Chapter 9: Pretty Girls Don’t Eat
Pro ‘ana’ and ‘mia’ websites
by Winter Mae Jones
‘This is so disturbing,’ Melody said, handing the beginnings of my English assignment back to me. ‘I mean, seriously. “Revenge body”? Hand me a barf bag right this minute.’
‘I know, right? There’s stuff like this all over the Internet.’
‘What are you talking about?’ George asked, joining us at our usual lunchtime spot.
‘Sporty.’ Melody smirked as she checked out his latest look.
George was wearing a pair of jogging shorts that looked like they were from 1982 with a striped T-shirt and sweatband.
‘Vintage activewear.’ George twirled around. ‘Tada!’
‘Nowadays referred to as athleisure,’ I said.
‘You two are freaks.’ Melody rolled her eyes.
‘I was just telling Melody about my English research project,’ I continued. ‘I’m looking at pro “ana” and “mia” websites.’
George looked confused.
‘They’re basically websites set up by people with eating disorders to inspire other people with eating disorders to become as skinny as possible,’ I explained. ‘There’s all this controversy surrounding them because some people argue that they offer an invaluable support system to those suffering from anorexia and bulimia.’
‘What a load of crap,’ Melody interjected. ‘How is telling people to eat naked in front of the mirror supportive in any way?’
‘I guess it’s a way to find other people who are going through the same thing as you,’ I pointed out.
‘Yeah, great,’ Melody said. ‘How to Vomit Up Your Dinner 101.’
‘Yuck,’ George said. ‘What’s so good about being skinny anyway?’
It’s easy for George and Melody to be dismissive of people trying to lose weight because they have no idea what it’s like to be fat. But I didn’t say anything and we spent the rest of lunchtime listening to George recount his first kiss with James for the billionth time.
‘It was so romantic,’ he reminisced. ‘Like a movie.’
I knew I shouldn’t be jealous. George was so happy. But still, it was kind of torturous.
‘There’s no way I’m getting into a relationship until I’ve got my medical degree,’ Melody declared before taking a bite of the sausage roll she’d picked up from the canteen. ‘Too distracting.’
‘But you’ll be old by then!’ I said.
‘Twenty-five isn’t that old,’ Melody said.
‘Gosh.’ George shuddered. ‘I’d shrivel up like an old prune if I had to wait that long to get laid.’
‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t have casual sex,’ Melody clarified. ‘Jeez, you are so old-fashioned. Don’t you agree, Winter?’
I failed to reply because I was trying to figure out how many calories I’d consumed that day. Would a banana tip me over the edge? I really needed to start entering everything into my phone.
‘Earth to Winter.’ Melody waved her hand in front of my face.
‘Oh yeah, sorry. If I could get laid I totally would,’ I said. ‘So long as it wasn’t with some smelly old man.’
‘For sure,’ Melody agreed. ‘A girl’s got to have standards.’