Chubby Girls Cuddle Better (The Love Story of a Fat Girl)

The Bus Ride from Hell

As the bus leaned, I looked out the window from my seat, all by myself. I had my earphones in and I was listening to Sleeping With Sirens. I sort of leaned my head against the glass and watched the cars and people on the streets as we drove onto the freeway. Camp Day was finally here. I was so ready just to get out of the house and breathe some fresh air, I nearly forgot to text the guys and tell them I left. I sighed quietly to myself then turned to look around at the other teens, piled in the back of the bus, who we'd picked up from the cities outside of my town, Ivyville. The girls were skinny, with long hair and flawless skin. The boys all had beautiful eyes and killer smiles. As I glanced back at them (like a frog creeping behind a rock) one of those beautiful boys smiled right at me. He gave me a little wink and I quickly turned back around. I suddenly heard a loud gasp of uproarous laughter. They were laughing at me. Those dumb bimbos probably believed I already had a crush or something on that guy. They must have put him up to that. I frowned and turned my chest towards the window and simply closed my eyes. We had hours until we made it to camp so I figured if I couldn't be in a Wonderland, I'd make up for it in Dreamland.

* * * * * * * * * *

What felt like decades later, I noticed a tapping on my shoulder. I stirred and opened my eyes to find a girl with long, deep purple hair beside me on the seat. She had small features though each part of her was more beautiful than the next. Her green eyes coaxed me out of sleep and she sat quietly until I looked awake enough to speak.

"Are we close to camp?" I inquired, stretching my arms out and popping the bubbles of uncomfortable-ness in my back.

She simply nodded then she smiled, a dazzling smile, and replied, "We should be there in around 45 minutes. I just asked the bus driver." Other than her natural born features, this girl had an array of artistry lining her arms and legs. She noticed me glancing them over and she laughed, "Checking out the gallery, huh? I guess they are pretty cool. My name's Nikki, by the way."

I was smiling now and I'd already made up my mind. I liked Nikki. "Iris. Nice to meet you. Yeah, they look awesome! What's this?" I asked as I slid a finger along her elbow to trace a big, technicolor tattoo.

"That one's always the crowd-pleaser. It's a tree of Life with an arrangement of the seven deadly sins around it. I'll show it to you later, when we have better light." She smiled then the bus bumped and everyone's individual 'Whoa!' was heard. She laughed and put her hand on my arm. "So, Iris, what cabin are you in?"

"13. I'm excited because that's my favorite number," I replied. She grinned at me mischeivously and I realized she had the same cabin. I laughed and said, "Hey, at least I already made a friend."

"Oh, from the looks of that guy in the back, you made a friend way before I even came," she retorted. I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at her with confusion written across my face. 

"What guy?" I glanced behind us and there he was again, smiling at me. It was the same guy from before who'd winked at me. "The one beside the girl with the blonde hair?"

"Yep. He hasn't taken his eyes off you since I got on the bus," she teased.  She reminded me a lot of Evangeline--wild and fun. 

"Probably because he's trying to make up his list of fat jokes before we reach camp," I muttered to myself, hoping Nikki didn't hear. I looked away from her, returning to glance out the window as we made our way onto the camp grounds. "Listen, Nikki. This is sort of my escape from regular life so we're going to have to make it the funnest two weeks I've ever had."

"Oh, trust me. Fun will not be a problem," she said with an eager smirk.

* * * * * * * * * *

After the intro movie and being sorted by cabin, we had late-night dinner in the banquet hall/fun room. I only ate an Uncrustables peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich with an apple and a water bottle while Nikki packed her plate like she was feeding all the helpless children of Africa. We went into the den (which looked like a  teenage-style, abandoned Chuck E. Cheese's) and dragged two beanbag chairs into an empty corner to talk. I couldn't wait to get into my jammies and sleep. We talked all about ourselves together, at dinner, then we went out to our cabin together.

When it came time to choose bunks, I became worried. I'd love to sleep on the top bunk but I'm always afraid I'll break it. Nikki lead me to a group of bunks that were unusually left entirely alone and we picked the one by the window and against the wall. 

Nikki turned to me and asked with a playful wiggle of her eyebrows, "Top or bottom, Miss DuBois?" I laughed and threw my pillow at her. "What, can't a girl ask a dirty question?"

"You can have the top, I'll take the bottom," I replied, a little too hastily. Nikki looked at me then dumped all her shit onto the bottom bunk. "Nik, I just said I'm on the bottom bunk..." I trailed off, wondering what she was up to.

"Nah, I'm scared of heights anyway. You take it, Iris," she said. I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded. She understood.

I climbed the ladder up to the mattress where I set up my sleeping bag and pillows. I hopped down then grabbed my change of clothes for the night. Nik had hers in her hand so we went into the bathrooms together, changed, then started getting ready for bed. I look out my contacts and put them in the solution-filled container then I peeled the hairband out of my ponytail and Nikki put it in a pretty French braid for me. After I was done, I noticed Nikki's tattoos then I saw her take a couple pills and I looked at her curiously. She gestured to her head and I figured it was migraine medication. As she brushed her teeth, I went into the bathroom then just sat on the closed toilet. I sighed quietly as I put on the elastic patch over the bridge of my nose to make sure I didn't snore. It looked like a pore cleanser so I didn't have to worry about looking ridiculous, the other girls had on nightcaps and heated curlers. It looked like they came out of old cartoons. After I'd gotten all set up, I made my way back to the bunk where Nikki was getting comfy. I smiled then bid her a good night and sweet dreams. She did the same.

As I began to drift off, something made me open my eyes and I noticed a group of girls were giggling and whispering to each other quietly. Suddenly, one of them turned and pointed at me then they laughed again, a flurry of uncontrolable giggles. I turned over onto my side so my face was to the wall and my back was to them. I felt the wetness on my pillowcase and I had to will myself with all I had to not let them hear me crying over that. I knew what they were saying. 

"How long until the bunk breaks in half?" 

"I thought the bus was going to fall over when she stepped on!"

"She didn't even know how to braid her hair back. What girl isn't, like, born with that knowledge?"

"I wonder how much she weighs--"

"No, no, honey. It's more like 'it's a wonder, how much she weighs'!"

I drifted into the blackness, consumed by the hateful words spilled on and on about me. The fat girl at camp.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi, again! So, here's part two! I'd love some feedback, guys. Thank you S O much for all the reads! Vote and comment, if you can! I wonder if we can get another 5 votes for this part??? ;)