Chapter 1
Trying to avoid being late for my class, I almost trip as I run through the front doors of Prescott High but manage to right myself just in time. My mother was stuck in traffic after I told her we needed to leave the house sooner if we wanted to grab breakfast at our favorite spot.
I smooth my uniform blouse that has ridden up on my stomach over the waist of my skirt. Laughter can be heard from my right. I angle my head to see who is laughing.
As expected, a group of girls from the dance team are pointing in my direction.
“You wouldn’t trip if you weren’t so fat. Your stomach probably got in the way.” Julia giggles.
“Yeah, Porker. You need to stop eating all the food. Your uniform is getting smaller, or maybe you’re just getting bigger. Good job trying to put your shirt back down, but let’s face it, it’s going to just ride the fuck back up.” Melissa sneers.
Fucking bitches. They always find something to say about my weight or how I look. I know I’m not skinny or even thick. I’m what you call fat and overweight. But that’s just who I am. I’m comfortable being the way I am. I eat what I want, when I want, and I’m okay with that. Food makes me happy. So why not?
I never really cared what people thought of how I looked. That is until I realized I had a huge crush on Dominique Reed since freshman year. The bad boy with tattoos, an amazing body, and a beautiful face, he’s the star basketball player of Prescott High with a guaranteed scholarship to any school he chooses.
The laughter continues, and my stomach sinks when I look behind them. Sure enough, the guys from the basketball team are leaning against the wall by the lockers, joining in on the fun of deriding me. My face turns white when Dominique shakes his head and turns around to talk to his friend Josh.
I’m so embarrassed that I made a complete fool of myself. I ignore the excessive taunting and walk toward my locker.
“Hey! Watch out, everyone! Wide load coming through!”
I stiffen and turn around to see Jake laughing. “Fuck you!” I retort.
“In your dreams, fat ass. Not even with someone else’s dick.”
“Yo, Jake. Back off, man. Leave her alone,” Matt says, coming up next to me.
“Just having a little fun. It’s all good.”
Jake is on the football team with my best friend, Matt, but he’s a total douche. I wonder how he tolerates him.
Matt has been my best friend since third grade and always sticks up for me. I’m an only child, and since I don’t have any other friends, he always stood up for me when I was teased or made fun of at school… or basically, anywhere we went.
He was heavier in middle school, but football has been a godsend. He is still what you would call husky, but since football, he has slimmed down a lot, and the fact that he is a jock kinda gives him a free pass in the fat-jokes department.
As for me, I’m not into any sports. My strong suits are organizing, time management, and motivating others to do the same. It’s what I’m good at and getting good grades. My mother is proud of me, and that’s all that matters. I can deal with everything else.
“Don’t worry about Jake. I’ll handle him.”
“It’s okay, Matty. He just goes overboard sometimes. He can be downright annoying and a total asshole. He’s almost as bad as the prissy bitches on the dance team.”
He chuckles.
“We only have four months to go, and then it’s all over. You won’t have to hear or see these people again. Of course, except me.”
I smile, closing my locker. “I can never forget you, Matty. We have been friends forever. Have you decided on a school yet?”
“I’m waiting to hear back from them this week, and then I’ll let you know, so we can keep in touch. Are you sure going to California is a good idea?”
His solemn expression tells me he’s still hung up on me going to California. My dream since middle school was to get into the marketing program at Berkeley. I was finally accepted with a full ride.
“We’ve gone through this, Matty. Wherever you go, I promise to keep in touch and visit every break.”
“Promise?” he says with a hopeful expression.
“Always.”
The rest of the day goes smoothly except for more fat jokes at lunch, but that is nothing out of the norm. After classes are done for the day, I’m waiting to turn in the school’s mascot costume to Mr. Hoffman when a sophomore I recognize as Jim leaves the office in a rush with a look of annoyance on his features. Mr. Hoffman is the sports coordinator for the band and extracurricular sports activities. The school mascot is a husky split between two students, but no one knows who is inside the costume. Worked perfectly for me in my case. I could attend the games without anyone really knowing I was there. I didn’t care about having to act silly in a husky costume. It was better than being called Sabrina the Mammoth or Porker all the time.
“Come in!” Mr. Hoffman shouts.
“Hi, I’m here to turn in the costume since football season is officially over.”
“Sabrina, right?”
“Yes.” He sits in his chair with a thump, giving an exasperated sigh.
“He quit on me.”
“I’m sorry? Who?”
He waves his hand. “Jim. He was the other mascot for the basketball games, and they are in the finals, about to win it all. And now I have no mascot. It’s too late to find someone last minute, especially at the end of the year.”
I sigh. What the heck? I’ve always wanted to see Dominique play without anyone noticing me. It will be my best-kept secret. No one will know it’s me, and neither will he.
“I’ll do it.”
“What?”
“I said I’ll do it. I have nothing else to do, and I’m already set for college. All that is left is finals.”
He gazes at me, relieved. “Are you sure? There is only one away game and five games left. Then it’s over.”
“Okay. No problem.”
“Just make sure you have a ride to the away game. It’s one town over. This is basketball, and the games are farther compared to the football games.”
“Gotcha.”
“Here is the schedule, and if you need anything, you know where my office is.”
Most students would balk at the idea of being the mascot. I loved it because it was like having an invisible cloak like in Harry Potter, where you were totally invisible for a little while. Now I get to be invisible and watch the boy I have a crush on playing. I don’t think he knows my real name. He only knows me by Porker.
He has never called me that, or by my real name, for that matter. When they would taunt me and call me names, he would stay quiet. If I looked over and met his gaze, he would look away, dismissing me. I initially felt deflated during my freshman year, but it was better than having him laugh with the others.
After school, I briskly walk up to Matt’s car idling in the student parking lot.
“Is everything okay?” Matt asks as I open the passenger door of his classic Mustang.
“Yeah, I just had something to wrap up,” I reply, shutting the door. He shrugs and drives to my house to drop me off.
Matt has always dropped me off after school since he got his license. I was relieved when he offered. My mom works late, so I’d have to busy myself after school or wait until she can come and pick me up. I tried to ride a bike but was run off the road and almost hit a tree. My father offered to get me a car but didn’t want my mother to feel bad because they’re divorced.
If I had to wait for my mother, it was usually a three-to-four-hour wait that included more fat jokes and bullying. Matty always felt bad for me, but I told him they were immature and fucked up anyway. It didn’t faze me except when Dominique was around.
It’s the only time I feel embarrassed because I have to check my retorts in my defense. I didn’t want the guy I had secretly crushed on for four years to see me sink to their level of stupidity. No one knew I was crushing hard on Dominique. Not even Matt. He would probably tell me to dream on and that I was crazy to think a guy like Dominique Reed would even look at me twice.
To avoid that conversation, it was best to keep it a secret. Why should anyone need to know? It’s not like I would run into him after high school anyway.
