Chapter 1 - 1

Nick let out a sigh of relief. He and his roommate, James, were finally done moving their stuff into storage for the summer. In the fall they would come back to university and live in the dorms again. It was the middle of May and it was hot. James was sweating and so was Nick, but Nick was sweating much more.

Nick was out of shape. Like, really out of shape. As James liked to put it, "a little doughy" or "just husky." It made Nick really self-conscious whenever someone would comment on his size. He had just weighed himself two days earlier and discovered that he had gained the freshman 15. And at only 5'6", 230 lbs was rather noticeable. He was in denial about it for a while, but James, as a good friend, convinced him that he needed new clothes.

"Just weigh yourself dude" James said casually, "the weight isn't going to go away by just ignoring it."

Nick had always been a fat kid. He never lost his baby fat, and instead overate throughout his teen years, widening up. But when he graduated high school, he thought he'd finally stop enlarging. I'm going to get fit he thought.

But, like many college freshman, the nearly unlimited meal plan and constant drinking took a toll on his body. And with the added stress of classes, he often found himself with a snack or a beer in his dorm room studying or playing computer games, even after having seconds or thirds in the dining hall that night.

So James and Nick took a quick trip to the mall to get Nick a few new clothes. Unlike many of their friends, the two weren't going home for the summer, at least not yet. They had been saving up their meager wages from their part-time jobs over the school year in order to fund a trip. They planned to travel from their college in the midwest down to California to visit some of James's old friends who had relocated there. Along the way, they would do some camping and hiking.

"Maybe I'll be able to get into shape on this trip," Nick said as they headed out of town.

"Maybe," James said, "but to be honest dude, probably not, the way you eat," he joked. "Which reminds me, let's stop at Taco Bell on our way out."

Nick resented the fact that his friend could eat and eat, and still maintain a six-pack. He also resented the fact that James was always taking him to get fast food, bringing snacks and beer back to the dorm, etc., pretty much always putting food in front of his face, which Nick could absolutely not turn down.

They pulled into the drive through. "What are you going to get?" James asked.

"Umm. I'll just have two crispy tacos."

James ordered three beef burritos, two chicken burritos, four crispy tacos, three soft tacos, and one quesadilla, and x-large sodas for them both. Nick was a little shocked at how much he ordered, but didn't resist when James handed him the rest after only having three tacos and his soda. He felt extremely full after that, unbuttoned his pants, and slept until they reached the next town, a dusty place which looked way off the map.

"What is this place?" Nick yawned as he woke up.

"Just another no-name town. We'll find a diner or something and then head out to the camp site."

They pulled into a rustic-looking diner. Inside, they found themselves in a booth across from a table of loud redneck men. They were handed menus and James ordered a chicken fried steak and a coke. Nick ordered a simple cheeseburger with a Sprite.

Although the cheeseburger ended up being larger than expected, Nick was still able to put it away before James finished his steak.

"Done already bud? Do they serve pie here? I'm feeling some pie. Are you?"

"No dude... I think I'm done. I've got to start eating less," he sighed as he patted his belly.

"You're not butt-hurt because I made fun of you earlier, are you? You're not fat. Just a little husky. Wide. Plump. You know."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Sure. But I gotta ask, how can you stay so fit? You eat almost as much as I do."

James laughed as he bit into his steak. "No, actually I don't eat as much as you. And, I work out considerably more often. But overall, I just have a really high metabolism."

"Is that why you can find so many girls to date? Because you have a nice body?"

James laughed again. "Duh. But you wouldn't care about that, Nick. Stop pretending."

"What?"

"You're pretty gay."

Nick turned a bit red.

"It's okay," James continued, "I don't care at all, I just want you to know that I know. So you don't have to pretend."

Nick sunk in his chair. He couldn't even come out properly to his own roommate and best friend, which caused him some embarrassment. It's not because I find him really attractive, or that I'm practically in love with him, Nick thought, no, it's not that, and I hope he doesn't think that.

The waitress came back and James ordered two pieces of cherry pie while Nick was still sat, awkward and uncomfortable. "Did I make you uncomfortable? Sorry. I should consider your feelings more often. But to be truthful, it's kind of funny when you're uncomfortable."

Nick glared.

"You're a good guy" James smiled as he started eating his pie. One piece was bigger than the other. James made sure Nick got the larger one. "Don't be so hard on yourself."