Unbound

“Mom I can’t.” Charlie gasped tiredly as her pace slowed on the treadmill she was running on.

“Don’t you give me that.” Lisa snapped. “You’re not done until I say you are. Now keep going.”

“But mom I-”

“GO!” Lisa shouted.

Charlie blinked back tears and forced herself to keep running as Lisa gradually upped her speed whenever she thought Charlie was slacking.

“Alright, you can stop now.” Lisa said a half hour later, hitting the cancel button on the treadmill.

Charlie clutched the sides of the treadmill steadying herself as she tried to regain a regular breathing pattern. A bead of sweat or tear slid down the end of her nose as she stared down at her shaking legs. She really couldn’t be sure which it was at that point.

“Here, drink this.” Lisa said thrusting a bottle of water at her.

Charlie took it willingly and downed half the bottle as she stepped shakily off the treadmill. She took a few steps before she suddenly felt lightheaded and dizzy.

“Charlotte what are you doing?” Lisa asked, turning around to see her leaning against one of the treadmills breathing heavily.

“I’m-” Charlie gasped. “I’m coming.”

“Ugh.” Lisa said rolling her eyes. “Let’s get you some food before you pass out.

“Table for two?” The seating hostess asked after Charlie and Lisa had walked from the gym to the hotel’s restaurant.

“Yes.” Lisa said.

“Oh my.” The hostess said looking at Charlie. “Miss, are you alright?”

“She’s fine.” Lisa snapped impatiently. “Our table?”

“Oh, um right this way.” The hostess said uneasily as she led them to a table in the empty restaurant. “Your server should be right with you.”

“Thank you.” Lisa said curtly, picking up her menu.

“Are you sure you’re alright miss?” The hostess asked Charlie.

“She’s fine.” Lisa said through gritted teeth. “You may go now.”

“Have a nice night.” The hostess said, giving Charlie a concerned look before going back to her booth at the front of the restaurant.

“Honestly, people these days.” Lisa said shaking her head as she looked over the menu. “You have to tell them everything twice.”

“You could have been a little nicer about it.” Charlie said, resting her head in her hands as she stared blankly at the white tablecloth.

“No I didn’t, she asked the same question twice.” Lisa said. “What did she expect? A different answer?

“How about a truthful one?” Charlie muttered to herself.

“What did you just say?” Lisa demanded.

“Nothing.” Charlie sighed.

“That’s what I thought, now sit up straight.” Lisa ordered. “Act like a lady for once.”

Charlie rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair in time to see a tall man with shaggy, blond hair walking towards their table. He was wearing a white button up shirt and a black vest with a shiny golden nametag that read ‘Joey.’

“Hello,” He said in a friendly tone as he flipped open his small notepad for orders. “What can I get you two ladies this evening?”

“I’ll have the steak, medium rare with a baked potato.” Lisa said folding her menu and handing it to him.

“Mhmm.” Joey said scratching down her order. “And for you miss?”

“She’ll have a small salad. And no dressing.” Lisa said answering for Charlie before she had the chance.

Joey’s eyes flickered from Charlie’s to Lisa’s and then back to Charlie’s again.

“Just the salad.” Charlie said quietly, dropping his disapproving gaze.

“Alright, I’ll be back soon with that.” He said before turning and walking back to the kitchen.

“I could have ordered for myself.” Charlie murmured as she sipped her ice water.

“And have to spend another hour and a half in a gym waiting for you to work off the carbs?” Lisa asked. “No thank you. There’s a contestant luncheon tomorrow at one, which you will be attending. And you will maintain your figure, if that’s what you call it, by eating when and what I tell you.”

“Hey dudes are you hungry?” Frank asked the guys after he had dumped his stuff on the hotel bed he was sharing with Ray.

“Starving.” Gerard said as he tossed his bag on his bed next to Mikey’s stuff.

“Nah, I’m good.” Ray said, collapsing on the couch and turning on the television set.

“Mikey?” Frank asked, looking around the room.

“He’s asleep.” Gerard said, nodding over his shoulder at a recliner where Mikey was indeed; fast asleep.

“Where’s Bob at?” Frank asked.

“He turned in-… early too.” Ray said through a yawn as he flicked lazily through channels with the remote.

“Kay well we’re going down to the restaurant.” Frank said, grabbing a hotel key on the way out the door with Gerard.

“See ya.” Ray said, giving up on the television, and rolling over on the couch to get some sleep.

