Cambria put her key in the lock and the parlour door squeaked as it opened. She peered in. No sign of her father, which oddly came to Cambria as a relief. She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. They were out of energy drinks. Again. Her father wasn’t a keen supporter of her quest for fitness and though he tried to make her life as comfortable as possible, he always had this reservation when it came to her losing weight.

“I like you fat, Cam.” He said a few years back when she was as chubby as a pumpkin and complained day in day out of her size. But she hadn’t listened to him, because that was the sort of thing that parents said to make their kids feel all better. Then slowly, she’d started going to the gym and losing weight. Weight loss wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She found a new excuse everyday to skip a different meal of the day. Once, her aunt Sarah, who was a nurse, came over and forced her to eat something disgustingly fattening. Something so fattening and gross, Cambria couldn’t bear to remember its name. That was when she discovered her soft palette. After each forced meal, she would go into the confides of her bathroom and touch her soft palette until all the food came regurgitating. She started looking so gaunt and thin that her father got worried.

“I want to be thin, dad. If you don’t like me for who i am, then i don’t think you like me at all.”

“Honey, you’re perfect to me. I would love you even if you were medusa. Thing is, this isn’t healthy for you, cam. You aren’t getting enough nutrition. You’re body needs a little fat to give you energy. You’re going to be sick.”

“No I’m not. I take approved energy drinks. You know what dad? Forget it. You wouldn’t understand anyway. You’ve been fit all your life! I wish mom was here. She was fat. I bet she wished every day of her life that she could get to a size ten.”

Her father had quietened, as if totally short of what to say. Cambria took that as the approval to stock the icebox from top to bottom with energy drinks and slim tonics.

Shutting the fridge door, Cambria ran up the stairs to drop her school bag and get out her pocket money. She had to get some drinks. She panted for air like a ridiculous dog for five minutes before gaining the courage to move to her room. She felt so weak. On getting to her room, she got out her wallet and collected some money. Just as she was about to put it back, she spied her measuring tape.

Oh good. She thought. Time to see how my dedicated gym hours have paid off. She measured round her waist, hips and bust. Her eyes shot open, all sign of weakness disappearing. She hadn’t lost one kilogram in two weeks! Her mind shot through her week as fast as she could manage. What was she eating wrong? It must be the energy drinks. She would cut down on them. In fact, gym hours would have to increase to after school as well. Cambria took out extra money to pay for her gym sessions and crossed energy drinks off her list of things to buy. Sliming tonics would just have to do.

Macaulay bowed her head as her mother said grace before meals. Her family looked so ideally and religiously happy. Mother and father at two opposite ends of the table, children spread in between. After grace ended, Macaulay hungrily reached for the bowl of pasta and dished it into her plate.

“So Arnold,” her mother began with her legendary wide smile on her face. She was referring to Mr. Morris. “i was by TESCO this evening and guess what? Jenna Curtis was getting some insurance in the adjacent building. I concluded that because it was obviously an insurance firm and well, you know Jenna and David aren’t all that financially stable so i went over as the good friend i am to ask Jenna what was up. She said she was getting some car insurance. That totally surprised me. Considering that Jenna and David sold their 1960 Volkswagen. She said her son Ian had sent them some money. Amazing isn’t it? And rumour has had it for weeks that Ian is into drug dealing. I just smiled when she said so and told her congratulations.” She finally cut into her chicken. Macaulay and her elder sister Caitlyn shared a glance from across their plates. “How was school today girls?”

“Fine.” Caitlyn shot immediately.

“Macaulay?” her mother waited.

“Fine.” She said quickly and pushed her broccoli round her plate.

Her mother looked at her. “By that do you mean school was fine or do you mean you found a sale in some silly top shop.”

Macaulay felt her appetite slipping gradually away. The one day, the very one day she didn’t go shopping was the one that her mother had to choose to taunt her.

“I mean the day was generally alright, mother.”

Her mother shrugged. “Well, I’m just being concerned.”

“Yeah...right.” Macaulay mumbled. She couldn’t keep the irritation out of her voice but it wasn’t her fault she had pre-menstrual syndrome combined with the fact that her mother was being an unbearable pest.

“What did you say, Macaulay Morris?” her mother shot.

Macaulay rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, mother! Don’t go all baby on me. I’m 17 for crying out loud. Fine, i shop. I like shopping. It’s what i do, just like you like knowing everything that goes on in everybody’s life!”

“Macaulay!” her father had been quiet all this time, but now he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.

“Well, Macaulay, your shopping is my business and you are a baby, because it’s my money you’re spending. When you get out of college or do something responsible like taking a part time job like your sister, Caitlyn, you definitely won’t ever hear me ask about what you do on the high street. Until then it’s my rules, Macaulay. Mine!”

Macaulay swallowed her broccoli in a lump and focused on her meal.

Abel Daniels was watching Naruto 506 when his mother popped her head in.

“Abe? Someone’s here to see you.”

“Not now, mom. In the middle of Naruto.”

“What’s that?” his mother’s face went blank.

“Never mind.”

“You should come and say hello or something, Abe. Jeff says he’s not going until you see him. He won’t drop a message either. Says it’s too confidential. I mean what could 17 year olds have that’s so confidential....”

Abel cut her short. “Jeff is here?” he jumped off his bed, leaving his show still playing and ran down the stairs.

“Hey, mate. Took you a while to get here.” Jeff stated

“You’ve got it?” Abel was panting from his stair flight.

“Yeah. I almost gave it to your mother, because you were taking such a long time...”

“Are you insane? My mother? Do you really hate me that much Jeffery?” Abel gasped.

“...but i didn’t.” Jeffery tried to continue. “Here’s your crack. Fifty pounds worth, just as you asked.” He handed him a polythene bag.

Abel looked left and right as if he was crossing the road before he accepted it. His body felt the familiar tremor when he held the forbidden fruit in his hands. He could smell it already....

“Abel! My fifty quid!” Jeff’s voice dragged him back to reality.

“sure.” He handed him the money as if it was a worthless penny and headed for the stairs.

“You be careful with that, mate. You seem to consume that stuff faster than speed of light.”

“Get going, Jeff. I need some time alone with my fifty quid worth buddy here.” Abel pointed to the bag. He ran up the stairs as soon as Jeff shut the door behind him.

His mother came out of the kitchen. “Abe? Where’s Jeff? I got out some juice and snacks for him.”

Abel Daniels was already absorbed in the powerful claws of cannabis.