chapter 1

My friends and I stood in the security line for the cruise. It moved slowly, which was frustrating, considering we had already spent over an hour in a dull dated waiting area pack with other bored passengers. We peered ahead and saw that the next stop was a group photo, which of course you probably had to pay extra for.

It was really exciting to have the group back together again. We had all been close friends during university. We had graduated two years ago, but hadn't yet experienced a reunion such as this.

Gemma, a short and trim redhead, had graduated with a degree in art history. She was my first roommate during freshman year, and arguably the most level-headed of the group. If ever some drama cropped up, she was the one who'd be the most likely to negotiate.

I met Rainey in my freshman bio class. We had both been horticulture majors together. She had long, dark hair and beautiful deep skin. We had been living in the same city since graduation, and hung out regularly. We were even members of the same gym and did ironman races together.

Hayley, a tan, voluptuous blonde, was Rainey's roommate our freshman year. She had become engaged last year, and as a group, we were actually planning to have her bachelorette party on a weekend cruise, but she had found out that her husband was unfaithful. So, we turned the weekend cruise into a week-long cruise, hopefully full of booze and adventure, in an effort to get her mind off of things.

Erica and Erin, who were tall, athletic, brunette twins, were joining us also. We had also known them since freshman year, beginning from a sociology class we all took together.

"Hayley, we are going to find SO many hot guys for you to dance with on this cruise," Gemma was telling her.

"So there's like, dancing and nightclubs on this boat?" Hayley asked.

"Um, it's like a party ship, we've been over this!"

"I hope I meet some hot guys. I haven't met anyone decent in so long" Rainey said.

"Good thing we got our booze through security," said Erin nonchalantly, "the alcohol on these stupid ships is crazy spendy."

"Erin!" Hissed Erica. "Don't let anyone hear you. At least not yet..."

"I hope I meet a business executive. Or an architect or something. Or maybe a lawyer or a doctor. I'm so tired of the same athletic types from the gym, aren't you, Anna?" Rainey asked me. "I want someone with a stable and large income."

"Yeah, yeah me too" I answered. She as right, I was tired of the athletic types. But I wasn't really focused on finding a dude with a large income. I hadn't told any of my friends, and probably never would, but my fantasy involved someone with a large, um, belly. I had been scoping out the line as we moved slowly, and hadn't really seen anyone suitable for what I had in mind. Sure, there were some big guys, but they all seemed older, or married. But I wasn't about to give up hope yet. There was bound to be at least one obese young bachelor on this huge ship...

Hayley and I were rooming together, while the other girls had rooms down the hall. We couldn't afford staterooms with windows, so had to deal with interiors.

Hayley and I put on our suits and touched up our fake tans. I wore a mustard-yellow string bikini which complemented my olive skin and toned body perfectly, I thought. Hayley put on a black bandeau piece, which was cute, but a little surprising. I hadn't realized, but she seemed to have put on a bit of chub. Her belly rolled over her too-tight bottoms and her thick lovehandles careened outward. Her round, swollen breasts spilled over her bikini top. She had never been thin, always a little bit on the chubby side, but was now bordering on "fat" territory. I was a bit shocked, to be frank, that she let herself plump up like that, but reminded myself that it was probably just temporary weight put on by the stress of her failed relationship.

She stood in the mirror examining her paunchy gut. "Oh jeeze," she groaned with embarrassment, "I'm so fat now. So so super fat. Look at all of these stretchmarks," She showed me the red, angry marks on her lower belly and hips.

"What? I asked, trying not to sound too concerned. "You can't even notice those."

"Anna," she said seriously. "I gained 20 pounds the month after I broke up with Jake. After that I couldn't bring myself to stop on the scale again, but I bet I'm even fatter now. I even had to buy some new clothes for this trip because I didn't have much that still fit me well."

"Hayley, listen, I had no idea. You don't look bigger at all."

"Look at big ole thighs," she wobbled them in the mirror. "And look how bloated my belly is," she whined as she rubbed both hands over her paunch in circular motions.

"I just want you to have a good time. You're beautiful! Stop being so hard on yourself."

"I'm so embarrassed," she whimpered, "they're all going to gossip about me."

"Hayley, they're your friends. They love you."

"They may be my friends but they're also some of the most judgmental people I know. " She looked down sadly. "You're different though, Anna" she added.

I gave her a soft smile as I attempted to hide my strange excitement. Her rippling thighs, pudgy arms, and dimpled butt were strangely fascinating.