Love on the Scale

Chapter Two

The scent of dinner wafted through the air, almost choking us both as we made the short trip to the kitchen. Halfway there I tripped on a fast-food carton, and froze. I couldn't go any further. I was just lucky the living room was empty, except for all the discarded food wrappers everywhere. That meant that everyone was in the kitchen eating, or getting ready to. They never had to be called.

James' eyebrows almost touched he looked so worried for me. "What's wrong?"

"I... I don't know if I can do this. I don't even think I know how to take care of myself. I've never had to."

"You. Will. Be. Fine. And you won't be alone all the time, I'll be there. Relax, you're making this a bigger deal than it has to be. We go in, and we tell them what needs to be said. Okay?"

"Okay... yeah."

Knowing how I could switch back to unsure in a second, James took my arm and pulled me the rest of the way into the kitchen. No one looked up as we entered, busy devouring plates of steak and potatoes. My parents couldn't buy cheap food- they had to have the best to stuff their faces with.

James and I stood in the doorway, and he said the words I feared most.

"Hey guys? We have some news."

Dad looked up first, followed by my siblings, one by one. Mom walked around the corner, spatula in hand, and waved us towards the full table. "Well you can tell us while you eat. I'll get you both a plate, and-"

"We're moving out," James broke in. "I found an apartment, and Chris is coming with me."

Our younger sister and brother went back to eating. They didn't understand the fuss, and they didn't care to. Our parents, and my older sister Macyn, stared at us. When dad set his fork down, I knew things were getting serious.

"Both of you sit down and eat. We'll talk about this after dinner."

"Why are you taking HER?" Macyn blurted, glaring at James. "Shouldn't you have asked me if I wanted to go with you?"

"Mace, we can't talk for ten minutes without getting into a fight. Why would I want to live with you?"

I winced. That was blunt, but it was the truth. They fought like cats and dogs and avoided each other whenever possible.

"I'm going to say this one more time. Sit down and eat, both of you. This can wait-"

"Until you've eaten three more helpings? Everything's not about food!"

Everyone stopped eating at my outburst, my younger siblings even looked shocked.

"What you all have never gotten is that I hate living in this house! I love you, but I don't like how everything goes back to breakfast lunch and dinner. If you're upset, you make food, if you're angry, you make food, if you're bored, you make food. You make fun of James for being healthy, but I wish I was like him. I hate how huge I am, and it has to do with all this food!"

Macyn rolled her eyes. "You think moving is going to change that? You couldn't lose weight if you tried. Your favorite thing in the world is dessert. Like you could go without that. And working out? Please, you can barely walk to the-"

Dad stood and wiped his hands on a paper towel. "Alright, outside, both of you. Madge, come on."

"Let me get the steaks off the heat."

This time I led the way, outside and down the steps. The sun was setting, and the air had a slight chill to it. I paced while James watched, and we waited for our parents. I glanced up to see his smirk.

"What?"

"Good job. They needed to hear that."

"Did they? I'm feel sick."

"You did good. You need to start standing up for yourself. You have to, in the real world, or people will walk all over you."

Dad came charging out of the house as fast as his heavy 450lb frame could, followed by mom, who lacked his anger. She looked more confused. He pointed at James, but didn't stop. "I'll deal with you in a second."

He stopped in front of me, rage clear in his eyes. "Who do you think you are, yellin' at me in my own house and in front of the little ones. Girl, have you lost your mind?"

"I'm sorry-"

"You should be. Now you want to move out, and be an adult, you'd better learn some respect."

I stayed quiet, all my nerve gone, and kept my eyes on the driveway. He wasn't done.

"You think there's something wrong with the food your mother cooks for you? Answer me, Christelle."

I breathed in deep, and shook my head, lips curling inwards. I had said too much already. The last thing I expected was for him to grab my arm. I'd never seen him get physical with anyone.

"I know you think you're a grown woman now, but you better answer me when I'm talking to you, Christelle."

James stepped in and knocked dad's hand away. The resemblance between the two was clear as they wore matching expressions of anger.

"'Don't you ever put your hands on a woman in anger,'" James mocks. "Isn't that what you always told me growing up? Look at you; why are you taking this so personal? You knew we couldn't stay here forever. You should be proud of us, getting out on our own. Mom?"

Mom's eyes saddened, and she wiped her hands on her apron, not looking at us. She sighed as she thought, and I waited, tense, for her answer. A few cars drove down the street past us, and I shifted as a breeze rolled through. Before she could make a decision, the front door opened and Maycn walked out to us.

"Get back inside-"

She cut dad off, eyes on James. "I'm sorry, okay? Look, I've wanted to move out on my own for years. I'll get a job, and help you out. You think Chris will?"

"Before James told me he was leaving, I was looking for a job," I informed her, voice quiet.

"Like you'll actually get one. You can't do anything on your own."

James laughed and turned to her. "Mace, Chris is entering a fashion contest to become part of one of the biggest brands stationed in the city. If she puts her mind to it, she's going to win."

Wait, what? I said I'd THINK about it.

"Right, like she'd enter anything like that."

Maycn's dismissal sparked an anger that I hadn't ever felt before. I wanted to prove her wrong. I didn't know if I could, but I wasn't going to let her put me down like that. Again. I wanted to shut her up for good.

"Yeah, I am. And I'm going to win."

She scoffed, crossing her arms, and mom cleared her throat. We all looked at her. Her eyes showed both sadness, and hurt, and she stared straight at me.

"If this is what you want, Christelle, than I think you should go. You too, James." My relief was short-lived, as she took another deep breath. "But whatever happens out there in the real world, you're both on your own. After you leave, I don't want to see either of you back at my house."

With that, she turned and walked back inside. The screen door slammed behind her. Dad nodded. "Your mother is right. You want to be grown, be grown. But do it on your own." He left.

Maycn looked between us a couple times, before rolling her eyes and stomping back to the house. The moment the screen slammed behind her, my first tears dropped. That was it. They'd all turned against us, just like I thought they would. My arms curled around my waist, and I bit my lip to hold in sound.

"I can't believe this. Chris, are-" James stopped when he caught sight of me, crumbling in front of him, and the next thing I knew he was hugging me tight.

"We'll be fine. We will. Don't worry about this, they just need to blow off some steam, and things will be fine again."

I didn't know if things would be fine or not, but we were about to find out. All on our own.