~BBW, Eating, Romance, ~SWG - Junior College chubette finds an unexpected FA and other friendships
Chapter One - Expanding one's circle
Leora June Price really wanted to make a good impression her first year at West Quincy Junior College. Throughout high school she had always been the nice girl in the background, staying out of trouble, getting good grades, even having for a time a relationship that was now history. This year she wanted to make some new friends.
Leora had only had 3 or 4 friends during her high school years and, with the exception of her best bud Ann, they now barely hung out with Leora, I guess you could say she was a loner. What Leora really wanted was to be a popular girl. She always tried to get other’s attention, but no one really seemed to care about her. She'd once tried throwing a party but barely anyone came to it., She’d done the stuff, like tutoring and community service, that all the popular kids did and the faculty supported, but although it was personally rewarding she felt it was unacknowledged by her peers, especially guys.
Leora thought that Junior College might be different. She might be invited to parties and go shopping at all the cool stores with all the coolest people. She might even find a guy she liked who would like her.
"Hmm what should I wear today?" Leora asked herself. After 11 minutes of debating, she decided on a pair of Gap overalls and and an Old Navy white and navy striped t-shirt. She debated on if she should wear a bra or not today, but she decided not to. Her barely-there breasts were all covered up, although they did seem a bit bigger.
She knew why that was – her mom had been telling her that she’d picked up weight during the summer. From her clothes she knew it was true, but Leora had always been chubby – a few more pounds she felt shouldn't ’really matter.' She looked at herself in the mirror and was satisfied with what she saw.
.
"Ready to go," she said.
Leora was heading down the staircase when the aroma of bacon. eggs, pancakes and toast filled her nose.
"Yum, breakfast" Leora said, heaving her heavy backpack down the stairs. She grabbed a plate and helped herself to a pile of food. Now it was time to dig in.
Leora started with eggs.
"Mm Mob bis is fapnick." She meant "Mmmm, mom, this is fantastic"
"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart. My, you have grown quite a large appetite. Now don't eat too much, you don't want to get fat" Leora's mom, Allison, said. It was the same thing she always said as she continually gave her daughter ample meals. Allison was very pretty, tall, and rail thin. She was part Asian, like Leora, and divorced.
Leora looked at her watch. She finished up her meal and had time for more, but when she looked down to get seconds, it was all gone! Leora looked at her stomach. It didn't look too different, but then again she was wearing baggy overalls. Leora still felt her belly wasn't full.
"How can I not be full?" Leora thought to herself. After a minute of thinking it over, Leora couldn't account for it and decided to take off early for school
Leora lived about three streets away from the West Quincy campus so even though a school bus was available she just walked. On the way she saw Clark Stevens and her heart almost stopped beating.
Clark was such a babe, one of the most popular boys when they were both in high school. He’d gone out with all the popular girls (Jessica, Raquel, Bethany, Britt, many more) and Leora had such a huge crush on him. In the bottom corner of Leora's bedroom wall she wrote 'Clark Stevens' with a copy of his picture from the school yearbook so he was always in her room.
"H--Hi Clark" Leora said nervously, then suddenly her belly started rumbling.
“SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!” Leora thought.
"Hi...uh I'm sorry I am totally spacing, what’s your name?" Clark replied.
"Leora, well uh most people call me Lee, but you can call me whatever you want" Leora said while shaking; suddenly her belly was rumbling like crazy. She grabbed it and realized it was a bit softer then it was the previous spring.
"Y' Hungry? I was just about to go to this great breakfast buffet, you wanna come?" Clark asked.
"Sure, why not?" Leora said, not realizing it was an invitation extended partly out of pity.
Once inside Leora zoned out, and Clark offered to refill her plate. Before she knew it she was finishing her fourth helping from the buffet. After that she was full. She looked down and saw, to her horror that her belly bulged out so much that it was visible even through her baggy clothes.
"Why did I had to pig out that much?" she thought. "What will Clark think of me".
But just as she wanted to mumble an apology to him, he said: "We have to go, or we will be late. Would you....would you like to go out with me? This Friday maybe?"
Lee couldn't believe it. Was he just kidding?
