The sensation quickly vanished, not even a slight tingly sensation left.
"Must've been a placebo affect," she sighed. "I'm such a hypochondriac!"
Taking the box of vials, she noticed that the bear vial had refilled. A clever effect or a second bottle, she didn't know, and she didn't really care at the moment. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a book, exchanging it for the vials. Plopping onto the bed, several hours went by. She had homework to do, but the thought of it, too, had left her mind.
Finally, as the sun waned, leaving an orange streak over the horizon, a new thought entered her mind: food. She hadn't eaten lunch, and breakfast was only a single toaster strudel. She'd been trying to watch her weight, and her friends feared that she was headed on the road to anorexia.
"Just put it off," she commanded herself, just as she had done with so many other cravings.
Going back to reading, her stomach began to growl. Louder and louder it grew, constantly pulling her out of the story and echoing through her skull. When she refused to give in, her stomach sent out pangs of hunger. It ached for food, her brain knowing that food was only down the stairs.
“Fine! I get it!” she shouted, slamming the book onto the nightstand.
She stood up in a huff and marched downstairs. Her mom had just gone grocery shopping, leaving an assortment of food in the fridge. She glanced over the hamburger, leftover spaghetti, and other meats; instead zeroing in and focusing on the vegetables. Salad was healthier, a light meal she could enjoy before bed.
She quickly dished up a modest amount of lettuce, tomato, onions, and raspberries, sprinkling it ever so lightly with dressing. The meal didn't quench her hunger, if anything causing the craving to grow, but she brushed it off. Her will was like steel, her weight goal within reach, and too much food could throw it all off.
Climbing back upstairs, she fell into bed.