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“Meat? Like slaughtered animals?”
“Fat? Like cellulite fat?”
“Sugar? That’s the devil!”
I sighed, trying not to roll my eyes. There’s been a crusade against sugar recently, all the health gurus swearing that sugar basically destroys your body. But I don’t believe it. There’s sugar in everything, even the most mundane foods like milk and fruit. Or are those bad for you now as well?
But the girl clique just wouldn’t let up.
“You need to stop,” hissed Annette, a freckly redhead. “You don’t know the damage you’re causing.”
“To your body and to the environment,” chimed Olivia, her twin. “It’s permanent damage, the kind that can’t be reversed.”
And Stacy went for the jugular then.
“Besides, look at you,” she scoffed, eyes going up and down my frame rudely. “Anyone can see you’re out of shape, that dress is practically busting its seams. Ladies, don’t touch what Katie’s eating, and you’re guaranteed a good life!” she added snidely.
The other girls dissolved into giggles like this was junior high again. And to my shame, tears started rising in my eyes, my vision blurring, chest going tight.
But I wasn’t gonna let them see me cry. This wasn’t going to be gym class again, where I was the fat girl picked last for sports. So instead, I stood up hastily, tossing my napkin on the table.
“Sorry. Please excuse me,” I said with as much dignity as possible, and turned, walking off to the back with what I hoped was a confident stride. Making my way blindly, I stalked to the hallway behind the restrooms, which was thankfully deserted.
But then, my defenses crumbled and a low wail rang out from my chest. It was a choked sound, filled with pain, hurt and anger. Why, oh why was this happening? Flashbacks to high school spun in my mind, all the girls with straight blonde hair as tormentors. Why couldn’t they leave me alone? Was this some kind of bad voodoo that would follow me the rest of my life?
The tears wouldn’t stop falling as humiliation and shame washed over me, shoulders hunched as I cried into my hands. Because there were some bad memories, for sure. Teresa from high school and her minions standing in a circle, pointing and laughing after my shorts split during some exercise routine.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, if they hadn’t called attention to it right in front of Michael Mitchum, my crush since the second grade. And instead of rushing over to help me, Michael had merely stood there, helpless, before turning to go. Oh god! How could this be happening now? The parallels were umistakable except that this time, I was being humiliated in front of three gorgeous men, and not one.
But suddenly, a low, deep voice interrupted my thoughts, startling me from my cry fest.
“Oh!” came my unbidden gasp. Because as I wiped my eyes frantically, three huge male frames came into focus, dark and forbidding. “It’s you,” I whispered. Not exactly my finest hour, to be sure, but I tried to make the most of it, wiping furiously at tearstained cheeks. Hopefully, my ugly crying hadn’t produced snot dripping from my nose. My hands quickly swiped at my eyes and nose again.
“What are you guys doing out here?” came my soft cry.
Adding to the humiliation and shame was now embarrassment at having them find me out here bawling like a baby.
Silence for a moment as three pairs of clear blue eyes took me in.
“Those other chicks were pretty nasty to you.” Tyler grunted. But I didn’t want anyone’s pity. So instead, my head shook, trying to downplay what happened.
“It’s okay. I’m okay, I’m fine, it’s nothing. They’re going to notice if you guys are missing,” my words rushed out. “You should go back. I’ll be okay.”
“Naw, sweet thing,” growled Mason. “It’s no big deal.”
“In fact, the band’s already started up and people are dancing,” remarked Mason with a wry smile. “I doubt those harpies have noticed we’re gone. They’re whispering in a group somewhere, scheming on how to catch the bouquet,” he snorted. “They’ll probably fall all over each other trying to grab that thing.”
And the mental image made me laugh involuntarily. Stacy and her minions punching each other, fighting over the bouquet? Pulling one another’s hair, screaming and fighting? I hoped so. In my heart of hearts, I hoped they embarrassed each other like that.
So wiping my eyes once more, I let out a watery smile.
“Thanks,” came my soft voice. “Thanks for checking on me. But seriously, I’ll be okay. Even if they’re scheming now, they’ll notice your absence soon enough. So you better go,” were my final words.
And standing, I got up. Oh god, this dress was even worse than before. My tits were practically busting out the top now, the hem looking worse for wear. There’d been a few loose threads previously, but now there was a giant smudge from where I’d sat on the floor, plus a tear that ran straight up the front. I was Cinderella for sure, wearing rags while all the other girls were dressed in ballgowns.
But then something unexpected happened. As I brushed at my butt, discreetly trying to straighten my outfit, Kane leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. It was so unexpected that my mouth opened, letting him get in deeper.
“Mmmph?” came my surprised gasp. It was immediately followed by a low, throaty, “Mmmm.”