"I'd love to", she said.
"Great. See you Friday!" With that he went to school.
Lee still couldn't believe it. The hottest guy from high school just asked her out on a date! Even though she knew she'd just eaten like a pig! Absentmindedly she went to her classes....
Leora normally was rather shy. Although naturally rather chubby she normally didn't pig out - and certainly not in public or in front of a guy her own age! But that is exactly what she had just done. She was at a loss to explain her behavior.
After what she had just happened she was shyer than usual as she arrived at class about ten minutes early. She squeezed into a modular seat and became lost in her own thoughts. What was it that had made her so hungry? She didn't know, but started to recount the events.
Initially Leora's stomach had growled despite having eaten a decent breakfast only 90 minutes earlier. Clark Stevens had happened upon her, invited her to the buffet and she'd impulsively accepted. She had no idea that he had interpreted her belly's noise as a case of another plump girl being hungry because she was starving herself on another diet. Nor did she know that he hated diets because he preferred larger girls, especially those with an appetite. So he'd invited her to eat out of pity and compassion.
What had happened next neither of them expected. Initially she'd filled a plate with melon slices, a bowl of cereal and a piece of rye toast. It was gone in less than ten minutes and Clark had asked if she wouldn't like something more substantial. She'd said OK and he'd brought back three pancakes, scrambled eggs and two small beef patties. It was like a second helping of what her mom had prepared. They were gone in fifteen minutes.
Normally this would have been her limit, but she liked Clark and really wasn't totally full, So when he offered to find her something more but different from the buffet table she'd said OK. He brought back a plate of a Mexican dish called huevos rancheros -- fried eggs with beans, rice, avocado slices and grated cheese on a tortilla. Somehow she'd managed to eat every bit. And then he'd brought her some pina colada flavored yogurt with a Danish for dessert,
"What was I thinking?" she now wondered. "And why after seeing me eat all that, four entire courses, would he now be asking me out? Is this for real?''
The answer, of course is that it was very real. Clark for all his good looks and reputation, having played the field with the most popular girls on campus, was not emotionally attached to any of them. He was privately a FA, more than willing to date larger girls except that most were hung up on their size and as result totally boring to him. So he played the field rather than being linked to anyone. He'd initially befriended Leora out of compassion and concern. Although he liked her chubby figure he had no initial expectations - but then he had been turned on by her gluttonous display.
Leora naturally had no way of figuring any of this out, and as the class period began she simply set side her concerns for the time being and focused on the teacher. But between class and Friday evening there would be more eating, more soul searching, and then a wardrobe dilemma.
After her double breakfast Leora wasn't that hungry for lunch and opted for a tuna and egg salad instead of the heavier entrees of the year before. Her best friend Ann. who had been out of town for the summer after graduation, seemed to have picked up some noticeable weight herself. Ann was used to sharing more substantial lunches with her friend and took note of Leora's change of preference and asked if everything was all right.
“Sure,” Leora replied. “I just overdid it a bit at breakfast. You know, first day of school nervousness I guess, but it took away my appetite for the day. How did your summer go?”
Ann proceeded to chatter about her family’s ten week RV tour of four states and Leora was thankful to have diverted attention from herself. She was still puzzling over her behavior and wondered how close her reply was to the truth. Maybe she indeed have a case of back to school nerves. If so, what had happened with Clark Stevens was adding to it and that wasn't something she was ready to share with anyone, especially Ann. She was one of the two people in the world who had seen her bedroom with his picture and name on the wall. .
Leora well knew the whole thing could blow up in her face and be a total embarrassment. But Clark didn’t have the reputation for cruel pranks and she was hoping for the best. So as their lunch ended Ann asked Leora if she planned to stop by after school as they had done in high school and Leora replied as she left, “sure, why not.”
No sooner had she exited the cafeteria into the hall and she ran into Clark. He handed her a card, saying, “Sorry, I forgot to exchange contact info. Here’s my phone numbers and email addresses. You can text me on the cell.”
And with that he was gone.
Leora quickly put the card in her backpack thinking “Well, now I have something in writing. I guess this is for real.”
