"Flatty"

Chapter 14

I try to ignore my stomach as I wait for Jez. I've forced so much food into it in the last few days that I guess it decided to fight back today and it hurts like mad. At least it's slightly bloated now. I smoothen my newly chestnut colored hair nervously. I've tried so hard. I ate fattening foods like bananas, pancakes, cheese, sausages and eggs constantly throughout the day to try and get my weight up. Plus, I always made sure to eat a fully loaded plate of everything and extra servings of whatever dessert I could get my hands on. I even went as far as to go on a raspberry hiatus since they are what dad calls "beggars' food" – Food that actually makes you lose weight. After two entire days of this extreme regime, I barely managed to gain a single pound. Still, it's progress. Well kind of. I tuck in my bright shirt while looking around feverishly. Where is that boy? I mean, I even made an effort on the clothes. I'm wearing this longed sleeved fuchsia shirt – to cover up my skeletal arms – and a short metallic and black skirt with matching accessories. My outfit's goal is to...

"You're late." I can't help but say with a smile.

"No I am not. I arrived precisely when I meant to arrive." Jez answers, not missing a beat.

We start walking towards the electric car.

"That just makes it worse! It means that you were actually planning on arriving late."

As we near the vehicle, he passes in front of me and activates my door.

"Don't try the gentleman move on me." I warn him as I get into the car, "It won't work."

"That's what we'll see." He answers while sliding in besides me, a ghost of a smile on his face.

After a relatively short, laugh-filled ride, we finally arrive at our destination. As I step out to observe the huge mansion in front of us, the booming music emitting from it takes me aback.

"Who's is this?" I ask Jez in awe. It's almost as huge as my house.

"Ryker's" He answers while walking towards the entrance.

"Ryker's?" I can't go in there. Why in heck did Jez bring me to Ryker's place?

"Coming Tika?" Jez calls out when he realizes that I'm frozen into place.

"Um yeah," I answer, unsure, while slowly making my way to him.

"What's wrong beauty?" He asks, a concerned look on his face.

"Nothing, I just don't really get along with Ryker..."

The music is getting louder with every step.

"Oh," He seems relieved, "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. Just look at the size of this thing," He says while nodding at the house. "I would say that the odds of running into him are pretty slim."

"Yeah I guess you're right," I concede while stepping into the mansion.

Music soars through my body as soon as I do and I turn to Jez with a "what now" look.

He bends down and screams into my ear in response, "I'll try and find my friends, stay here."

Jez then disappears into the crowd and I am left standing next to the door, alone. I anxiously tug on my sleeves while looking around the jam-packed room. People are dancing everywhere, stopping only to eat and drink occasionally. I look up to realize that there are literally people on every floor. Yeah, just a "little get together" with friends. Turns out Jez has more friends than I initially thought he did...

"No way! Is that Flatty? Who invited her?"

Oh no, I would recognize that voice anywhere. I turn towards where it seems to have come from and am appalled to see Ryker and Cheska coming my way with their gang. I can't move because otherwise Jez won't be able to find me but on the other hand, I really don't feel like facing them.

"Nah it can't be. Look at that girl, she's got chestnut colored hair and isn't wearing that horrible black vest that Flatty always has on."

I can barely hear Ryker's voice over the music. I look around wildly, trying to come up with a plan. Finally I spot a heap of discarded temperature-adjusting coats and don't hesitate even for a second before burrowing into them.

"Hun, that's weird I can't see her anymore." I hear someone from the pack say as they near my hiding spot. Just as they are about to pass in front of the pile of coats, they come to a sudden stop. Great. I just hope that Jez doesn't come back anytime soon.

"Anyways, that girl was weird. Did you see how scrawny she looked? Ew, disgusting."

"I know right? Maybe it really was Flatty then." Madox hazards.

"Well perhaps it could be." Cheska agrees, "Didn't Flatty dye her hair recently?"

"Are you all crazy?" Ryker snaps them out of it, "Of course it wasn't Flatty. Why would anyone bring someone like her here? They would be shamed for life if they did."

"True that." I hear who I believe to be Tatyum agree, "Feel like getting a drink?"

As soon as their legs disappear from my view, I come out of my hiding place. I'm fighting back tears by now but try to recompose myself while fixing my hair and my clothes. Turns out that hiding under a heap of coats can really mess up your hairdo. I breathe in and out to calm myself and flash a winning smile. There, that's better.

"HEY," I hear a voice screaming next to my ear. I turn around and am relieved to find Jez's smiling face next to mine. "I finally found them, follow me."

As soon as he takes ahold of my hand, Cheska and her goons are instantly forgotten. I'm grateful for the dim lighting when I realize that my cheeks are flaring up. Linked as so, we weave through the sea of dancing teens searching for Jez's friends. When we reach the far end of the room, he activates a small back door and we head outside.

"My ears need a break," He explains.

I'm so shocked that what he said barely registers. Turns out that Jez hangs out with the smartest people from Tech College – including Ryker's big brother. Well that at least explains why we are in his house. The girls and boys in front of me each easily weight at least two times what I do. Smart and popular. Great.

"So this is your famous lunch partner." Ryker's big brother is the first one to speak up.

The girl next to him looks me up and down. I think her name is Juniper and judging by the way Ryker's big brother is holding her, I'm guessing that they are a couple.

"You sure she didn't steal that chocolate you gave us?" She asks Jez,

"I don't want to be in any trouble."

Jez suddenly looks uncomfortable and his hand drops mine, "Nah don't worry about it. Tika's always clean."

"Yeah well maybe she should keep some of her merchandise for herself... Looks like she needs it." The other girl, who I believe is called Tallula, remarks.

"Hey guys, who cares what she looks like." Ryker's big brother interjects, "If Jezbel says that..." He looks at me, searching for my name.

"Tika," I shyly speak up.

"Yeah right. If Jezbel says the girl's clean than she's clean." He turns to him, "So can she get us any more?"

"Yeah of course she can." Jez answers for me.

"That's obese!" Juniper states, excited.

I can't believe this. The only reason I'm meeting Jez's friends is to sell them chocolate. They don't care about me. Jez doesn't care about me, only about what I can bring him. I'm still not good enough for him. After all I did, my weight still messes everything up. The hair and the clothes just weren't enough... It's not my fault I can't pass the threedigit mark. At least I'm trying. Shouldn't that count for something?

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Author's note: Sorry it took a while before I updated the story but this chapter is pretty long compared to the other ones so I hope it makes up for it. Also, the next chapter is going to be the last one. Almost there!