golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter twenty-two

tuesday, march 17
     eliana grabbed her smoothie and made her way to the mats, where the rest of team usa was sitting, eating their lunch. she took a seat next to grace, who noticed her lack of food.
"el, where's your lunch?" she asked.
"oh-i-um..." she stuttered. "i had a big breakfast today. i-i'm not super hungry."
she felt like she was going die of hunger.
"ellie, you need to eat." cally held out a handful of trail mix.
"okay, mom." eliana joked, but didn't take the few nuts and berries.
"you only ate half a salad when we were out on thursday. what's going on?" sophie asked. eliana shook her head and takes a sip of her smoothie. "it's nothing."
"it doesn't sound like nothing." cally looked around, making sure there were no staff members in their area. she lowered her voice. "is it one of the coaches?"
she looked down and cracked her knuckles.
"eliana." grace said. "you can tell us anything."
she took a deep breath. "coach easton told me he'd kick me off the team if i didn't lose weight." she whispered.
"what?" cally nearly yelled. eliana shot her a look.
"sorry." she whispered.
"how-how much do you weigh?" sophie asked.
"this morning it said 85."
grace almost spit out her sandwich. "el, that's dangerous. i weigh more than that, and i'm four inches shorter than you."
"i know." she said. "but it's only until the competition is over. then i can eat again."
"eliana marie, you need calories." cally said. "i don't care what easton says. if we have to sneak you food, we'll sneak you food."
eliana shook her head, fighting back tears for what felt like the hundredth time this week. "please don't. i'll be okay."
"eliana-"
"cally. i'm fine."
the gym bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch break. eliana downed the rest of her smoothie and prepared to get back to work.