At Ann’s place after school her friend prepared grilled cheese sandwiches and Leora by then had her appetite back, readily accepting Ann’s offer of an ice cream chaser. Neither of the girls had any homework. This was, after all, just the first day of school, so they just talked and watched TV. When Leora got home the first thing she did was email Clark her contact information. About thirty minutes later she got a message back: “Thanks. As to time, how does 7:00 sound? And do you like Chinese?”
Leora of course liked all foods, as her slightly inflated rear and small tummy roll attested. She felt compelled in accepting to add a word of caution – and test Clark at the same time. “Sounds good – but you do know I’m part oriental? I may bore you with idle chatter about which of the four regions various dishes come from, so stop me if it gets too deep!”
Minutes later he replied: ”You be my guide! I’ll pick you up Friday at seven.”
That night after supper Leora’s appetite jitters had returned and she’d retrieved a bag of cookies from the kitchen Her mother noticed her mechanically eating them while watching TV and got concerned. “Darling, do you realize how many of those you've had?”
“3-4?”
“7 that I’ve seen – you need to be careful or you could get fat.”
“Mom. We've had this discussion before. I’m plump, not fat, but either way its not that much. I’m not bikini model material and my friends aren't either. Can’t you just be happy that we’re not carousing and getting drunk?”
Her mother sighed. :"I’m just afraid you haven’t gotten over Phil.”
“I broke up with Phil, not the other way around, and my weight wasn't the reason. I was afraid of what could happen if we went as far as he kept wanting to go and cut it off. You should give me credit for that. But OK, I’ll put the cookies back. Happy?”
“I just want you to be happy,” she replied defensively.
Leora rolled her eyeballs. ”Oh Mom, I’m happier than a lot of kids. And as for my social life, don’t worry. I have a date this Friday. So there!”
"Oh, who with?” she perked up.
“Guy at school – you’ll get to meet him, so don’t fret,” her daughter answered.
With that she took the cookies to the kitchen, mixed herself a chocolate malt and retreated to her bed room. There she retrieved a canister of pretzels and ate as she pleased with her mom none the wiser. She indeed was essentially happy, and wished her mom could understand that.
- - - -
The next morning Leora wasn’t as famished as the day before. She had a decent breakfast, a normal lunch and supper, but still did some comfort eating in the evening out of sight of her mom. Wednesday was a repeat except at Ann’s they cooked some jalapeño three cheese chicken breasts and had them for a snack long with ice cream. Normally during the week she dressed casual in pants with a top, but for Friday she wanted to look good for Clark, so on Thursday she tried on various outfits and discovered most were a bit snug.
“OK, so maybe mom has a point – I picked up a few over the summer. But surely I can find something?” she mused.
And eventually she did, but it wasn’t a dress. Had she gotten on a scale she would have found that she’d gained 14 pounds over the summer, but that wasn’t information she cared to know. Instead she wound up with an airy multi-patterned blue cotton sun dress that flowed over her bosom and hips without constricting her midriff.
“I’m no Barbie and there’s no point wearing something skin tight I’ll pop out of. Either Clark likes plump chicks or this will be the end of a fantasy,” she thought.
She need not have feared.
On Friday Clark arrived a few moments ahead of schedule and Leora’s mom invited him in. Mrs. Price was surprised to see a nearly six foot clean cut looking young man wearing a letterman’s jacket. This wasn’t at all what she had envisioned. And when he introduced himself she was really astonished.
"Hello, I’m Clark Stevens, here to pick up Leora.“
Mrs Price suddenly realized who she was talking to. This was the young man her daughter had been pining over the latter part of the prior school year. His picture and name were on her bedroom wall. And now he was here in the flesh, ready to take her overweight daughter out, and apparently happy about it.
“So you’re going to be taking Leora out tonight? How well do you know each other?” she asked out of curiosity. Clark of course wasn’t about to tell her that she’d just earlier in the week gotten his attention by consuming a four course breakfast that impressed his private fantasies.
“Actually that’s the objective tonight,” he replied “We’ve crossed paths on and off for years but as college started this year we finally connected."
“So you don’t really know her that well?” Mrs. Price probed.