“The fifty seventh annual Miss United States pageant.” Frank read off the poster hung up on the wall of the elevator. “Saturday August fifteenth, hosted by the Aladdin Hotel and Casino.”

“You say that like you expect us to go.” Gerard said, leaning against the elevator wall as it descended to the main floor.

“Really, you want to?” Frank asked excitedly.

“What?” Gerard asked with a disgusted look on his face. “Are you kidding?”

“No we should totally go!” Frank said. “It’s a whole show for who looks the hottest in a bikini.”

“But what about Jamia?” Gerard asked as the elevator stopped and the doors opened to the lobby.

“What about her?” Frank asked as they walked to the restaurant. “There’s nothing wrong with just looking.”

“So you expect me to take you to a show full of half-naked women and expect you not to try anything with at least one of the contestants?” Gerard asked skeptically.

“Hmmm… yep.” Frank nodded.

“That’s like sticking a drug addict in a meth lab.”

“Oh come on.” Frank pleaded. “I promise I’ll be good.”

“We’ll see.” Gerard said as they approached the seating hostess.

“Just the two of you gentlemen this evening?” The seating hostess asked, grabbing two menus from the side of her booth.

“Yes.” Gerard said.

“We’ll see is the equivalent of no.” Frank grumbled as the hostess led them to a table in the nearly empty restaurant.

Not two minutes later a waiter appeared at the side of their table to take their orders.

“I’ll just have the special.” Gerard said, closing his menu and handing it to the waiter.

“And to drink?” The waiter asked.

“Just some water.” Gerard said.

“Alright and for you sir?” He asked turning to Frank.

Gerard didn’t listen to Frank’s order as he let his eyes wander around the restaurant, finally stopping on two women sitting a few tables away. The older of the two, a middle-aged woman with blonde hair pulled into a neat bun at the back of her head, was eating a large steak and a baked potato. The younger, the other’s daughter perhaps, was looking sadly at the small salad in front of her. Contrary to her mother’s, the second woman’s hair was a deep brown color with hints of red in it that showed as the light hit it different ways.

“Hey, Gerard.” Frank said, drawing his attention back to his table. “Five bucks says she’s in that pageant Saturday.” He said pointing to the girl with the salad.

“Mhmm.” Gerard nodded.

“Man that’s just unhealthy.” Frank said looking at the small salad she was eating.

“She doesn’t look to happy to be eating that.” Gerard said.

“She almost looks sickly, doesn’t she?” Frank asked.

“Stupid.” Gerard said shaking his head. “Why would anyone do that to themselves?”

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked, looking up at Charlie. “I thought you said you were hungry.”

“I…can’t.” Charlie said looking down at her half-eaten salad. “My stomach…it feels full but I know it’s not.”

“That’s a good thing.” Lisa said through a mouthful of potato. “That means your stomach’s shrinking. You can eat less now.”

“But it hurts.” Charlie said wincing.

“Pain is beauty sweetheart.” Lisa said, popping a piece of steak into her mouth.

“I’m going to the bathroom.” Charlie said as she stood up slowly.

Lisa nodded and went back to eating her food.

“Look, she’s getting up.” Frank said nodding in Charlie’s direction as she got up from her table. “Damn she’s skinny.”

Gerard looked up to see her clutching her stomach as she walked off towards the bathroom.

“She’s probably going to go throw up what she ate.” Gerard said harshly.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Frank said before going back to eating the veggie burger he had ordered.

“Excuse me miss?” Joey asked as Charlie walked slowly back from the bathroom. “Are you alright?”

“Who me?” Charlie asked looking up at who was speaking to her. “Oh…yeah, I’m fine.”

“You’re sure?” He asked with a concerned look on his face. “You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine. Really.” She said forcing a smile. “See?”

“Is there a reason you’re doing this to yourself?” He asked before she could walk away.

“What do you mean?” She asked, stopping. “Doing what?”

“Starving yourself.” He said.

“What? I’m not-” Charlie broke off but was interrupted by Lisa’s voice calling her.

“Charlotte? Charlotte come on let’s go.” Lisa said, tapping the toe of her high-heeled shoe impatiently.

“I’m sorry… I have to go.” Charlie said as she walked away.

“It’s not worth it you know.” Joey called after her.

Charlie knew he was right but kept walking away anyway to follow Lisa reluctantly out of the restaurant.