Eating Paste

"Ana?" I whisper. "I want to start the ABC Diet again."
"Good!" She says happily, and sits down on the sofa next to me. "You want to look better before the pool opens?"
"Well yes," I start, "But realistically, It opens in a week, and I don't think I can get rid of every ounce of fat on my thighs in a week."
"Well, you can always try." She shrugs, and I can see she's holding a box of something in the hand farthest away from me. "Besides, summer school starts mext week, so you probably won't have a whole lot of time for the pool anyway."
"That's true," I admit, "but I'll be able to work out in the fitness center right after my class gets out every day for six weeks."
"That you will." She says slightly commandingly, "You had better make the most of that last hour and a half before the fitness center closes."
"I will. I promise."

She says nothing, but she hugs me. Then, she hands me the little plastic box she was holding.

"What is this?" I ask skeptically, "Did you get this out of my refridgerator?"
"Yes." She grins. "Your mum has been buying it a lot recently. I'm surprised you weren't aware."
I'm not quite sure what she means. "So, what is it?"
"Hummus." She says quite matter-of-factly.
"Its been so long since I had hummus. . . "
"Which is why I'm surprised you haven't eaten any!" She looks at me as if its the most obvious thing in the world.
"I can't remember if I like it or not." I say, half to myself. "I don't evern remember what it tastes like. . . " I trail off, thinking to myself. Suddenly a thought occurs to me. "Wait, you are actually trying to get me to eat something?"
Ana laughs. "Funny isn't it?" I'm really not sure what to think, so I don't say anything. Marking my silence, she continues. "I knew you've been wanting to start the ABC Diet again. I know everything you think, remember? I'm in your head. . . literally." I look at her blankly. She continues again. "Well, last time you did the ABC Diet, you survived almost completely off of yogurt and cottage cheese."
"But I'm vegan now." I interject. "I don't eat milk products anymore."
"Which is where the hummus comes in!" Ana smiles like a teacher whose student is finally understanding the lesson. "Eating high protein foods helps you loose weight. . ."
"And hummus is a high protein food." I finish for her.
"So I want you to try hummus-"
"So that it can be a staple for the next iteration of the diet?"
"Exactly." She clasps my sholder with her tiny, graceful fingers. "Brilliant, aren't I?"

I stare at the container in my hands. I open the lid, and stare at the beigeish paste inside. Ana hands me a tablespoon measure. I look at the side of the package. A serving is 70 calories for 2 tablespoons. So, one tablespoon would be 35. I carefully scoop out and level one tablespoon. "Here goes nothing." I think to myself as I cautiously put the measuring spoon in my mouth. Its really not bad. Granted, plain is a little overpowering, but I can easily palate this, and maybe even grow to love it.

"See?" Ana giggles with pride. "Was I right, or was I right?"
I grin. "The ABC Diet is looking up!"