“Well, indirectly some. Last year we had a class where the teacher passed out the reports and tests in grade order – we were constantly giving one another competition so I know she’s smart. But her activity involvements apparently differ from mine ‘cause that class was the only major time we crossed paths.
By now Leora was in the room and not appreciating her escort being give the third degree.
“Ready to go now?” she said pointedly.
“Absolutely – but first…” He reached inside his jacket and presented her mom with a small box.
“I’m told it is a good custom bring gifts to show good intentions. This is for you,” he said, bestowing it on Mrs. Price.
“Where did you learn this?” she replied, flustered.
“Just something I read about other cultures – I hoped it is appropriate.” he grinned.
“Well, yes, thank you,” she stammered.
After they got into Clark’s car Leora informed him “Actually that gift giving tradition isn’t for dating but for formal courting. I hope she doesn’t take it the wrong way.”
"Oh wow!” Clark replied, “I just wanted to make a good impression. Can you straighten that out for me?”
“Oh I think so – we’re fourth generation and very little gift giving is done in this country. But you get an A for thoughtfulness.” she said smiling.
“Good,” Clark said, “Then at least I achieved what I really intended.”
Back at the house Leora’s mom opened the box and found in it a floral pattern encased in plastic with a small stand. She took it to her bedroom and placed it on her dresser and then bowed modestly in its direction, wondering what might come in the future.
Clark took her to the Golden China, where they shared two large orders of beef and broccoli and cashew chicken family style – Leora actually eating the greater share. For some reason she felt Clark didn’t mind.
“I’m a little embarrassed, I usually don’t have this much of an appetite,” she confided.
“No problem. I’m not one of these guys who gets on girls about their weight – in fact I actually like those who are plumper,” he replied. feeling her out on what he feared could be a sensitive subject.
“That wasn’t what I thought of you in high school.” Leora observed.
“There I played the field, but I don’t think you can find anyone who will recall me ever knocking the larger girls,” he answered.
Leora thought back and had to acknowledge this was so.
“If you’re up for it we could even have a sundae before going home,” he suggested.
Leora paused, then realized that she wanted to say yes, so she consented.
The next week Clark invited her to an all you can eat buffet. She had several platefuls but didn’t notice when her pants button finally gave way. She just let Clark bring her a plate of desserts when he offered.
One morning at breakfast after a few weeks of this treatment she noticed her shorts were feeling a little tight. Leora grimaced and sighed, tugging the waistband of her shorts away from his body.
“What’s the matter?” her mom asked? Her daughter was on her second helping of cornflakes and had two eggo waffles in the toaster.
Leora flashed her charming smile and said, “These old shorts.They’re just kinda tight, that’s all.”
Her mom smiled. “I wouldn’t blame it all on the shorts, darling, I think you’ve put on a few more pounds since we bought those.”
Leora’s grin faltered and she felt her ears go a little red.
“I have not. I’ve just been eating too much and my belly’s swollen, that’s all,” she responded defensively.
Her mom shrugged as she left the room, “If you say so, but I’d just keep an eye on it if I were you.”
Leora slumped down into her chair feeling slightly embarrassed. She put her hand over her stomach and gave it a squeeze. A little bloated, but not really fat. And the waffles were now ready. As she devoured them the waistband continued to get tighter.
“These must have shrunk – no way could I have outgrown them,” she told herself.
She fiddled with the button of hers shorts and after a quick tug, unbuttoned them. She felt a slight relief, then her zipper down slightly as well, allowing her bulging belly some extra room.
“OK," she finally acknowledged. “maybe its time to buy some new clothes.”
She had a few hundred dollars saved up and used the money to buy a wardrobe three sizes larger. It felt comfortable – and Clark readily complimented her. As long as he approved of her figure she refused to think of herself as truly fat. In truth she now had big breasts, round arms, thickening thighs, a spreading butt and a noticeably tubby tummy that was steadily growing. Only an FA like Clark would deny that she was getting beyond plump. But he was happy, which meant that she was happy, and that meant that, at least for the moment, her mom was too.
Leora
By Marcie/Observer
(adapted from part of the interactive stories
High School Girls Weight Gain and Maggie at writing.com,
found here and here with changes to conform to revised Dimensions age rules.)
