text: “There’s starving kids in Africa, you know?” *147 calories for the two pieces of plain toast my parents made me eat for breakfast. 90 for the apple at lunch. If I eat one of the potatoes that’s about 160-* “Hello?! Are you even listening Amanda?” “Yeah, yeah. Starving kids in Africa, I know, I donate to charity.” Amanda had heard the spiel about a hundred times before. Strangers on the street would yell at her to eat a burger. As she perused the special dietary sections of supermarkets she’d have people tell her to eat proper food. *‘You’re too skinny.’ ‘Men like a little something to grab onto.’* Every cliché line repeated over and over again, her life had become a bad lifetime movie. Now instead of some random stranger it was her brother’s new girlfriend, Kate. They had just met mind you, and she already knew Kate was going to be trouble the moment they shook hands. *‘Oh god your hands are so bony! Ow!’* She had that look some women get when you know your entire existence disturbs them. It hurt worse coming from them. Stares that bore into your soul, burning right to the core of your existence. Whatever happened to sister solidarity? “Well, still, you’re wasting food. You haven’t even touched anything on your plate.” Technically, Amanda had touched something on her plate. Her fork had stabbed and rolled a series of peas around it, leaving a snail like trail of green slime in its wake. But she figured telling Kate this would just cause more problems than it was worth. So she opted to be cocky instead. “I’d send it to the kids in Africa but I reckon it wouldn’t make it there in good condition.” That made Ben, her brother, laugh at least. Ben was always like that though. He knew that humour helped in these situations. *‘If I don’t joke about it, it’s just sad.’* Of course this angered the bull, excuse me, Kate more, and she flashed him a look that could crush a boulder with its fury. “Look everyone may accommodate your craziness and baby you, but one day you’ll have to realise that your attention seeking is childish.” While being accused of seeking attention wasn’t a new one, it was sure as hell confusing. Amanda looked down at her clothes, joggers two sizes too big, her Dad’s hand me down sweater, fluffy thermal socks to keep her constantly shivering body somewhat warm. She hid her body, she didn’t want anyone to see it. To be honest she wouldn’t even be here, sat at the dinner table if it wasn’t for her Mum begging her. *'Please darling, your brother is excited to bring his girlfriend round, and I want us to be like a proper family.'* "You don't get it, Kate. I don't want to be like this. I would kill to be able to eat normally." "Then do. You can control this you know." "Fine!" The fork that had been playing with a particularly mushed up pea now stabbed a boiled potato. Within two bites it was gone, disappearing into Amanda's mouth and was now on the journey down her throat to her stomach. Kate smirked. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" *160 calories for the potato. Maybe add another 50 for good measure. Okay so 210 calories. That's about an hour of sit ups. I can do that. I could walk, but I don't think I want Kate to see me do that. Okay, I can do this. It's fine. I'm fine.* “Hello! Earth to Amanda. It’s not that big of a deal. You look like you’re going to combust.” "Yeah whatever, Kate.