skinny || h.s. au [Rewrite Now Up!]

twentynine

IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER. IVE JUST SORT OF REALIZED THAT THEY'VE BEEN ON THIS DUMB CAMPING TRIP FOR LIKE 37363828362 CHAPTERS BUT THERE WERE IMPORTANT THINGS I WANTED TO HAPPEN SO YEAH ENJOY LOVE YOU BYE.
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Marley has no choice now. She has to eat.

Everyone else ate breakfast hours ago. It's nearing one in the afternoon and she is worried that they're starting to notice.

The group is debating what to do with their afternoon but Marley is busy with her own internal debate that feels more like a war. She knows she has to eat to keep Maria and their plan a secret, but the thought is nauseating.

"We could go for a hike." Vivian suggests. She lays across one of the beaches, her head resting on Ashton's lap. Reflective aviators cover her eyes and a small smile plays on her lips as Ash trails his fingers through her hair.

"Ew, no." Carrie laughs. "Let's go swimming again."

"Because that went so well last time?" Harry says with a slight edge to his voice. He subconsciously leans a bit closer to Marley. "I vote for the hike."

No one really want to argue on that. "Okay, after lunch."

Uh oh.

"We have stuff for sandwiches, I think."  Vivian says but doesn't move to get up.

And then within minutes, everyone is making a sandwich and chatting with one another and Marley is trying to make her hands work.

Despite the part of her that knows she has to, that she should, another part is screaming within her. And it sounds a lot like Maria.

Marley doesn't even pay attention to what she puts in her sandwich. It's all the same anyway. Calories and trans fat and numbers, numbers, numbers. If only there were a way to not have to worry about it. And Marley's brain has been wired to hate every calorie for as long as she can remember.

So it's really not at all surprising when it clicks.

She can eat it now, and get rid of it later. In ten minutes she can go to the bath house and rid her body of all the imperfections it would have acquired. With the beauty of lonely silence and two fingers down her throat, she can do it.

And she wants to.

Harry can tell that something is bothering Marley. And he worries that it's their fight from earlier this morning.

Her eyebrows have set into a furrowed frown. And while no one else seems to notice, Harry does. And he worries. He always worries.

Marley holds her sandwich with both hands as she takes the first bite. She chews slowly before taking a moment to convince herself to swallow. The flavor is rich. And she takes a slightly larger bite this time.

Alright, calm down, piggy. Take it slow.

Maria was right to slow her down. Because within minutes Marley feels sick. Her body isn't used to so much food at once.

She starts to feel a bit frantic. What if she can't get away from everyone to get rid of it?

She can image her thighs puffing out and her stomach bloated with the calories she just ingested. And it takes everything in her not to run for the bath house.

Harry is talking with Xander when he sees Marley get up from the bench beside him.

No one finds it odd or out of place but Harry can't help the feeling in the pit of his stomach. Her hands are clenched and her steps are careful. Not too fast. But certainly not slow.