By Marcie/Observer
(adapted from part of the interactive stories
High School Girls Weight Gain and Maggie at writing.com,
found here and here with changes to conform to revised Dimensions age rules.)
Chapter One - Expanding one's circle
Leora June Price really wanted to make a good impression her first year at West Quincy Junior College. Throughout high school she had always been the nice girl in the background, staying out of trouble, getting good grades, even having for a time a relationship that was now history. This year she wanted to make some new friends.
Leora had only had 3 or 4 friends during her high school years and, with the exception of her best bud Ann, they now barely hung out with Leora, I guess you could say she was a loner. What Leora really wanted was to be a popular girl. She always tried to get other’s attention, but no one really seemed to care about her. She'd once tried throwing a party but barely anyone came to it., She’d done the stuff, like tutoring and community service, that all the popular kids did and the faculty supported, but although it was personally rewarding she felt it was unacknowledged by her peers, especially guys.
Leora thought that Junior College might be different. She might be invited to parties and go shopping at all the cool stores with all the coolest people. She might even find a guy she liked who would like her.
"Hmm what should I wear today?" Leora asked herself. After 11 minutes of debating, she decided on a pair of Gap overalls and and an Old Navy white and navy striped t-shirt. She debated on if she should wear a bra or not today, but she decided not to. Her barely-there breasts were all covered up, although they did seem a bit bigger.
She knew why that was – her mom had been telling her that she’d picked up weight during the summer. From her clothes she knew it was true, but Leora had always been chubby – a few more pounds she felt shouldn't ’really matter.' She looked at herself in the mirror and was satisfied with what she saw.
.
"Ready to go," she said.
Leora was heading down the staircase when the aroma of bacon. eggs, pancakes and toast filled her nose.
"Yum, breakfast" Leora said, heaving her heavy backpack down the stairs. She grabbed a plate and helped herself to a pile of food. Now it was time to dig in.
Leora started with eggs.
"Mm Mob bis is fapnick." She meant "Mmmm, mom, this is fantastic"
"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart. My, you have grown quite a large appetite. Now don't eat too much, you don't want to get fat" Leora's mom, Allison, said. It was the same thing she always said as she continually gave her daughter ample meals. Allison was very pretty, tall, and rail thin. She was part Asian, like Leora, and divorced.
Leora looked at her watch. She finished up her meal and had time for more, but when she looked down to get seconds, it was all gone! Leora looked at her stomach. It didn't look too different, but then again she was wearing baggy overalls. Leora still felt her belly wasn't full.
"How can I not be full?" Leora thought to herself. After a minute of thinking it over, Leora couldn't account for it and decided to take off early for school
Leora lived about three streets away from the West Quincy campus so even though a school bus was available she just walked. On the way she saw Clark Stevens and her heart almost stopped beating.
Clark was such a babe, one of the most popular boys when they were both in high school. He’d gone out with all the popular girls (Jessica, Raquel, Bethany, Britt, many more) and Leora had such a huge crush on him. In the bottom corner of Leora's bedroom wall she wrote 'Clark Stevens' with a copy of his picture from the school yearbook so he was always in her room.
"H--Hi Clark" Leora said nervously, then suddenly her belly started rumbling.
“SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!” Leora thought.
"Hi...uh I'm sorry I am totally spacing, what’s your name?" Clark replied.
"Leora, well uh most people call me Lee, but you can call me whatever you want" Leora said while shaking; suddenly her belly was rumbling like crazy. She grabbed it and realized it was a bit softer then it was the previous spring.
"Y' Hungry? I was just about to go to this great breakfast buffet, you wanna come?" Clark asked.
"Sure, why not?" Leora said, not realizing it was an invitation extended partly out of pity.
Once inside Leora zoned out, and Clark offered to refill her plate. Before she knew it she was finishing her fourth helping from the buffet. After that she was full. She looked down and saw, to her horror that her belly bulged out so much that it was visible even through her baggy clothes.
"Why did I had to pig out that much?" she thought. "What will Clark think of me".
