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

Chronicles of a Fat Teenager - Chapter Thirty

The week continued very much in the same way it began. Miles and Beth would see each other as often as they could and Beth became more and more bemused by the company she was keeping. Her lunchtimes now comprised of sharing her new bench with Danny, Katy, Liza, Tom and Michelle, three of whom were in the choir with Beth and the others from her drama group. They made each other laugh and had shared similar experiences of being victimized by the Clones with Michael seemingly the worst perpetrator of them all.

Tom was slim and very handsome, with gentle features and an even gentler manner. Since Michael had discovered Tom was gay, he had been hounded mercilessly and Tom was regularly seeing a counselor on and off campus to talk about his anxieties.

In a matter of days, the small group had formed a common bond, each one of them with a story to tell of how isolated they felt within school and how persecuted they felt by a small group of people. Beth and Jessica's term "The Clones" was adopted by all of them and they found some comfort in the knowledge that they had similar experiences of school.

"It's a shame we all had to wait until the end of our last term together to talk to each other," Katy had said, one lunchtime and they had all promised that throughout the summer and whatever college they went to, they would stay in touch.

Jess had been advised by her doctor to stay at home for that week but the regular texts Beth received from her demonstrated Jessica's boredom and frustration at being stuck home. Beth visited whenever she could but between demonstrating to her mother that she was still taking her studies seriously, seeing Miles whenever she could and popping in to see Jess on the way home from school while Miles was in practice, Beth found her new life exhausting.

"I don't know Bethany Evans," her mum commented at dinner one night, "You wait until now to get a social life and a boyfriend. RIGHT before your exams!"

"Oh hush!" her dad scorned, "She's young, besides, you know as well as I do, she's passed half of them already and she's already been accepted into two of the colleges with unconditional offers so she can coast a bit. You enjoy yourself, love. You look alive for the first time in years!" and her dad winked at her.

Miles' parents had told him the same and discussed their exams at dinner that Thursday evening when Beth came around again to visit.

"Miles, love" his mum gently nagged that evening, "I know your coursework has already given you passes in a few of your subjects, but you can't really afford to coast too much in the exams, OK?"

Miles rolled his eyes and Beth giggled.

"Son, fill your bloody boots!" his dad laughed, "Come on Abi ... the boy has been accepted at college, he knows what he's doing and the scholarship is just a little bonus because he knows he's already on the program."

Beth looked up from her plate and stared at Miles, "Is that true?" she asked smiling widely. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Miles shook his head, "I've had a letter from them telling me they're interested in putting me forward and that they'll be speaking to Coach. They'll still be watching me on Saturday 'coz I know one of them from the college will be there and they'll be still watching me at the last trial to make sure I'm not a one game wonder."

"One game wonder," his dad repeated, mockingly, "Those scouts have watched you for at least five or six games this year and they were around last year too, so don't bloody tell me they haven't already made up their minds!"

Miles shook his head again and smiled at his dad, "I'm not taking anything for granted, alright Pop?"

Later that evening, before Miles' dad dropped her home Beth and Miles finished the packet off under the soft and warm duvet in Miles' room.