🎨Skai's Pov🎨
I muffle an exasperated sigh as I stare back at the scale, the numbers blinking back at me like a cruel joke.
88.8kg. Same as a female black bear, apparently.
That's right—I weigh as much as a literal bear. Might as well be a fucking whale while we're at it. All that salad during the weekend and I barely lost two kilos.
A sob of despair builds in my throat but I choke it down and step off the scale. The head nurse catches my eye and offers a sympathetic smile my way that only makes me feel worse.
I force a weak grin and nod, then hurry out of the room, mortification rising with every step.
It wasn't just the number on the scale that stung. It was knowing that Ryan never looked at me the way I looked at him. That to him, I was probably just Skai, the girl he played random board games with, the one who always had snacks in her bag and notes he could borrow.
Never the girl worth falling for.
I know I'm severely underselling myself, but I can't help thinking he sees me the same way everyone else does.
And that if I could just change that, maybe he'd see me in a different light.
I'd skipped class ten minutes before closing time so I could do my business in secret, before the basketball team finished practice and brought in their usual casualties. I just needed to pack my stuff, and leave this hellhole before anyone noticed me.
I don't stop till I'm at my locker, fists clenched against years o frustration and exhaustion.
God, I hate being this big. Having to constantly worry about what people would say when I walk by. Counting every bite, every calorie having to watch every meal I ate because one wrong meal could send my weight roaring.
Ma says it's just genes and I'll grow out of it like she did. It's been seventeen years. I'm still waiting.
Hence, with a BMI of 29.7 and that awful scale reading, the only difference between a whale and I was that it lived underwater and I didn't.
The more I tried to do something about it, the more it seemed like I was doing nothing and after so many attempts, I was tired.
I open my locker. The cupcakes Ma baked this morning are waiting in a little box. I grab one and stuff it in my mouth without thinking.
Go big or go home huh?
Well, I was already big. So next stop? Home.
The bell rings and I am instantly on alert. I toss my books Inside, pull out what I need for tomorrow and slam the locker shut. My movements are fidgety at best. I need to be done before the halls fill.
Because a crowd meant sneers, glares and hushed whispers. And when you take up more space than you're socially allowed, you become the punchline. And if someone was to say a cruel joke about me right now, I'd probably cry on the spot.
"Looks like the elephant is stuffing her face again" the familiar, high pitched voice I loathed with every fiber of my being rang out from behind me.
Of course, the universe also hates overweight people.
A few passersby snicker and it takes everything in me not to tear up before I turn to face the one and thankfully only Amber Briggs.The sole instigator of all my pains, problems and worries and my very own body-shaming tormentor since elementary school.
The first thing I notice is her shiny, wavy blonde hair as it falls flawlessly over her shoulders and I hate myself for the immediate surge of jealousy I feel towards her. I hate that I let her have this much power over me.
"What are you staring at?" She snaps, her eyes glittering with so much malice.
She knew exactly how much I envied her. How badly I wanted to be her size and have her kind of body, and I could equally see how much she enjoyed it.
With platinum blonde hair, hooded eyes that gleamed obsidian, a height of 5'6", and waist so tiny I was sure it was non-existent, she was the definition of a teenage boy's wet dream and naturally, never had a shortage of admirers.
I on the other hand had light brown hair that vaguely red in the sunlight, eyes that couldn't decide if they were doe-shaped or almond, stood two inches taller than her and a body that I was sure rivaled Peppa pig's. So obviously, no guy wanted to touch or even look at me. Let alone ask me out.
Because let's face it, what guy would date a girl he couldn't lift?
I try to think of a snarky reply, anything that would have her anxiety rising the same way she always did mine "I'm staring at your horns, Maleficent"
It sounded weak and pathetic to my ears. Not just because it felt childish, but because Maleficent was actually much nicer than Amber would ever be. I almost felt guilty for dragging her name into a comparison that vile.
However, it seems to do the trick "At least, I'm no Winnie the Pooh" She makes an obvious snort of disgust, her stare burning into my cupcake box and I roll my eyes as I drop it into the bag I held.
"That's right Humpty. Put away the evidence. You've eaten enough as it is. Wouldn't want you having a great fall, now would we?"
I feel the sting in my eyes as I absorb her insult and I think of giving her a piece of my mind but before I can, the entire hallway seems to quiet down and even Amber can't help turning away from me to check the cause of the sudden peace.
Without bothering to look, I am already grateful for whatever it could be that drove her focus away from me and decide to quickly make use of the once in a blue moon opportunity and disappear before she remembers that she might hate me more than she likes smiling at whatever it is that currently has her attention.
I am already backing away from her, making slow but definite progress when I hear "Wait" The sudden command actually has me halting my in tracks and swerving till I see it's source.
When my eyes land on the school's basketball captain making his way over to us.. scratch that, over to me, I instantly understand the reason for the sudden hush.
Standing at an impressive 6'3", with a deep brown complexion and the title of the school's basketball captain, Nathan Hayes was everyone's golden boy. With countless medals and trophies to his name, he played his position as point guard flawlessly and was arguably the reason most of those awards were even in the school's trophy room.
Of course, everyone goes mute when he walks in. Not just out of silent admiration or respect, but with a subtle hint of envy too.
He finally catches up to me and I instantly regret not bolting when I had the chance.
"Hey Nathan" Amber purrs in the most obvious please-fuck-me voice I've ever heard. I visibly cringe "Congrats on your game. You were amazing, as always"
Surprisingly, Nathan looks over at her like he's only just realizing she exists which only convinces me more that he was running towards me and I'm not just wild scenarios in my head.
He flashes her one of his famous poster-worthy charming smiles "Thanks..." he trails off and it's painfully obvious he has no idea what her name is.
"Amber" She supplies, undeterred by the fact that he didn't know it. She's still wears that particular smile that makes me wonder if she's holding in a fart or just really needs to use the restroom.
"Amber" He repeats with a nod "Could you excuse us? I need to talk to Skai" He doesn't even look at her when he says it. His eyes are on me while I frantically dig through my brain, trying to figure out any reason why he'd possibly need to talk to me.
It doesn't escape me that he knows my name. My name. For once, someone knows who I am and doesn't give a shit about Amber. And I savor how good that feels, even if it's from a complete drop-dead gorgeous stranger.
"Wh-what?" She stutters like she didn't hear him right. Like the very idea of someone choosing to talk to me instead of her is absolutely absurd "You want to talk to her?"
She somehow manages to make that sound like the most despicable thing imaginable.
Nathan nods again, slower this time, raising a brow and giving her an unmistakably irritated look. It finally gets the message across and she shamelessly winks at him before turning on her heels and strutting away. But not without shooting me a sharp glare over her shoulder.
Nathan immediately turns to me then, somehow managing to shrink the already small distance between us. He looks tense, like he's about to confess something huge or disturbing.
Then after a quick glance at what must be the confusion plastered all over my face, he says the last thing I ever expected to hear.
"I need a favour"