Chapter 2

The next morning, a flood of messages from the group chat jolted me awake. Someone had turned a screenshot of the betting pool into a meme.

[Megan bet that she can make it through the hotel doors.]

The chat erupted with laughter.

[If she really weighs 300 pounds, does that count as overloading the hotel?]

[Does Grandview have a freight elevator? Better make sure she doesn't bring the regular one down.]

[Matthew, remember to keep your promise. Write your will before you hug her.]

Matthew finally appeared: [Cut it out. I only said I'd give her a polite hug. And my girlfriend will be there too. Megan should know where to draw the line.]

Naomi immediately tagged me: [Meg, don't overthink it. Matthew just feels sorry for you because you used to have a crush on him. He's only trying to make it up to you.]

With a single sentence, she'd dragged my old crush on Matthew back into the open and tossed it to the crowd for everyone to laugh at.

Then she sent a photo.

It showed the school uniform I'd worn in high school. The uniform was so oversized that it looked like a sack, and the same piece of paper was still stuck to the back.

[No Food for Pigs]

An electronic scale sat beside it.

Naomi wrote: [I brought a little piece of our youth too. Meg, why don't you put it on again tonight and let everyone have a look? You can weigh yourself while you're at it and see how much you've gained over the years.]

The chat instantly filled with messages of support. Someone even sent a GIF of a pig stepping onto a scale.

I stared at the uniform as my fingers went cold.

Five years ago, they had forced me to wear it and stand at the front of the classroom.

Naomi had grabbed a megaphone and led the entire class in chanting, "198 pounds! A new record!"

I had run out of the classroom in tears.

Matthew had stuck out his foot and tripped me. Then he had laughed and said, "Slow down. You might bring the whole building down."

And now they wanted me to wear it again.

Naomi called soon after.

"You're really coming?" None of the sweetness she'd used in the group chat remained. Her voice held nothing but undisguised contempt. "Megan, don't say I didn't warn you. Matthew's girlfriend is a dance instructor now. Her waist isn't even as big as your thigh was back then."

I calmly asked, "You prepared that uniform?"

"Of course," she said with a laugh. "We have to give everyone something to enjoy at the reunion. You were so fat back then. Isn't making everyone laugh the only reason anyone was willing to talk to you?"

I laughed too. "Don't worry. I'll definitely be there."

A brief silence followed.

"Fine. Then you'd better wear something loose. If you collapse a chair, you'll have to pay for it."

The call ended. I saved the recording.

Just then, Erin walked in and tossed a black velvet gown into my arms before handing me her tablet.

Starlight Entertainment's announcement page filled the screen.

[Welcome Megan Anderson to Starlight Entertainment.]

The accompanying photo showed me in a couture gown, my features cool and sharp. The announcement was scheduled to go live at exactly 8:00 p.m. tonight.

The class reunion started at 7:30 p.m.

Erin glanced at the photo of the school uniform in the group chat and laughed in disbelief. "They're still waiting to see the 220-pound version of you?"

I turned off my phone and picked up the gown. "Let them wait."

Thirty minutes was more than enough time for them to finish saying every disgusting thing they had to say.