But just as she wanted to mumble an apology to him, he said: "We have to go, or we will be late. Would you....would you like to go out with me? This Friday maybe?"
Lee couldn't believe it. Was he just kidding?
"I'd love to", she said.
"Great. See you Friday!" With that he went to school.
Lee still couldn't believe it. The hottest guy from high school just asked her out on a date! Even though she knew she'd just eaten like a pig! Absentmindedly she went to her classes....
Leora normally was rather shy. Although naturally rather chubby she normally didn't pig out - and certainly not in public or in front of a guy her own age! But that is exactly what she had just done. She was at a loss to explain her behavior.
After what she had just happened she was shyer than usual as she arrived at class about ten minutes early. She squeezed into a modular seat and became lost in her own thoughts. What was it that had made her so hungry? She didn't know, but started to recount the events.
Initially Leora's stomach had growled despite having eaten a decent breakfast only 90 minutes earlier. Clark Stevens had happened upon her, invited her to the buffet and she'd impulsively accepted. She had no idea that he had interpreted her belly's noise as a case of another plump girl being hungry because she was starving herself on another diet. Nor did she know that he hated diets because he preferred larger girls, especially those with an appetite. So he'd invited her to eat out of pity and compassion.
What had happened next neither of them expected. Initially she'd filled a plate with melon slices, a bowl of cereal and a piece of rye toast. It was gone in less than ten minutes and Clark had asked if she wouldn't like something more substantial. She'd said OK and he'd brought back three pancakes, scrambled eggs and two small beef patties. It was like a second helping of what her mom had prepared. They were gone in fifteen minutes.
Normally this would have been her limit, but she liked Clark and really wasn't totally full, So when he offered to find her something more but different from the buffet table she'd said OK. He brought back a plate of a Mexican dish called huevos rancheros -- fried eggs with beans, rice, avocado slices and grated cheese on a tortilla. Somehow she'd managed to eat every bit. And then he'd brought her some pina colada flavored yogurt with a Danish for dessert,
"What was I thinking?" she now wondered. "And why after seeing me eat all that, four entire courses, would he now be asking me out? Is this for real?''
The answer, of course is that it was very real. Clark for all his good looks and reputation, having played the field with the most popular girls on campus, was not emotionally attached to any of them. He was privately a FA, more than willing to date larger girls except that most were hung up on their size and as result totally boring to him. So he played the field rather than being linked to anyone. He'd initially befriended Leora out of compassion and concern. Although he liked her chubby figure he had no initial expectations - but then he had been turned on by her gluttonous display.
Leora naturally had no way of figuring any of this out, and as the class period began she simply set side her concerns for the time being and focused on the teacher. But between class and Friday evening there would be more eating, more soul searching, and then a wardrobe dilemma.
After her double breakfast Leora wasn't that hungry for lunch and opted for a tuna and egg salad instead of the heavier entrees of the year before. Her best friend Ann. who had been out of town for the summer after graduation, seemed to have picked up some noticeable weight herself. Ann was used to sharing more substantial lunches with her friend and took note of Leora's change of preference and asked if everything was all right.
“Sure,” Leora replied. “I just overdid it a bit at breakfast. You know, first day of school nervousness I guess, but it took away my appetite for the day. How did your summer go?”
Ann proceeded to chatter about her family’s ten week RV tour of four states and Leora was thankful to have diverted attention from herself. She was still puzzling over her behavior and wondered how close her reply was to the truth. Maybe she indeed have a case of back to school nerves. If so, what had happened with Clark Stevens was adding to it and that wasn't something she was ready to share with anyone, especially Ann. She was one of the two people in the world who had seen her bedroom with his picture and name on the wall. .
Leora well knew the whole thing could blow up in her face and be a total embarrassment. But Clark didn’t have the reputation for cruel pranks and she was hoping for the best. So as their lunch ended Ann asked Leora if she planned to stop by after school as they had done in high school and Leora replied as she left, “sure, why not.”
No sooner had she exited the cafeteria into the hall and she ran into Clark. He handed her a card, saying, “Sorry, I forgot to exchange contact info. Here’s my phone numbers and email addresses. You can text me on the cell.”
And with that he was gone.
