I pause the recording and check the number. Kaitlyn, for some reason I keep hoping that one day Gus' number will appear, of course it never will.

"Hiya."

"Well hello Hazel. I can't stay and chat but I just want to wish you luck at your interview today."

Kaitlyn doesn't know about my anorexia and I think about telling her now. However I decide that now isn't the time.

"Thanks Kaitlyn."

I've got to go, breaks nearly over but let me know how it goes."

I still find it strange that Kaitlyn's still in high school, strange that I'm not in high school. I didn't want to leave high school early, but there is no way that I could've kept up a full time education with my condition.

I would've had to take too many days off and fall behind so it wasn't possible. I was clever enough to sit my exams early and get the marks I needed to enroll in college. Once Kaitlyn has hung up I un-pause America's next top model and watch a few more episodes before preparing myself for lunch.

Breakfast doesn't even feel like 5 minutes ago. I'm not hungry but I know I have to eat, the consequences of missing meals could be severe. Mums laid out a salad and a small serving of pasta for me. I wat the salad first because its light.

However after just a mouthful of pasta I want to push my plate away. A few fines I groan out in frustration but I keep going. I suppose its like long distance running. Every muscle in my body screams at me to stop but I force myself to keep going.

Of course since my lungs fucked up I haven't done any running. I remember racing my dad when I was a little kid. We'd run around the garden and he'd always let me win, I always ended up breathless though as I must've fancies myself as the next Usain Bolt.

Once I've finished I check the time. I literally have five minutes to get in the car and start driving. On the way out I grab my refer ces. I only have three, all of them my teachers from college. One is from Professor Matthews, who first informed me about the job at her friends bookshop.

The shop is in the next town and I park just around the corner from it. It's a small shop with a flat above. One window allows you to view into the shop, catching glimpses of shelves and customers. The other window is full of books. I notice The Scorch Trials, Barbar the elephant, an autobiography by Kim Kardashian and The girl girl with the dragon tattoo.