Together We Try

Chapter 1 - I Win

The cold winter had begun and the trees' beautiful red and orange leaves had fallen only to be buried by snow. That December morning seemed to hold promise; the two feet of snow that blanketed the town was so far untouched by man so early in the morning. Sasha gazed out the window admiring the scene, the snow glistened in the rising sun, her freshly brewed coffee steamed up around her face like loving hands. She sipped at it slowly, a slight grin on her face as she...

"Sasha!!" Naomi screamed. Sasha jumped, her coffee going airborne and coming down upon her brand new robe.

"What is it Naomi?" she yelled through her gritted teeth, trying not to lose it. Naomi walked out of the kitchen.

"Are you ready to...oh...sorry," she said trying to hold in her laughter.

"What do want?" Sasha sighed walking into the bathroom.

"We have to go now, school starts soon" Naomi urged.

"No it doesn't" Sasha said calmly, brushing coffee out of her hair.

"Yes, it does, it's 7:00 we've gotta go."

"Didn't I tell you this last night?" Sasha rolled her eyes attempting to remove the stain from her beautiful white robe, which was now a nasty brown color.

"just tell me again"

"It's a late start today."

"Oh, I see, well in that case maybe we can go for a run"

"'A run? No way, you can't" Naomi stood perplexed "why not?"

"Oh come on Naomi, you're going to get yourself killed." As soon as she said this Sasha immediately regretted it. Naomi frowned "I told you it's under control" Sasha stopped trying to get out the stain, and put her hands down on the counter, looking at Naomi with real sadness in her eyes. Naomi looked away, Sasha asked "have you eaten yet today?"

"I was going to have some coffee for breakfast."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Naomi, this is getting ridiculous, did you even eat anything yesterday?" Naomi looked down at her small bony feet. "Naomi!?" Sasha said loudly but with a tone of concern as she stepped out of the bathroom to stand in front of her sister.

"Well...I had some juice for lunch...and that was it." she mumbled the last part.

"Naomi, we need to tell dad" Sasha said lovingly as she put her hand on Naomi's stick thin arm. She snapped back a little at how cold her skin was. "Do you not see what this is doing to you physically?" she asked putting both hands on each of Naomi's shoulders.

"I know..." Naomi said as tears began falling down her face. Sasha's face fell, she pulled her sister in for a hug. Naomi said "I don't feel right telling him, he's still grieving." Sasha replied "We all are, and now that she's gone he has to worry about this, he's the adult." Sasha said lovingly but with an underlying tone of anger, not toward Naomi but their father. Ever since her mother passed away 6 months ago their father had been lacking in his fatherly duties.

"Okay, but let me tell him." Sasha glared at this. "what?" Naomi asked annoyed.

"we'll do it together you dumbo."

"okay..." Naomi was still sad but felt relieved knowing her sister had her back.

"Now," Sasha put on a smile, wiping away Naomi's tears while saying "i'm going to go get dressed, do you maybe want to try having breakfast?" she questioned.

"I promise... that I'll try," Naomi added as if realizing that only saying she promised would mean that she had to eat. It's not that she felt ugly, she just wanted to feel in control. She knew the whole thing was totally insane and killing her physically, but it felt good each time she stopped herself from eating. Sasha's face showed a glimmer of hope, "well, good" she removed her hands from Naomi's shoulders, and headed down the hall. She then went up the small wooden staircase, and turned left into the room she and Naomi shared to picked out an outfit. Naomi tried to perk up, and walked into the kitchen. She stared at the counter, the voice in the back of her head continually telling her no, don't lose control. Naomi snapped, under her breath aloud she said "I am in control". She reached for a granola bar, taking a bite as a tear went down her face. Finishing the bar she grimaced and ran as fast a she could to regurgitate the contents on her stomach. I win, mocked the voice as she flushed the toilet. Naomi stepped out of the bathroom, under her breath saying "oh shut up".

"What was that?" Sasha came down the stairs. Naomi almost jumped, "oh nothing, talking to myself"

"okay," Sasha smiled "so breakfast?"

"I already ate"

"oh, what did you have?"

"a granola bar" Naomi said unable to look her sister in the eyes.

"That's good, a lot better than just coffee, i'm proud of you" Sasha hugged her, Naomi looked so ashamed, she didn't necessarily lie, but she didn't tell the whole truth either. She felt awful about giving Sasha false hope. Sasha walked into the kitchen to have her breakfast, and set out some for her father who was still in bed. When she had finished she walked into the the living room gathering her things. "So do you actually want to go now so we can get a good parking spot? I also remembered I have some questions for one of my teachers on the homework." Sasha turned to Naomi slinging her backpack over her shoulder. Naomi stood staring blankly at the bathroom, the guilt washing over her like a tsunami. "Naomi? You okay?" Sasha waved her hand in front of Naomi's face.

"What?!" Naomi yelped, looking at Sasha as though she had caught her committing a crime. "Yeah totally, when are we leaving?"

"I just asked if you wanted to leave early, you sure you're feeling alright?".

"Yeah, let's just get out of here" she grabbed her bag and her coat, then practically ran out the door. Sasha stood in the middle of the living room dumbfounded.  She grabbed the car keys off the table, and shouted "Dad! We're leaving! Love you bye!" and walked out the front door.