chapter 3

15 minutes later, the buffet is a lot emptier. The staff is bringing out new plates. Of course this isn't your fault - there are hundreds of people grabbing food - but I still can't help but feel you made an impact.

You feel so too. You're rubbing your belly more often and complaining about how tight your dress is on you. And it really is. It hasn't gotten any tighter around your ass and legs of course, but I can see the seams straining around your stomach. At least you're not alone - looks like we really do become friends with those most like us. Your friend - I found out her name is Taylor - must have had at least double what you had. I suppose I can forgive that, you still being full from dinner.

She manages to stuff one last cheese puff in there and then leans back against the protesting table. "I'm full too."

"Do you guys maybe want a table? Or I can bring you some water..."

"Thanks babe, but that's okay." You've grabbed a chair, and you're leaning back in it, your eyes slightly closed, your hand resting on your stomach. God, I wish it was my hand. You really need a belly rub. "There's too many people here to relax anyway."

Taylor nods in agreement. Then she gets an excited look on her face. "Hey, do you remember, during PE class, we would skip out and go to the roof? I don't think they locked the hall doors... We could, for old time's sake?"

This makes you smile. The closed lipped, warm kind of smile you get when you're thinking of a good memory. "Baby, do we have any weed in the car?"

"I'll go check sweety." I wink at you and leave.

---

We did have weed. I didn't need to check - you always want to smoke after stuffing yourself - and then you want to eat more after having smoked, so I always make sure to have some on hand. I'm still happy I left because I come back to you - slowly, but surely - finishing yet another devilled egg.

I love watching you eat. At the beginning, when you're not very full yet, you're like an eating machine. But when you're full like this, you become more of a connoisseur, savoring every bite. It's like normal you eating, but in slow motion.

You bring the food to your mouth and the anticipation radiates off your face. When it gets closer to your face you start to inhale - I don't think you realize you're doing it, but you smell the food before eating it, getting every bit of statisfaction you can from it. When it reaches your lips, your eyes start to close, and when your teeth bite down they have. Your lips curl ever so slightly at the corner. You exhale and chew, and if it's particularly good, on the first bite you moan. Desperate, unfulfilled, hungry, the moan of someone who hasn't eaten for a month and just got a free meal at a 5-stars hotel. Except for you haven't been starving for a month - you've been eating for the entire month.

I wasn't really done staring yet, but Taylor notices me and I decide to come over.

---

The hallway doors are not locked. I suspect they're expecting you to behave more responsibly now that you're an adult. Joke's on them.

You and Taylor still rehashing old stories (I've long stopped listening - no offense baby but I don't know who any of those people are) and giggling like schoolgirls, we make our way to the roof.

I roll the joint. I always roll them for you, you still don't know how to do it yourself. That's fine by me though, I love taking care of you.

You seem to be taking the opportunity to breach a topic too taboo to discuss downstairs.

"This dress is so tight. It's almost criminal. I mean I know I've gained some weight but this fabric has no stretch to it whatsoever." That brings a small smile to my lips - it's the stretchiest one you own - but I make sure you don't see it. "It must have shrunk in the laundry. Seriously, that happens like all the time. I really think we need a new washer."

"Yes, I know right!" To my relief, Taylor agrees with you. "This dress too! It was loose on me before the party, even!" She heaves herself up and makes a little circle. "Look how tight it is around my waist!"

It does look tight. Strained, even. I finish rolling the joint, light it, and take a hit. Then I hand it to you. "Baby, just pull the zipper down. It's not like anyone here minds, right?" I look at Taylor.

"God no, I'd just feel less embarassed about doing so myself..."

---

I could maybe get it up without you noticing but there's no way you don't realize the stuggle going on behind your shoulderblades this time. A small voice in the back of my mind wonders how we will get this dress closed again, but, one thing at a time. Maybe I can give you my jacket and you can just wear it with the zipper open. But, I still need to get it open first.

The dress is so tight your fat is bulging up not only over the zipper, but under it too. I could probably jiggle the bulging skin poking from the unzipped part at the top, but I'm afraid you'd notice. I'm afraid you're noticing now.

I lean over your shoulder and kiss you on the cheek. "Sorry babe, the zipper is stuck. Just hang in there, okay?"

"Okay," you reply in your cute voice. That confuses me for a bit. You usually get embarassed when you feel fat.

I get back to working on the zipper. Slow and steady doesn't work, wiggling it around doesn't either, so finally I just give one big pull on it. It comes down... but I also hear a loud ripping sound.

The side of your dress has finally given way. Even with the zipper open, your fat is pushing out, fighting the constraints of the dress. Your belly finally has some room, and you look a lot heavier - you look like a fat little piggy, sitting there, stomach spilling into your lap, overflowing your dress, that one red stretchmark peeping through the tear.

Taylor is staring at you in shock - but not with horror, I curiously observe - and you turn red. "Oh my god I'm so sorry I'm such a..."

I cut you off. "Knockout?" I wink at you. Then I sit down with you, place my hand on your belly, and massage it a little. "It's okay baby, it was a really tight dress, and it was old. I think you look stunning."

"Yeah, you look great," Taylor agrees with me. "Don't feel bad, I had that happen just last week to me. It's just all that cheap mass production, you don't get quality anymore."