Leora quickly put the card in her backpack thinking “Well, now I have something in writing. I guess this is for real.”
At Ann’s place after school her friend prepared grilled cheese sandwiches and Leora by then had her appetite back, readily accepting Ann’s offer of an ice cream chaser. Neither of the girls had any homework. This was, after all, just the first day of school, so they just talked and watched TV. When Leora got home the first thing she did was email Clark her contact information. About thirty minutes later she got a message back: “Thanks. As to time, how does 7:00 sound? And do you like Chinese?”
Leora of course liked all foods, as her slightly inflated rear and small tummy roll attested. She felt compelled in accepting to add a word of caution – and test Clark at the same time. “Sounds good – but you do know I’m part oriental? I may bore you with idle chatter about which of the four regions various dishes come from, so stop me if it gets too deep!”
Minutes later he replied: ”You be my guide! I’ll pick you up Friday at seven.”
That night after supper Leora’s appetite jitters had returned and she’d retrieved a bag of cookies from the kitchen Her mother noticed her mechanically eating them while watching TV and got concerned. “Darling, do you realize how many of those you've had?”
“3-4?”
“7 that I’ve seen – you need to be careful or you could get fat.”
“Mom. We've had this discussion before. I’m plump, not fat, but either way its not that much. I’m not bikini model material and my friends aren't either. Can’t you just be happy that we’re not carousing and getting drunk?”
Her mother sighed. :"I’m just afraid you haven’t gotten over Phil.”
“I broke up with Phil, not the other way around, and my weight wasn't the reason. I was afraid of what could happen if we went as far as he kept wanting to go and cut it off. You should give me credit for that. But OK, I’ll put the cookies back. Happy?”
“I just want you to be happy,” she replied defensively.
Leora rolled her eyeballs. ”Oh Mom, I’m happier than a lot of kids. And as for my social life, don’t worry. I have a date this Friday. So there!”
"Oh, who with?” she perked up.
“Guy at school – you’ll get to meet him, so don’t fret,” her daughter answered.
With that she took the cookies to the kitchen, mixed herself a chocolate malt and retreated to her bed room. There she retrieved a canister of pretzels and ate as she pleased with her mom none the wiser. She indeed was essentially happy, and wished her mom could understand that.
- - - -
The next morning Leora wasn’t as famished as the day before. She had a decent breakfast, a normal lunch and supper, but still did some comfort eating in the evening out of sight of her mom. Wednesday was a repeat except at Ann’s they cooked some jalapeño three cheese chicken breasts and had them for a snack long with ice cream. Normally during the week she dressed casual in pants with a top, but for Friday she wanted to look good for Clark, so on Thursday she tried on various outfits and discovered most were a bit snug.
“OK, so maybe mom has a point – I picked up a few over the summer. But surely I can find something?” she mused.
And eventually she did, but it wasn’t a dress. Had she gotten on a scale she would have found that she’d gained 14 pounds over the summer, but that wasn’t information she cared to know. Instead she wound up with an airy multi-patterned blue cotton sun dress that flowed over her bosom and hips without constricting her midriff.
“I’m no Barbie and there’s no point wearing something skin tight I’ll pop out of. Either Clark likes plump chicks or this will be the end of a fantasy,” she thought.
She need not have feared.
On Friday Clark arrived a few moments ahead of schedule and Leora’s mom invited him in. Mrs. Price was surprised to see a nearly six foot clean cut looking young man wearing a letterman’s jacket. This wasn’t at all what she had envisioned. And when he introduced himself she was really astonished.
"Hello, I’m Clark Stevens, here to pick up Leora.“
Mrs Price suddenly realized who she was talking to. This was the young man her daughter had been pining over the latter part of the prior school year. His picture and name were on her bedroom wall. And now he was here in the flesh, ready to take her overweight daughter out, and apparently happy about it.
“So you’re going to be taking Leora out tonight? How well do you know each other?” she asked out of curiosity. Clark of course wasn’t about to tell her that she’d just earlier in the week gotten his attention by consuming a four course breakfast that impressed his private fantasies.
“Actually that’s the objective tonight,” he replied “We’ve crossed paths on and off for years but as college started this year we finally connected."
