chapter 7

I had outgrown my favorite pair of jeans only two days after the pie incident. We tried curry again three days before the contest and I ate eighteen entire plates of curry. I couldn't believe it. Piki was so excited and he didn't seem to dislike how big I was getting.

My mom noticed and told me I was supposed to save the weight gain for college. I was embarrassed that she noticed, but I was strangely at ease with the weight I had gained. I was "svelte" 229 at graduation, but in the three months of daily stuffings in preparation for the contest I was weighing in at 271 pounds.

That means I gained about 14 pounds a month. My stomach rounded out like I had swallowed a basketball. My arms were still large and beefy, and my thighs and ass had gotten so big my sweats had the appearance of a second skin.

"Conner, if you lose to Pingala...," he started on the day of the contest.

"I won't lose," I said simply. I didn't plan on losing, so he should not even worry about it. I hadn't seen Pingala since we made our deal.

Piki had made a huge pot of curry and another pot of rice. Jo and Sun were here too. They had made "Down with Pingala" t-shirts.

I saw her sitting at the table across from me. She was still as little as ever. She smiled and leaned forward. "So Mr. Hathi...I see you've been eating well. It looks like you won't have any room for curry."

"Oh, I have room for it. I know I'm going to win." She smiled again.

"Even if you win," she began. She gave a soft chuckle. "I doubt my Piki will stay with you much longer anyway. You've left the league of hathi, you're a hvela." I leaned back in the chair and was freakishly aware of how much bigger I actually was. What was a uvula?

I maneuvered my bulk out of the constricting chair at Piki's dining room table and went towards the kitchen. I heard Pingala cackle. "Pi...Piki what is a uvula?" I asked. He looked up at me from a huge pot of vegetable curry and smiled.

"It's the little dangly thing at the very back of your mouth." I thought about how she said the word. Huvela...yeah that was it.

"I mean....what is a huvela?" He frowned. "Come on, tell me."

"A hvela is a whale." I looked down at my body, embarrassed. Pingala was right, Piki didn't want this. Why would he?

"I'm...I'm a whale," I said, getting a little bit emotional. "She said I wasn't even in the league with elephants anymore. She said I was a...whale."

"I like whales." I could tell he was trying to cheer me up, but that made me feel even worse. "I mean...Conner, you're not a whale. It's impossible for a human to be a whale so...yeah. You're not a whale."

"I might as well be." He turned off the stove and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms, as far as they would go, around me. He was so warm.

"I love you Conner. I really truly love you." I wrapped my arms around him to, happy to be with such an incredible guy.

"I love you so much Piki." Someone cleared their throat and we looked over at the entrance to the kitchen. Pingala stood there smiling in the sweetest way I had ever seen her.

"India awaits me. You two really truly seem to care for one another and I am very sorry about my behavior. I now call you hathi with love Conner...Piki, I see now you are beyond doubt in love with hathi."

"So you're calling off this contest?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry for all the effort you must have put into this, but if you still want to challenge the Curry Champion, I will gladly accept." I looked at Piki, who nodded approval gleefully.

I ate 21 plates of curry. Pingala ate 22. I guess I would just have to keep training.

The End!