Joanna could feel all eyes on her as she made her way to the Nurse's office. Their eyes followed her every move, merged into a mocking stare that made her feel smaller than ever, and immensely uncomfortable in her own skin. She knew what they were saying behind her back-- that she was fat, and forever would be. Their words hurt so much that it was as though someone had sent a thousand daggers into her back.
While Joanna waited in the Nurse's office, she tried to calm her nerves down. Checking herself in the full-length mirror attached to the walls of the waiting room, she knew that what they had said, no matter how hurtful they were, was the truth. Her obesity had led to a horrible medical condition that would haunt her, perhaps, for the rest of her life. Anorexia. This word alone sent shivers down her spine. To Joanna, anorexia was not just a sickness that ate her soul and took away her flesh. Strange as it might seem, anorexia brought her hope. Anorexia was a torturous journey, a long wait, to the road of recovery. She thought that if she waited long enough, anorexia would bestow on her the gift of a svelte figure she had so desired. It was an extremely long wait, but patience was what she had. After all, she had been told that good things were worth the wait.
"Joanna Bo!" her name ricocheted off the walls of the waiting room like a bullet. All heads turned in her direction as they realised who had just been called into the office. Joanna's face burned with embarrassment. Anorexia had not only paved an alternative route for her, it had also caused her to be known to the entire school. Why she had chosen to skip her meals in order to lose weight, Joanna did not know. All she knew was that she had waited for a very long time to be thin, and when all else had failed, anorexia had opened another window of opportunity for her. She had long been tired of waiting, and so she decided that this would be the best way for her, since no amount of exercise she did worked. Never had she known that anorexia, this devil, would keep her waiting.
"Hold your breath, do not let the smell of these delicious plates of food tempt you. Persevere a while more, and the results would be worth all the waiting I've put you through. Wait, or do you not have the patience to do so?" The voices in her head prevented her from eating or enjoying her food, and even having a sip of water made her feel as though she was committing a heinous crime.
Joanna opened the door to the Nurse's office, There, right in front of her, were plates and plates of her favourite food, laid out on the table. The Nurse smiled at her reassuringly, gesturing towards the food Joanna had always wanted to eat, but had never done so as she had been waiting, always waiting, for the voices in her head to tell her that it was okay to eat.
Taking small, shaky steps as though she was learning to walk for the first time, Joanna returned the smile.
"I've had enough of waiting, miss. Anorexia's probably never going to grant me permission to eat, anyway!"
