chapter 1

‘Some people say it’s not a good idea to return to the places where you were once happy. Let’s see about that.’ Derek thought to himself, as he pulled the car into the old neighborhood. It had clearly changed, but at least the school seemed the same. There was a little more moisture on the façade, but there was no doubt it was the same place where he completed his student teaching back when he was still a university student. It was only seven years ago, but it felt like much more than that. Like a recollection from a past life, a different life.

Derek had fond memories of that time. He was only 20; in love with Lorena, the same girl who would break his heart four years later; his dad had still been alive, and he’d been about to have his first experience teaching, his dream job since he could recall... Like a different life, indeed.

However, not everything was bad now. Although, still single, he never thought about Lorena anymore, at least not every day. And he had achieved some things all these years later. For example, he was coming back to his old school as an actual teacher. That was something he felt proud of.

Some hours later, after having a meeting with the headteacher and the teacher cloister, Derek spent some time cleaning up some stuff in the classroom he’d be teaching in for the new school year. Afterwards, he got in his car feeling a satisfaction long forgotten, as well as an impatient hunger.

He drove to the McDonalds he remembered was close to the school, he felt lucky it was still there. Time can erase some of your memories, but you can always count on capitalism to survive them.

Once inside, he ordered off the menu and sat down in a corner, reviewing some of the info that had been given to him about the students he would be teaching that year.

“That’s a good school.” said his waitress, shamelessly spying on the papers laid out before him while she placed his order on the table.

“Hey, how about some privacy?” Derek coughed a little startled.

“Don’t sweat, sir. I’m not a pedo” replied the waitress. At the same time, she raised her hands, which made her big boobs bounce for an instance of joy and youth. Derek couldn’t help but notice.

“Ah… It’s ok. Never mind. Thanks for bringing my order.” Derek said before picking up the papers from the table and putting them in his folder.

“That was my school, you know?” added the waitress.

Derek looked at her again, surprised that she was still there. This time, his eyes made it past her boobs, giving her a good look.

The waitress was young, no more than 20 years old. She was chubby. Her belly peeked out from under her size “M” uniform. However, she didn’t seem flabby. She was firm. Thighs looked made of solid meat, like she was still hiding some old muscle under that obvious excess of employee’s benefits, rounding out her whole figure. She obviously wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice for prom, but she had a pretty face and carried her weight well.

“Really?”

“Yep”

“Ah, that’s cool. I’m gonna be a teacher there this year. But it’s not my first time. I was a student teacher there a long time ago”.

“Yep. I know”

“What?”

“I know you where there as a practice teacher. I was one of your students!”

“No shit.” said Derek. However, he couldn’t recall her at all.

“You don’t remember me, do you? Ah! That hurts.” She replied looking a little disappointed.

“W-What’s your name?”

She pointed with her finger at the small shinny plaque that crowned the top of her tits, like a small flag on the top of a mountain. It said: ‘Sonia’

And that was when Derek matched the younger, skinnier face from his memory to the more mature and chubbier one in front of him. It was the face of one of his students back then, the face of the school’s most celebrated track & field star. Sonia, ‘The blonde lightning’ as she was called. She’d been the most athletic girl he had seen in his life. A girl that could outrun every boy in the school, in the county, with ease. Her strong stride had made her seem almost weightless. It was like her feet never completely met the track when she ran, she somehow flew. And now that remarkable athlete was a chubby waitress. She had to weigh around 170lbs.

“Oh my god, Sonia! Of course…!”

“I can’t blame you for not remembering me. I’ve changed a little, haha” Sonia laughed, patting her belly and smiling at him.

“No, It’s my bad. I’m very bad with faces…”

“You don’t need to play polite, teacher. I know I have gotten a bit… chunky. I guess it’s a shock when the last time you saw me I still had some county records but, it’s not a big deal now. Almost everyone in town has forgotten that old Sonia. They don’t give me that weird look you are giving me right now. Now I’m just your friendly-chubby-big-tittied McDonalds waitress.”

“Sonia! Come back here, we have lots of orders to complete! I need your help, blondie!” another waitress with a friendly face called out from behind the counter before Derek could comfort Sonia with a stupid phrase. This other waitress was taller and much fatter than Sonia. She had her messy black hair tied in a ponytail.

“Coooming!” answered Sonia, “She is Susana. My coworker. She is a charm. She used to be thin like me... Well, not that thin, but you know. At least now we can comfort each other!”

“Hey, Sonia. It was nice seeing you. Do you wanna catch up later, when you finish your shift?” Derek asked. He felt really happy meeting one of his former students all grown up, he wanted to know more about her story and what she could tell him about the rest of her class.

“Oh, I would like to but… When I finish my shift, I have to pick up Martina from my parents’ house. She is… well. She is my three-year-old daughter.”

Derek couldn’t hide his surprise or articulate anything different than a weird surprised sound. For a moment, he felt the younger of the two. Life has those strange time tricks.

“Sonia, please!!” shouted Susana from inside the kitchen.

“One second, darling!!” shouted back Sonia, “So, where was I… Ah. Yeah. Martina. Well, long story short: I got pregnant at 15, the father disappeared, I had to drop out of high school and, obviously, abandon track and field to find a job that pays bills. And here I am now, nineteen years old, single mom, living in a shitty apartment and getting fatter and fatter every day working in a McDonalds for minimum wage.”

“I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry things didn’t…”

“Oh, don’t be! Martina is the most beautiful thing in the world. She takes after me. Let me show you a picture! I wouldn’t change her for anything in…” She said, as she reached for her phone.

“Soniaaaaaa!!” called Susana. By her voice, she seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“Well, another time, teacher. Duty calls!”

“No problem. I will see you around, I guess?”

“Yes! You can come over and say ‘hi’ whenever you want. Hope next time you remember my face and do not mistake me with Susana…”

“I hope so! But, I don’t promise anything. You know, I’m bad with faces”.

“Do you want a clue? I’m the ‘slim’ one…” Sonia winked at him, while she started to walk away. Her butt was round and firm, like she wore two volleyballs under her jeans. Derek was mesmerized looking at it.