“So you don’t really know her that well?” Mrs. Price probed.
“Well, indirectly some. Last year we had a class where the teacher passed out the reports and tests in grade order – we were constantly giving one another competition so I know she’s smart. But her activity involvements apparently differ from mine ‘cause that class was the only major time we crossed paths.
By now Leora was in the room and not appreciating her escort being give the third degree.
“Ready to go now?” she said pointedly.
“Absolutely – but first…” He reached inside his jacket and presented her mom with a small box.
“I’m told it is a good custom bring gifts to show good intentions. This is for you,” he said, bestowing it on Mrs. Price.
“Where did you learn this?” she replied, flustered.
“Just something I read about other cultures – I hoped it is appropriate.” he grinned.
“Well, yes, thank you,” she stammered.
After they got into Clark’s car Leora informed him “Actually that gift giving tradition isn’t for dating but for formal courting. I hope she doesn’t take it the wrong way.”
"Oh wow!” Clark replied, “I just wanted to make a good impression. Can you straighten that out for me?”
“Oh I think so – we’re fourth generation and very little gift giving is done in this country. But you get an A for thoughtfulness.” she said smiling.
“Good,” Clark said, “Then at least I achieved what I really intended.”
Back at the house Leora’s mom opened the box and found in it a floral pattern encased in plastic with a small stand. She took it to her bedroom and placed it on her dresser and then bowed modestly in its direction, wondering what might come in the future.
Clark took her to the Golden China, where they shared two large orders of beef and broccoli and cashew chicken family style – Leora actually eating the greater share. For some reason she felt Clark didn’t mind.
“I’m a little embarrassed, I usually don’t have this much of an appetite,” she confided.
“No problem. I’m not one of these guys who gets on girls about their weight – in fact I actually like those who are plumper,” he replied. feeling her out on what he feared could be a sensitive subject.
“That wasn’t what I thought of you in high school.” Leora observed.
“There I played the field, but I don’t think you can find anyone who will recall me ever knocking the larger girls,” he answered.
Leora thought back and had to acknowledge this was so.
“If you’re up for it we could even have a sundae before going home,” he suggested.
Leora paused, then realized that she wanted to say yes, so she consented.
The next week Clark invited her to an all you can eat buffet. She had several platefuls but didn’t notice when her pants button finally gave way. She just let Clark bring her a plate of desserts when he offered.
One morning at breakfast after a few weeks of this treatment she noticed her shorts were feeling a little tight. Leora grimaced and sighed, tugging the waistband of her shorts away from his body.
“What’s the matter?” her mom asked? Her daughter was on her second helping of cornflakes and had two eggo waffles in the toaster.
Leora flashed her charming smile and said, “These old shorts.They’re just kinda tight, that’s all.”
Her mom smiled. “I wouldn’t blame it all on the shorts, darling, I think you’ve put on a few more pounds since we bought those.”
Leora’s grin faltered and she felt her ears go a little red.
“I have not. I’ve just been eating too much and my belly’s swollen, that’s all,” she responded defensively.
Her mom shrugged as she left the room, “If you say so, but I’d just keep an eye on it if I were you.”
Leora slumped down into her chair feeling slightly embarrassed. She put her hand over her stomach and gave it a squeeze. A little bloated, but not really fat. And the waffles were now ready. As she devoured them the waistband continued to get tighter.
“These must have shrunk – no way could I have outgrown them,” she told herself.
She fiddled with the button of hers shorts and after a quick tug, unbuttoned them. She felt a slight relief, then her zipper down slightly as well, allowing her bulging belly some extra room.
“OK," she finally acknowledged. “maybe its time to buy some new clothes.”
She had a few hundred dollars saved up and used the money to buy a wardrobe three sizes larger. It felt comfortable – and Clark readily complimented her. As long as he approved of her figure she refused to think of herself as truly fat. In truth she now had big breasts, round arms, thickening thighs, a spreading butt and a noticeably tubby tummy that was steadily growing. Only an FA like Clark would deny that she was getting beyond plump. But he was happy, which meant that she was happy, and that meant that, at least for the moment, her mom was too.
