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The eyeliner makes the dark circles less visible. The lip gloss hides the trembling. The ponytail hides missing patches of hair. The Abercrombie sweater covers bruises. I might look at bit thinner, but everyone will ask about my new diet. My hair might not shine the way it used to, but the pink ribbon will distract curious eyes. One hour of preparation and I look like myself. One hour of preparation and no one will know. One hour out of 24. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it—wasting a twenty-fourth of my day on a lie. But then I see my wispy hair and baggy eyes, and I have to do it.
Checking my makeup one last time, I push my sleeves up, though not past my elbows. I slip on a cute pair of flat shoes—heels are too dangerous with shaky legs—and grab my
Hollister bag. Padding downstairs, I breathe in the scent of waffles and syrup.
"Morning, Mom,"I call.
"Morning, baby,"she chirps."Did you sleep well?"
"Better than I have been."
She sighs, and her eyes look a hundred years old for a minute."Improvement is good,"she says half-heartedly.
"Of course."
"I made waffles."Her offering.
"Thanks, Mom. Smells delicious."My offering.
I sit at the table and she hands me a plate. The thought of all that food turns my stomach, but I force a smile and thank my mother again. She busies herself at the sink and fills the silence with chatter. When she turns around, she takes in the waffles still on my plate, only missing a few bites. I smile apologetically.
"I'm not very hungry this morning."
"You'll need your strength for this afternoon." She bites her lip. She doesn't like to bring it up over breakfast. I eat another bite.
"I packed your lunch."
"I'm 18, Mom. I can pack my own lunch. You have more important things to do."
She reaches for the paper sack."But now I know you'll have something to eat. And you need to eat, okay? You have to keep your strength up."
Sighing, I take the bag. I know this peanut butter and jelly sandwich won't be eaten, not any more than the one yesterday or the day before. Anything consumed after 11ends up in a plastic basin at 4:07. It's just the way it works.
"Hon. have you thought about what I said the other day?" she asks.
I shrug noncommittally.
"Sweetheart, you can't hide this forever. Eventually you're going to miss school and people will start asking questions."
"Mom, I have two months left of high school. I can make it till then. I'm class president
and probably will make a graduation speech. I was voted 'Most popular,'Most fun to bearound,''Best smile,'and 'Most likely to succeed.'I'm the girl who's got it all together.
People don't want to know that the girl who's got it all together, doesn't have it all together.
People don't want to know that girl is dying!"
"Honey, don't say that. You're not dying."
"Yes, I am. You heard Dr. Morrison. I have maybe a year left. Mom, listen to me. I don't want to be the girl everyone looks at and whispers, Look at her. Poor thing! I can't handle that.
I want to be normal. Just for these last two months."
"Okay," she whispers,"Okay. Just remember, it's okay if you don't have it all together.
Sometimes things just fall apart and there's nothing we can do.”
"Thanks, Mom."I grab my bag and lunch and kiss her on the cheek."I love you.""I love you too." my mom replies. This exchange, once taken for granted, is now a vital part of every morning, every afternoon, every night. Three little words, followed by four more, have come to mean more than an entire conversation. They bridge all gaps and disagreements, because we both know there is now a finite number left.
Keys in hand, I open the door and blink in the early morning sun. My silver car waits in
the driveway and as I walk toward it, I check my reflection in the tinted window. Perfect.
66.Why does the author think her make up time is spent on a lie?
A. Because she is going on a new diet.
B.Because she has to deal with her wispy hair and baggy eyes.
C. Because she tries to look prettier than she actually is.
D. Because she is pretending to look normal.
67.What will happen if she forces herself to eat some food for lunch?
| A.She will eventually miss school. | B.It will build up her strength. |
| C. She will throw it up later. | D. It will make her work better. |
68.The underlined sentence "I shrug noncommittally" most probably means
A. the author is bored with her mom B.the author is indifferent about the issue
C. the author has already considered it D. the author gives no clear answer
69.The exchange of greetings have become vital for the author and her mom because
| A.she wants to be normal | B. she is running out of time |
| C.they disagree with each other | D. there is a generation gap between them |
70.What adjectives can we use to describe the author?
| A. Polite but stupid. | B.Hardworking and successful. |
| C. Understanding and considerate. | D.Popular but stubborn. |
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