chapter 3- a hunger

Emi

The sound of Cheetos crunching makes me think Scarlett has bought a huge bag, but then I open my eyes and see chubby digits covered in orange dust in front of me. I wipe them on my favorite blue t-shirt, astonished by the amount of stains on it and the fact that I have a potbelly hanging out of my opened daisy dukes. Those can’t be the original pair as I stare at the thickened cellulite covered thighs that pour out of them.

“I have to admit they look better on you than they ever did for me,” Scarlett says in her warm voice. I look over the tiny studio to see her looking skinny and toned in a beautiful glimmering dress that shows off a perfectly toned belly, calves and thigh from a long slit. In one hand she has two greasy pizza boxes. “You really helped me shed those last few pesky pounds.” Her other hand circles a none too light twelve pack of my favorite beers over that skinny belly.

A burp escapes my lips as I cover my mouth, feeling and seeing my thick cheeks squish under my pudgy fingers. My cheeks flame red as shame and something else fills me.

“What happened to me?” I ask stunned.

“You’re hungry, baby girl,” she says as if it’s obvious and settles down next to me, skinny knee pressing against my own dimpling one. My stomach lets out a deep growl as I smell the pizza in the boxes. She places them on her coffee table and hands me a beer. I drink it as she opens them and they are so big, stuffed crust with extra of all the meats and cheese and no vegetables. I hate veggies. She knows me too well.

“You can’t eat that on your diet,” I say to her and look at her. She looks so mischievous and pokes me porky belly. Her finger sinks in to her knuckle and I squirm with discomfort.

“Of course not. That’s for you, piglet,” she says with a laugh. “Where do you think this came from?”

“I c-can’t eat this much!” I say nervously, but then my stomach roars this time and I’m salivating. “Oh—” She laughs harder and strokes my puffier back.

“Here,” she says and pulls off an extra cheesy slice and feeds it to me with her perfectly manicured nails. The bite is huge, filling my mouth with a burst of incredible flavor of bacon, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. I feel a twinge below as I savor the flavor.

“Oh god,” I groan through the mouthful.

“Start chewing. There’s more where that came from,” she grins wickedly. She keeps feeding me until the entirely of the first pizza is gone and half the twelve pack. I’m burping as I lean back. My belly has grown much bigger and it feels like the rest of me has too. My sweaty arms keep brushing up against her petite frame. I rub my overfull belly.

“I’m so full,” I complain. Scarlett smirks at me.

“Nu-uh,” she says waving a finger to me. I lean forward feeling the edge of my belly press through the shorts and into the coffee table firmly, causing me to burp again and her to snicker. “There’s a whole ‘nother pizza for my little piglet to eat.” Her lips blow warm air right next to my ear as her skinny arms press against mine. “Though she ain’t so little any more, are ya?” Her fingers trail over my tightly packed stomach.

This time it’s my own hands both going toward that pizza despite the press of the table against my belly. All I can hear is its roaring and how nice the fat feels around my bones like a warm blanket that feels safe as Scarlett takes care of me.

Suddenly, I wake up sweating. I realize that the Netflix commercials are going and that my face has been pressed against Scarlett’s cushy midsection. Her hands firmly wrapped around my shoulders. She looks up at me, equally confused and sleepy eyed.

“Mmm, I’m so hungry. Do we have any more pizza left?” She asks and I roll my eyes wondering at my strange dream, but too scared to tell her about it.