FAT ANNIE

Chapter 2

 Shirley….

Shirley Rivers; Hudson's sister?...

Shirley wrapped her arms around me, tieing a white paper towel over my shoulders. 

Everyone was shocked. And I was beyond shocked. Utterly dumbfounded. 

Shirley was a senior executive in school days. She was three classes ahead of us. ‘The schools famous beauty queen’. 

Beauty with brain, talent, excellent character. Everyone wanted to be her friend. At Least close to her. And that includes me. 

But she has kept them all at arms length. And me, I never dared to approach her.

That same Shirley, is before me?, Her arms wrapped around me?.

She smiled at me. Her white teeth glittered. “I will take you in now”...

She held my hand, leading me towards her father's mansion. I looked at my big wrist in her grasp. Her whole finger didn't cover half of it. 

My heart sank. Ashamed. Afraid.

My eyes moved to her slender body. Her tiny waist. Her small round butt. Mine would have been shaking vigorously at any step I take.

She's really a goddess…

She leads me into a big beautiful room, flashing at me the biggest smile ever seen 

Her room... I guess it is.

She left me alone in the big sized room, after asking me to make my choice. The room is well furnished. The size of the room is bigger than my whole house. 

At the left was a long roll of beautiful dresses. While the left; don't even get me started. 

Different designs of bags, shoes, accessories. I thought they say vanity upon vanity, all these are vanity. But this is the kind of vanity I want. 

No doubt. She has taste. I mean why not. Her father is the owner of the biggest fashion Nova model company. 

So this is just a tip of the iceberg. 

All these are meant to make me overjoyed. But, it doesn't. 

Do you know what it means to be publicly embarrassed in your school reunion organised by your crush's family?, With his family watching upstairs?. 

 Or what it means to be denied by your boyfriend of seven years?. 

Hump..

I should never have come. Afterall I have never attended any school reunion since I left school. What made me agree to this one?. 

Julie….

Maybe we should get back to how I got myself in this whole mess. 

My name is Annabelle Brooklyn and this is my story…

It was nice outside and the sun was shining. I had just spent thirty whole minutes on the treadmill and I feel terrible, like I will die in any minute.

I have been on this weight loss journey for only a day. 

Don't look at me that way, I wouldn't start this if I hadn't caught Ethan drooling over a skinny flat ass chick. Who stupidly was flirting with him, in my presence!.

She had looked me up in a disgusting manner, as if I was some kind of old layered dirt.

Well, she would have been in the emergency room if not for Ethan accepting her seductive invitation, casting me aside.

 I know the stung of betrayal I had felt. He didn't even stood up for me, his girlfriend.

All he could say was “If only you would lose a lot of weight”. 

And those words came with a scornful glare. Believe me I felt so out of place, like am an alien in some weird horizon. 

I had stood there watching him exchange number with her. I felt so invisible. 

The thought only made me want to cry. 

And since then I am determined to get on this train.

But as expected, it is not going as planned.

“Can I have two hamburgers and two cups of hot chocolate…. Thank you”

The waitress looked up at me, giving me the weird look I always get at any cafeteria, as if I had two heads. 

“I have a guest coming”

That's just an excuse. Well to avoid much explanation. 

She smiled before heading back to do her thing. Why can't people mind their business?, I had sneaked out from Julie at the gym just to come eat here. 

Apart from the sandwich I took this morning, I haven't had anything till now. I need food before I land as an urgent care patient at the hospital. 

I sat at the cafeterias window enjoying my meal. A nice view while eating is always recommendable. Not until I got caught. 

Julie…

“Annie!.. Two Hamburgers on a weight loss journey?!” 

Julie appeared out of nowhere, as her voice snapped out loud, startling me.  

I choked on my hamburger, as my stuffed mouth battled to be rescued. I looked up, everyone is now watching…

“You left the gym to come kill yourself with food… How'd you want to accomplish this…..”

I push the hamburger into her mouth, cutting her short. I heard some tiny chuckles, the crowd turning back frequently to look. 

The lady who served me earlier gave me the “what a pig” look, as she whispered to her other colleagues who were laughing at what… me.

Embarrassment.  

I feel like the ground should open up and swallow me whole.

People eat as many hamburgers as they want. Why is mine causing a scene?

“I'm sorry Annie… It wasn't intentional. I didn't know my voice was that loud”, Julie quickly apologized, giving me the baby look.

Julie has been my only friend from highschool. She knows what I have passed through from the hands of the Sexy-Six girls. 

Well good for her, she's as skinny as a paper. Sometimes I feel like she will be blown away if care is not taken. 

Other times, I envy her. Alot. 

I pulled out a stack of cash and place on the table as I rush out of the cafe. 

I heard laughter from the ladies at the entrance roll. I didn't need a sheamaan to know I was the laughingstock. 

An overweight twenty-five years old lady, in a gym costume caught in a cafeteria munching hamburgers and hot chocolate!. 

It will make a big headline news. 

I rushed out of the cafe. 

Can my day get any better?