chapter 3

Candace was relieved she didn't have to hide it anymore. Now that it was out in the open she could constantly urge him to eat a bit more. To his credit, Scott seemed to embrace it. She caught him eating much more junk food than he usually did, including a new routine of stopping for some donuts on his way to the office.

He also slacked off a bit in the exercise department, especially in the cardio area. Due to these changes, his gain started to pick up pace. It wasn't long before it was noticeable to others as well.

"Whoa there big guy," Melanie guffawed. "Save some for the rest of us."

Scott froze in the middle of scooping more pasta salad onto his already overflowing plate. They were at Aaron and Melanie's for a cookout and it seemed that Scott's new eating habits were about to be publically addressed.

"Plus, looks like you're in danger of joining the rest of us fatties," she continued, jabbing his nascent paunch.

Scott was wearing a polo tucked into his shorts, the fabric hugging his rounded belly. He instinctively sucked in when Melanie poked him, but there was no hiding that he had put on weight.

"C'mon, give the guy a break," Rick said as he added a second hamburger to his plate. "He's just finally realizing that enjoying all this great food is way more fun than running 10 miles out in the heat. Plus, didn't I just see you eat like three ice cream sandwiches?"

"Hey!" Melanie shot back. "I just had a baby, alright? When are you gonna give birth to yours, huh?"

"Any day now," Rick laughed, patting his large gut.

"Ignore her, Scott," Erica said. "I think it's great. Now I won't have to feel so guilty every time I see you if you keep packing it on like the rest of us."

"What do you think, Candace?" Emily asked. "Do you miss Scott's hot little six pack?"

"It was nice," Candace replied. "But I think I'm ready for a change."

A while later everyone had eaten their fill and were sitting around together. Candace had watched Scott eat two heavy platefuls and decided to take it to the next level.

"I'm going to get a little ice cream," she announced. "Can I get you anything, babe?"

"Nah, I'm pretty full," Scott replied. "Remember, I'm new to this."

"Nonsense, you're one of us now," she told him. "No more stopping when you're full."

"Yeah, get him some ice cream," Erica laughed. "I wanna see that little belly get BIG!"

"One of us, one of us, one of us," Aaron chanted as everyone laughed.

Candace smiled as she went to the kitchen to prepare a gigantic ice cream sundae for him. And a smaller one for herself of course.

Everyone cheered when she reappeared with the heaping dessert for Scott. He accepted it with a wry smile and took a deep breath before digging in. Candace was impressed, he finished the whole thing off even though he must have been more full than any other time in his life.

After he was done, he leaned back in his chair and rested a hand on his visibly swollen middle. Candace could tell that the button on his shorts was hanging on for dear life.

"Wow, look at that fully tummy," Melanie teased. "Kiss your abs goodbye Scotty boy, you're on the road to Fat Town."

Candace smirked slightly, Fat Town indeed.

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