Baby, It's Cold Outside.......

Hi All, Here is another attempt. I've tried to follow some of the ideas you gave me. Let me know if this reads better. Thanks in advance. I am calling this one, "Two Egg Day"

Tossing back her long, dishwater blond mane, Annie stepped out of the house that morning. Snow was falling lightly, and she enjoyed the clean smell of it. She clutched a still warm hard boiled egg in each hand as she walked to the bus stop. Precious cargo considering they would be all she had to eat for the next 12 hours. It was 22 degrees and the warmth felt good thru her mittens. With any luck her hands would stay that way for the half mile walk and she could get on the toasty bus.

The small bowl of cottage cheese would keep Annie full till lunchtime and then she could peel and eat the first of the eggs, while others ate the usual greasy cafeteria fare. Because of her 'sweet tooth', the smell of hot cinnamon rolls was the hardest thing for her to handle and her mouth watered hopelessly. A friend clued her in on the fact that Juicy Fruit gum had only 7 calories a stick, so that would have to do for now. Thursdays at 3:00 was the weekly weigh in for the upcoming gymnastic meet and she really needed to make weight. The much worked on floor ex routine would not be debuted on Saturday if she didn't. And even if she could complete all the necessary tricks on the mat, the judges favored and thus scored higher the tinier bodies that were more aesthetic to the sport. And after all, high scores and placing in the top 3 gave her school's team the win.

Her sturdy body weighed much more than it looked with muscle weighing more than fat and all--a fact the coach didn't seem to take into consideration. There were a few girls on the team that didn't have to worry at all, their frames already stunted to childlike proportions by the rigors of years of training. Others would resort to much more desperate means other than the starvation method that Annie chose. The fact that she was starting to develop and finally, at 15, had gotten her period was no help either. Around 2:00 a light practice would start in the gym until the line up for the scale began. Her good friend, Susan was shaking with hunger and fear. "I've just got to make weight, or I will be grounded for sure" she said thru her tears. Annie's stomach was growling so loudly that she could hardly even care. And if she turned her head too fast, she saw stars. Her large hazel eyes wearily eyed her demon. Adjusting her leotard and inhaling deeply, she stepped up on the scale, and by the grace of God, weighed the exact amount the coach deemed right.

Quickly she fled to her locker and shakily peeled and gobbled down the second egg. Thankyou thankyou thankyou she prayed. I'll be better next time. The show would go on for another week.