Free Skinny by Laura L Smith Page A

talking behind her back. She didn’t blame them. She hadn’t been completely honest with them. Maybe if she confided in her friends they wouldn’t think she was such a case. Maybe they could even help. Maybe her life wasn’t a disaster. She had Gracie, and the others cared enough to include her in everything.
    Melissa managed a “Let’s see it, Raven.” See, she was okay. She had let Lindsey make her over. She would not eat any popcorn. She would laugh tonight, and tomorrow she’d have officer training. She would work out really hard to make up for any junk left inside.
    Yeah, she was okay.

Chapter Fifteen
    “M elissa, Melissa.” Melissa felt like she was on a swing, swaying back and forth, back and forth. She wondered who was calling her.
    She opened her eyes. The blurry outline of Mrs. Mack came into focus. Melissa sat up straight.
    “Sorry to wake you, honey,” Raven’s mom whispered. “Your mom’s here to take you to practice.”
    “Thanks.” Melissa yawned, stretching her arms fully into the air. She knew she had to move. What kind of captain would be late?
    She pulled herself up, trying hard not to disturb her slumbering friends. She quickly and quietly rolled up her sleeping bag, stuffed her pillow inside the straps, and headed up the basement stairs in the purple XXL T-shirt from her church retreat that hung down to her shins.
    “Good morning, honey,” Mom called from the kitchen.
    Melissa walked over and gave her a peck. She dropped her bed bundle beside Mom, who sipped coffee out of an orange ceramic mug with Mrs. Mack.
    “I’ll be a minute, Mom. I just need to brush my teeth and stuff.” Melissa fought back another yawn.
    “I’d let you use the upstairs bathroom, but Randy’s asleep up there. Do you mind using the one in the hall?” Mrs. Mack asked.
    “No problem.”
    Melissa pulled back her thick brown tresses into a ponytail. She scrubbed her face with soap and cold water and brushed her teeth. After putting on a thin coat of brown mascara, she dabbed on cherry-flavored lip gloss. The sweet taste made her tongue tingle. She pulled on her workout clothes and rushed out of the bathroom.
    “Can I get you something to eat, sweetie?” Mrs. Mack asked from the counter.
    “Sure,” Melissa answered, pulling on her letter jacket. “Maybe a bagel and a banana, if you have it?”
    “Well, I don’t have a bagel, but I bought donuts this morning.” She motioned toward the white box on the counter.
    “Yummy,” Melissa said and opened the cardboard lid. Inside glazed, chocolate-iced, and sugar-sprinkled donuts tempted her. A squirt of sour bile shot into her mouth. “I’ll just grab one for the road.” She could barely look as she grabbed a bagel-shaped glazed donut and wrapped it in a napkin. Her stomach flip-flopped. She was afraid she was going to throw up again.
    “Thanks for everything, Mrs. Mack. I had a great time.” Melissa hugged her hostess. “Tell Raven I’ll call her later.”
    “Thanks, Nikki,” Mom said. “Come on, Mel, we’d better go.”
    Melissa planned on telling her mom about Beau in the car, but Mom started asking about who was at the slumber party and what they ate and what movie they watched and how late they stayed up. Before Melissa knew it they were at the church, and she was climbing out of the car.
    “Have fun, sweetie,” Mom called. “Make sure you eat your donut. You’re going to need some energy.”
    “Thanks, Mom.”
    Melissa still felt groggy as she pushed the heavy metal bar to open the rear door leading into the gymnasium. Her eyes felt like they had cotton balls in them, fuzzy and light. She tossed the donut in the large trash barrel by the entrance.
    Everyone at practice seemed lethargic. Todd wasn’t even dressed for dancing. Instead he wore baggy jeans, a sweatshirt, and a black knit ski hat. He held a Styrofoam cup, stark white against his brown hands. He tapped the rhythm to the music for their routine with his gym shoe and called out