It's Not Faith

Johnny had called shortly after Jimmy's and Leana's arrival and said he wouldn't be coming over; resulting in cries of "pussy" and "girl" from Jimmy and Brian. Val had come home a few moments after everyone else, and they all ended up up in the living room; Val was trying to take orders for food, Brian was yelling at the baseball game, and Jimmy was trying to bite Leana.
"I don't know why you're still with this freak!" Brian said to Leana, as she screamed and shoved Jimmy off of her.
"Neither do I" She stated and stuck her tongue out at him. Jimmy huffed, and grabbed Leila's shoulder, pulling her from her almost sleeping state.
"Well I still have Leila so fuck you all!!" He cried, and pulled Leila close. She laughed tiredly.
"Are you okay munchkin?" Jimmy asked, concern written all over his face.
She nodded, not really wanting to get into with Jimmy, for once.
"Yeah, just tired." She said, as she got up. She was on a mission for an energy drink or a coffee; she knew that her father must have had either one somewhere. She walked to the kitchen; her father was opening a beer.
"you look beat, kid."
"Thanks, Dad, I know where I can go to when I want a compliment."
Matt scoffed, and laughed as Leila searched through the large fridge.
"Please tell me you have either coffee or an energy drink in here somewhere." Leila said, as she stuck a carrot in her mouth.
"Yeah, bottom shelf behind the beer, but shh, that's my secret spot. None of the guys know."
Leila laughed as she pulled out a tall can of liquid caffeine.
"Oh thank you, Jesus, for making this amazing creation." Leila said, while opening it, and taking a big sip. Her father came over and leaned against the wall as she shut the fridge.
"So you had a good day?"
Leila nodded as she took another large sip from her drink. "Yeah, I had an amazing time; thank you so much, Mat-Dad, thanks."
Matt smiled at Leila, and she felt the kitchen spin. She tried to concentrate on the drink in her hand; then on the cold counter beside her; then on her fathers sock-clad feet.
"Leila? Are you okay?" Matt's voice filled her head; like it was pounding on her. She reached out and grabbed the counter beside her. She could feel her fathers hand grabbing her arm.
"Hun, are you okay? Leila?"
Suddenly, the spinning stopped, and she was staring at her fathers red shirt. She could suddenly feel how hard and fast her breathing had become.
"I... I think I'll just go to bed."
"No, hold on." She felt a softer pair of hands grab her hands and lead her to a kitchen chair. Val came into her line of vision.
"What happened?" Val asked, looking up at Matt, as she helped Leila into a chair.
"I'm not sure, she just got all pale-"
"I'm fine, really." Leila begged, finally finding her voice.
"What did you eat today, Leila?" Val asked, ignoring Leila's protests.
"I...I.." Leila couldn't remember if she had eaten or not. She frowned. This type of thing was common; her mind had other thoughts that were too heavy to allow something such as eating to enter.
"I'm just really tired, maybe I should just go to bed, then."
Val frowned, and straightened herself out. "Okay, well, okay. Alright. You can go to bed, if I make you something to eat first."
No, don't eat anything you whore, you forget about eating because you're on the right path to skinny
Leila shuddered as her own thought made her headache worst. She merely nodded, and laid her head on the cool marble table top.
Val disappeared from her line of sight, and she could see her father sit down across from her.
"Leila, are, are you starving yourself?" Matt asked slowly.
If she hadn't been so tired, Leila would had laughed in his face. She wasn't technically, starving herself.
"No." She mumbled into the table.
"Because if you are, we can get you help; you're a beautiful young girl, Leila. Sometimes, girls get the impression-"
"I'm not dad." Leila said, cutting him off; she didn't want to have the 'self esteem' talk with her father.
"Did you eat today?"
Leila was too tried to think of a lie, and shook her head as best she could against the table top.
"No. In all honesty, dad, I fucking forgot to."
"Leila! What, how do you forget to eat? Please, if you're hurting yourself, just tell me, let me know, I want to help you, Goddamn it!" Matt cried in frustration.
Leila felt tears spring to her eyes as she heard a pair of footsteps enter the kitchen.
"Matt..." Jimmy spoke softly.
Her father sighed, and got up, and wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell; I just want to make sure you're all right."
With all her strength, she pulled herself off the table top and hugged her father back.
"Daddy, I swear I am fine. I just was in a world of my own, that's all."
Matt pulled away from his daughter and looked at her with sad eyes. Leila couldn't keep her gaze, and dropped it to the floor.
"Matt, Can I have a minute with Le?" Jimmy asked. Matt glanced at Jimmy, as if he just realized he was there.
"Yeah..sure, sure." Matt said, as he stepped back and headed out of the kitchen.
Jimmy sat across from her.
"What happened?"
"It's not that big of a deal; I was just dizzy. Fuck why are they making such a big deal?" Leila cried, angrily.
"Because they want to make sure you're all right."
"I am, for fucks sake!" She cried.
"Leila, I can see it; you're fucking exhausted. Before you go to bed, just answer me; did you purposely not eat today?"
Leila stared hard into Jimmy's crystal blue eyes.
"No."
Jimmy took a deep breath, and got up.
"okay. I believe you. But you have to start taking better care of yourself."
Leila nodded. "I'll try."
"Come, say good night to everyone; and then go sleep."
She followed Jimmy back into the living room.
"I fell like I'm fucking five years old; but I'm tired. So I'm going to bed. Night" Leila said.
Everyone smiled at her, and she hugged her father and Val good night.
"Did you eat?" Val said, as she pulled away from the hug.
Before Leila could answer, Jimmy did.
"Yeah, she had some bread and a glass of milk."
Val nodded, and Leila left the living room; naturally being followed by Jimmy.
"Jim-Jim you follow me around everywheerrre." She cried, as she walked up the stairs.
He laughed. "Yep!"
"Why did you say I ate?" Leila asked, as she got to the top of the stairs.
"Because I know you don't want a fuss, and I know you're tired; you just need some rest. But, if it happens again, I'll make you eat; deal?"
Leila smiled, and nodded.
"Deal. And thanks, Jim-Jim." She said, smiling
He wrapped his lanky arms around her.
"Always here for you; okay?"
She nodded, and before the tears could fall; she turned down the hall towards her room.
Leila leaned against the door; hearing Jimmy's heavy footsteps receded down the stairs.
She sighed, and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, quickly glancing at the time before she stumbled to her bed.
Leila could feel the exhaustion was over her; it was as if the entire world's need for sleep had been given to her. She sighed, praying that her pounding headache would pass; and fell asleep.