Becoming Barbie

(1) Life In The Fat Lane

"Bethany! get your fat ass up and make us some breakfast!" My father yelled across the house.

How I longed to be able to roll over and go back to sleep. to be in a family that loves and cares for me.

I knew the consequences of going back to sleep though- I still had the bruises from last week for proof. After all, what's worth a good beating for a few extra minutes of sleep?

I got up slowly, rubbing my eyes, and donned my 2XL pink robe.

"Bethany, if I have to tell you one more time, you're going to regret it!" He yelled again.

"I'm coming dad!" I replied, leaving my room. Making my way to the kitchen, I pulled a Twix bar out of my robe pocket and started to munch on it.

"Morning, lard ass." My brother said, walking into the kitchen after me, throwing his lanky self into a near by chair. He brushed his blonde hair out of his face and grabbed for one of the many beer bottles scattered around the kitchen table. "I want an omlet and bacon today." He popped the cap off the bottle andbegan to chug it.

"Okay, what does dad want?" I asked, not letting his insult affect me, and pulled the egg carton, cheese, and bacon package out of the fridge. By the time I had the pans out of the cabinets, Aaron had downed his second bottle of beer, and was working on his third.

Dad walked in and smacked me across the face, hard. I took a step back and held my cheek, tears threatening to spill over.

"What have you been told to address me by?"

"Sorry, master. It won't happen again." He grunted and took a seat beside Aaron. I turned back to the stove and began fixing their breakfast. I spat in the eggs when I was sure they weren't looking.

After they looked satisfied at wolfing down my saliva-infested cooking, I escaped back to my room to get ready for another day in the hellish place called high school.

I dressed in dark blue jeans with a grey t-shirt and my favorite Black Veil Brides jacket. I slipped on a pair of cheap Good-Will-bought tennis shoes and pulled my messy blonde hair back into a sloppy bun. My make up consisted of blush and mascara. I was already ugly so there was no need for me to waste my precious little cash on cosmetics.

I grabbed my purse and made my way back to th kitchen, making sure that dad and Aaron were no where to be seen. I cut up five stalks of celery, put them in a zip-lock baggie, and put a small container of peanut butter beside it. I opened the freezer and dug to the back, pulling out my secret stash of burritos. I took one and hid the rest again. Opening the fridge, I took two oranges and three bottles of water out. After grabbing everything, I went back to my room to brab my book bag. I shoved the food in the bag.

At 7:15, I stepped outside just in time to catch the bus. I sat in the first seat across from the bus driver, safe from the harsh teasing of the other riders.

After a few minutes, my best-- well, my ONLY- friend, Cameron stepped.

"Well good gracious, cupcake! What happened to your face?" He asked, sitting beside me.

"N-nothing."I stutter when I lie. "Just didn't listen is all." I covered the bruise with my hand and smiled weakly.

"Baa." He used the childhood nickname he had given me in third grade. "You're going to have to start standing up for yourself and fight back."

"I know Camel. It's harder than it looks, though." I replied, using the nickname I had made up for him.

He stared at me with his crystal blue eyes that seemed to pierce into my soul everytime he looked at me. Cameron has stayed by my side since we met. He never once called me fat or ugly, nd was never ashamed to be seen with me. He's always been my friend; the one I ran to when I had trouble at home. Like the first time I was rapped. He hasn't told anybody -even though it was against his better judgement- because I asked him not to.

I remembered last weekend, when Aarons' friends came over again.

o0o0o0o

"Wow, she's a fat one, isn't she?" The red-headed one said, looking at me with disgust written on his face.

I knew what was going to happen. Aaron was going to leave and let these... these barbaric men to have their way with me. There were seven this time though. He usually never allows mor than two. A tear fell down my face when I saw Aaron turn to leave.

"More cushin' for the pushin'." One of the others replied, which made them all laugh.

"Just be done in two hours." was all Aaron said to them. I knew he wouldn't stop them, but I always hoped.

The men began to argue about who would take me first. I was fully crying by the time they had decided.

o0o0o0o

"It happened again, didn't it?" Cameron asked, pulling me out of my nightmarish day-dream. I wiped my eyes from the tears that were spilling over and nodded. He clenched his fists and became silent for the rest of the bus ride.

Cameron walked me to my locker, allowing his head to lean on the wall of read and white lockers while I grabbed my AP Calculus book and slammed the door.

"Come on, Camel. Time for class." I said as happy as I could sound. He linked his arm in mine, and together, we entered hell.

"Bethany!" Cameron whispered once Mr. Webb left the room.

"What?!" I asked, looking up from our EOC review.

"I don't know any of this. Help me?" I laughed and leaned over to help.

A half hour later, Cameron still didn't understand the work and I had a pounding headache.

"Cameron, you're unteachable. You'll just have to go ask Mr.Webb to attempt to explain it to you. Again." I slouched uneasily in my seat, thinking about how they should really make bigger desks.

Cameron had to go to Art class after Calculus, so I was on my own, trudging up the hallways to US History.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Soooooo.... what do you think? do you like it? hate it? Don't know? well, this book is going places. i can just feel it! enjoy! and hey! since you're here, why not check out my other stories? just not Spring break. Its on hold. I'll give you a little spoiler on it though ( on Spring Break, i mean) everyone dies. all the main characters die. only Zeya lives. You'll learn about her more when i get around writer's block on it.