Chronicles of a Fat Teenager (Complete - Sequel coming soon)

Chronicles of a Fat Teenager - Chapter Three

"I am telling you, it won't fit!" Beth hissed quietly at her mum in the changing room, "it's not big enough in the bum and the waist will be too low!" 

Beth's mum sat back on the chair holding the offending pair of trousers still on its hanger. "Well, I don't see why you won't even try 'em on!" her mum said, a little too loudly. "I mean, it's the biggest size they've got and this isn't a cheap shop so the cut won't be small!"

Beth rolled her eyes. That was the fourth time her mum had mentioned something about how pricey the shop was and it was obvious she felt uncomfortable. 

"Mum, I don't want trousers that colour anyway and the fabric is just wrong for the top I've got." Beth's patience was wearing thin and this was betrayed in the tone of her voice. Her mum sighed and walked out of the changing room to return the trousers she'd just found.

Beth studied herself in the mirrors and her eyes followed each roll and curve as they reflected back at her, mocking her attempts to find something nice to wear. She hated shopping. Despised every moment and would regularly joke that a camping shop would suit her frame better, something like a two-berth tent would suffice. She smiled to herself as she imagined how the tent pegs and guide ropes could act as embellishments and accessorize the outfit. She could hear her mum in the shop outside, complaining to anyone within earshot that the prices did not reflect the quality of their clothing and how her daughter was completely unable to find anything suitable because of their skimpy sizing policy. Beth groaned inwardly, hoping her mother wouldn't be waiting for her outside the changing rooms, immediately associating herself with her mother's comments.

Beth leaned over and pulled on her shoes, fighting against the pressure in her tummy and stretching as far as her comfy trousers would go. The blood rushed in her ears as she struggled with the straps around her ankles, all the time scolding herself for wearing inappropriate shoes for trying on clothes. But then slip ons would never stay on her chubby feet. She could hear a few girls come into the changing rooms beyond the curtain and wondered if it was the blood rushing in her ears that made her think it sounded like Jessica's friend Claire from their music class. Beth steadied herself and remained sat on the seat to get her breath back.

"This dress will look great with those killer heels, Jess. Michael will be history when he sees you in this!"

Beth heard other girls giggle and could smell their familiar perfect perfume wafting through the curtains.

"I don't know, it's expensive and just for one night? Really?" Jessica asked quizzically. "Besides, no one will be looking at me, or any of us for that matter. Well, not until the after-party!"

The girls giggled again and Beth could hear curtains swishing as they all went into their own cubicles, presumably to try on their perfect size 6 dresses.

"No one will be able to see around Beth anyway!" laughed one of them. Beth thought it sounded like a girl she thought was called Lucy and Beth remembered how Mr Swales would ask her to sing quieter because she "had a tone that could cut through glass." The girl's words felt like a soft blow to Beth's stomach and she listened quietly as their harmful words continued.

"I know, I mean doesn't she care about herself at all? And what on earth was she wearing in our last rehearsal? She looked like a sofa!" and again the trills of their perfect laughter nourished Beth's self-loathing and the blows to her stomach continued.

"No wonder she's got such a belter of a voice, with all that weight behind it!" laughed another voice that Beth didn't recognize. Suddenly a curtain swished open and Beth heard Jessica's voice.

"Um, I'm not sure we should be talking about her in this way, girls. Yes, she's on the heavy side, but don't you wish you had just an ounce of that voice? Have you seen what happens to half the guys in that class when she sings, it's like they're hypnotized or something ... and me for that matter!"

More curtains sounded like they were being opened and Beth heard one of them snap back at Jessica, "God, what's got into you? You used to be the one with all the best fat jokes, Jess. Why have you suddenly changed your tune?"

The other girls seemed to voice their agreement and Beth heard Jessica justify herself again, "She's more than just another fat girl, guys. Can't we just be supportive for once?"

"What like one of her MASSIVE support bras?" laughed Claire again,  "Come on Jess, lighten up!"

"Hey just like Beth should ... !" giggled another.

"Just cut it out, guys. I don't want to be part of your games anymore."

Beth listened as she heard the other girls go back into their cubicles, "That dress makes your hips look big, Jess. Don't buy it." Claire's voice was a little edgy and Beth could tell the tone of their exchange had shifted. 

"You stay here, Jess. We have to return these shoes next door anyway. We'll be back in a bit." 

The other girls left but it sounded like Claire had stayed behind to have one final word with Jessica, "I don't know what's gotten into you lately, Jessica Halliwell, but me and the girls don't like it. Michael is tired of your games and he's already asked for my number twice, Jess. Just saying. If you want to be best pals with that disgusting mammoth, go ahead. But see your stocks fall, Jess. You'll go from Harrods to Primark in seconds. She's a whale, Jess. Good singer or not, she's not exactly OUR type of person. See you in a bit. Have a think, yeah?" 

Beth sat in silence, Claire's words like searing hot pokers driven into her stomach. Her eyes burned with tears and they rolled freely down her cheeks. Through her tear-filled eyes Beth looked at herself in the mirrors. Each leg spilling over the sides of the chair, each leg splayed at an angle with knees that rarely met and cloth thinning over her thighs where the material stretched the most.

Mammoth.

Whale.

Disgusting.

Each word creating new wounds over the scar tissue generated from the bullying of her past.

Suddenly the curtain flung open and her mum stood there glaring at her, "Peacocks have got a sale on, apparently. Just heard a lady in the shop talking about it. If you're not finished getting ready, I'll see you in  there.  They go up to a size 24 don't they, so you may be lucky. If not, there's an Evans' around the corner. Our shop!!" Oblivious to her daughter's tears, Mrs Evans walked quickly out of the changing rooms and back out into the shop, on a mission for bargains. 

Beth blinked, causing more tears to fall from her lashes down her tear-soaked cheeks and found herself staring straight into the tear soaked eyes of Jessica. Still wearing the evening dress she'd been trying on with her friends, still utterly perfect but her face spoke a thousand words. She looked lost and alone and when her eyes met Beth's, what little restraint she had faltered and she fell at Beth's feet sobbing uncontrollably.  Her shoulders shook and her perfect hair fell over her face as strands stuck to her wet skin. "Oh Beth," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry you ... had to hear that ... but ... oh Beth ... can you help me? I'm in such terrible trouble and I don't know who I can trust!."