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“You take care, Noah.”
“I will. Have a good weekend.” Grabbing my blazer, I walked out the door.
When I got in my car, I headed straight to the nearest gas station to buy myself a twenty deck of smokes.
CHAPTER TWO
ARIA
Almost four weeks had passed since my birthday. I was over at Steph’s place on a Friday night. Jessica and Tammy were there, too. We had gone shopping after school and had stopped by the nail salon for a manicure and pedicure. Tonight was going to be amazing. Our exams were almost over (well, not really)—we just needed an excuse to go to this new club that opened in LA. Steph had said the place would not disappoint. I had been looking forward to it since last week.
“Are you sure these fake IDs will get us into the VIP section?” I asked, sitting on Steph’s bed.
“Relax. We probably won’t even get ID’d at the bar.”
All eyes were on Jessica as she walked out of the bathroom. “Does this dress make me look fat?” she asked.
Her short halter dress was a dark plum color. “You look gorgeous!” I smiled in approval.
Steph stood in front of her and sipped on a rum and coke while she scrutinized her outfit. “I told her to stop overindulging on the fast-food,” she rudely stated. “Now you’re growing a muffin top! Honestly, Jessica, do you really want to end up looking like a fatso whose only hope is to attract a chubby chaser? Because we all know howthoserelationships go… It’s not love when it’s a fat fetish.”
I was appalled and shocked by what she said as I yelled, “Jess is not fat!” The sheer outrage was visible on my face. “And even if she was, is that honestly the worst thing to be in the world? I don’t think so! ‘Fat’ is just an adjective, not an insult. Stop making her feel so self-conscious about her body! You’re not living in it, so what gives you the right to comment and judge?”
“Don’t hate me because I love her enough to tell her the truth!” Steph seethed. “She’s gaining weight, and I would be a terrible friend to not speak up about it and turn a blind eye. Fat people are disgusting, Aria. They’re lazy, they smell, and the delusional idiots who are pushing for ‘fat acceptance’ are morons. They literally need to be shipped to an island and blown up! Is a human infant born the size of a whale?No!It’s not natural to look like a blob of flabby flesh!”
“Would you please listen to yourself?” I shouted.
“Asking the world to sympathize and be tolerant of this disease is sickening. It’s a sorry ass excuse they use to keep stuffing their face instead of cutting calories and working out. I will never, ever feel an ounce of compassion for a disgusting, lazy, tubby! Why should I, or anyone else, respect a fatty when they can’t even respect themselves enough to take care of their body? If you want to bring good ol’ Jesus into it, he’d say that it’s sinful to eat so much like a gluttonous pig!”
No, he wouldnotsay that. Jesus preached love.
“If I were God,” Steph continued, “I’d send them all to Hell where they belong! At least all that grease would melt down there!”
Tammy cut in and said, “Well, there you have it, ladies”—she gestured to Steph—“Adolf Hitler reincarnated as an angry white girl who hates big people.”
“I feel sorry for you,” I said to Steph. “It must be difficult living your life with so much hate in your heart. You give the word ‘shallow’ a whole new definition.”
Tammy finished her shot of tequila and said, “She’s just bitter because her ex dumped her last year and started dating Lilly Mullins.”
“He didnotdate her!” Steph shouted. “He screwed that cow while he was drunk! It was a onetime deal, andIwas the one who dumped him, so get your facts straight, Tammy!”
“Some guys like BBWs, Steph,” Tammy retorted. “Get over it.”
“BBW?” I asked in confusion.
“Big beautiful woman,” she replied.
“More likebig bulging whale! Lilly is an ugly cow who can only get a guy in bed with her if they’re drunk.”
Someone had struck a nerve.I knew who Lilly was; I sat next to her in biology. She was smart, beautiful, and clearly had an enemy because she was dating Stephanie’s ex. According to my extremely shallow “friend,” bigger people were subhuman and not worthy of love. I was so upset. I didn’t know anyone who was battling obesity, but I’d been raised properly to know that you treat others with dignity and respect. Trying to fit in with the “in crowd” didn’t seem all that important to me anymore—not after hearing Steph’s bigoted rant.
“You know what?” I said to her. “Never mind the rest of the world—how can you stand there and criticize your best friend’s weight when you know about her battle with bulimia? Do you really want her purging after every meal now? You’re sick, Steph!”
“It’s okay, Aria,” Jess said. “I get her point. I really need to skip the drive-through.”
“I’m only looking out for my bestie!” Steph flashed the smuggest smile.
I grabbed my handbag and headed for the door.
