Fat in a Thin Body

Chapter Four

We walked to the gym in silence, except for the faint clack of her heels and the thump of my wedges against the linoleum floor. It wasn't that we had nothing to talk about, it was the fact that we barely knew eachother. Well, I knew her type, but she didn't know who I was - at all. It was better that way, maybe now I could get a fresh start. Eventually a new fiasco would start and they would forget all about the fat girl and her two friends.

Reaching the gym, we parted our ways and sat with our friends. In my case, I sat with Lexie, and she sat with her posse.

Walking towards me, Aubrey said, "I need to go to the nurse really quick. Want to come with me? The gym teachers already okay-ed it." That's what happened since I became part of their group. They made sure to include me at all costs, whether it hurt them. I knew that they switched in and out of being partners with me and then went to get another partner. It was always like that - they never left me alone. Normally I would get up, but I didn't feel like going so instead I smiled at her and said, "No, it's okay. Go on without me!"

Now that I was alone the cold enveloped me and goosebumps made a path from the center of my back to my hands. I wonder if people were staring at me. Perhaps not, however I wouldn't be surprised. After all, it was a big change. People would have had to noticed that I wasn't fat!

After the gym teachers went through the nonsense that we heard every year, they let us have a free period. They brought out the basketballs, the hula hoops, and the jump ropes, turned on the music, and then started chatting with eachother. I brought my hands up and rubbed my arms to stop the goosebumps. Walking around, I found myself with Brittney, Dani, and their posse.

"Hey," I said awkwardly, even though I tried to exude confidence.

A short girl holding an enormous bag sized me up, "Umm . . . who exactly are you?"

Brittney looked happy to see me. "This is . . . uhh . . . I don't actually know your name."

"It's Neveah." I smiled in hopes of gaining some friends. Everybody just went back to their conversations rather then paying attention to me. Brittney smiled at me and came closer.

"Hey. Wanna, like, hang out today?"

"Today?" That seemed awfully sudden. I opened my mouth to decline her offer but something stopped me. I shouldn't decline her offer, the purpose of coming over here was to make some people like me. So instead of declining, I found myself saying, "Yeah, sure."

"Great!" She beemed.

"I have to call my dad, to tell him, at the end of the day-"

Raising her plucked eyebrow, Brittney replied, "Why don't you just text him now?"

"But it's not allowed . . . ?"

She looked at me as if I was dumb and said, "Yeah? So what?"

"Nothing. Just saying." I pulled out my phone and discreetly hid it in front of my hip.

"Hey dad...staying after with a friend. Is that ok?"

The phone beeped traitorously and I looked around like a lunatic. The gym teachers had not noticed at all and were still chatting in the corner. About what, I had no idea, but they looked pretty into it.

Feeling a buzzing sensation in my jacket pocket, I picked up my phone again.

"Sure be safe and come home at 6."

Brittney had already picked up a conversation with another person and deserted me. I tapped her shoulder and said, "Yeah, I texted him but I have to be home at six."