Faded Gem: A Story About Overcoming Anorexia

Chapter Three

   The seven girls stood at the concession stand. Six of them were pleading for their best friend to buy something small.

   "Girls," Rarity said. "I'm fine. I don't need any concessions."

   "Please?!" Pinkie Pie begged. "What about you share some of my popcorn with me?"

   "I don't want popcorn," Rarity insisted. "Girls, really. I'm fine. I'm just watching my diet."

   "If you were watching your diet, sugarcube, you'd be eatin' something," Applejack told her. "Dieting doesn't mean to stop eatin', Rares."

   Rarity didn't respond. She just slowly turned away from the concession stand. Her friends watched her in concern.

   "Maybe a junior sized popcorn?" Twilight asked, hopefully.

   Rarity shook her head. No amount of food could help her, no matter what her friends told her.

   Her friends sighed and gave in.

   "We wish you'd eat, Rares," Applejack said. "We're worried about ya."

   Rarity sighed. "And I'm glad that you girls care. But I'm fine. Just... not hungry at the moment."

   Rarity's friends finished buying their concessions and went to the movie.

   On the way to the their theater, Applejack glanced at Rarity and made a face of determination. She would get to the bottom of what was going on.

                                                                                               ***

   After the girls had seen the movie, they had a conversation about their opinions on it.

   "I loved it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "It was just as good as the first!"

   "I know!" Pinkie Pie agreed. "I love the part where Daring Do tied Ahuizotl up in her trap and gave him a taste of his own medicine."

   Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash high-fived.

   "What'd you think of the movie, Rare?" Applejack asked.

   Rarity didn't respond. She was merely staring at the ground, shuffling her feet on the ground as she walked.

   "Rarity?" Sunset Shimmer said.

   As if being snapped out of a trance, Rarity quickly looked over at Sunset Shimmer. "Hmm?"

   "Applejack asked what you thought of the movie," Twilight said. "Didn't you hear her?"

   "Oh... I must've been distracted," Rarity admitted, sheepishly. "I thought the movie was good."

   Rarity went back to staring at the floor after that. The rest of the girls exchanged a worried glance. Rarity had never been the quiet type. She had always been flamboyant and voiced her opinion without worry of what others thought. It was strange seeing as she had always been so confident and this type of silence from her wasn't normal.

   Applejack was determined to get a few more words out of her. "Well... what did you like about it?"

   Hopeful, the rest of Rarity's friends looked at her, awaiting her answer.

   "The... writing?" Rarity replied. "I don't know. I just thought it was a good movie. Nothing more."

   Rarity's friends hopes flickered out like the flame of a candle. It was futile. Rarity wasn't speaking to them or eating regularly and something was horribly wrong.

   "Rarity... can you be honest with us?" Sunset asked. "Why have you been so afraid to eat?"

   Rarity froze. Her heart began to pound in her chest. Why were her friends asking her this question? Were they going to make her eat? What would happen if she told them the truth? "I... I've been watching my diet. Popcorn and candy are not on the list."

   "Watching your diet don't mean skippin' meals though," Applejack told her. "Granny Smith always told me a hearty meal is the first step to a healthy body and a strong mind. Skippin' meals will cause ya to get sick."

   "I am aware," Rarity said. She had been no stranger to the past few weeks. She knew that the amount of vomiting she'd been doing and the little energy she was functioning off of wasn't healthy. But she knew if she ate, she'd gain back the weight and she was terrified of putting on extra pounds.

   "So why haven't you been eating then?" Twilight asked. "If you're concerned about dieting, why haven't you been bringing your own healthier meals to school every day?"

   Rarity was tired of being bombarded with these questions. Lying was beginning to feel like somebody was slowly putting weights on the tip of her tongue and her hunger was beginning to send sharp pains through her stomach. "Let's just go home. I'm tired."

   Rarity was exhausted from the low amount of energy. But she was also tired of the demons in her mind.

   Applejack sighed. "Let's get ya home then."

   Rarity could've sworn she heard Applejack's voice break as if she were about to cry. But that's ridiculous, Rarity told herself. They should be happy that I'm trying to watch my figure. 

(A/N: Wow, writing this chapter nearly made me cry. I remember the part of my friends life that this scene was based off of. I made sure to ask her first before making it a chapter and she said it was fine with her, but I didn't expect it to bring back so many emotions. Anyway, thank you so much for reading this story. It means a lot to me and I hope you'll continue to take this journey.)