Gabby
"It's the first day of the most important year of your life!" Janice squeals, adjusting my curls to her liking. "I can't believe it! A senior!"
"Don't expect me to get into Harvard like Bianca." I suppress a smile. It's been a little under a week since the party and the scare, and I've learned to cope with it. I just hope that everyone else has forgotten. Janice and dad took the next flight home when they heard what happened and Janice has been glued to my side ever since. I'm surprised she's not coming to my classes with me.
"Oh, no, I don't expect you to go to Harvard. Maybe Yale? Spice things up a little." Janice plays with my hair some more. "Where is your father, Lord Almighty! George!"
My father, a somewhat chubby man with lots of wrinkles around his eyes from smiling and salt and pepper hair emerges. "Sorry, was getting the camera."
I let out an audible protest.
"One picture," Janice promises. "Haley!"
"I'm right here." Haley puts a hand on her hip. She's a junior now so she's obviously all that. Or so she thinks. "What do you want?"
"Picture." Janice points beside me and Haley wrinkles her nose in disgust. Ever since our fight four weeks ago right after the Hamptons, things between us have been...heated, to say the least. I don't know why she's mad at me. I was helping her. Still, Haley reluctantly trudges over and puts a very unenthusiastic arm around me. She'd never miss a photo op.
"One...two...three...smile!" The flash blinds me momentarily and then Haley drops her arm like it's on fire. "Are you girls driving together?" Dad asks.
"No." Haley speaks before I can. "I mean...can't. I'm going with Lisha."
I swallow the urge to roll my eyes. Lisha, younger sister of Julia Lipton, the biggest bitch in school. Lisha takes after her sister. She's a bitch with a capital B.
Before anyone can say anything else, I grab my yellow backpack and keys and jog out the door. I will not be late on my first day of senior year. My phone beeps and I see a text from Camille asking to meet in the SOH. SOH stands for "Seniors Only Hallway." The name pretty much explains it, only seniors are allowed in the hall. Not even faculty dares to enter. It's basically sacred ground. It's not always a good thing, though, because a lot of seniors use it as a place to hook up or smoke or whatever teenagers do. I text back to Camille that I'll see her there.
Fifteen minutes later I arrive at the gates of the Hansworth Academy for the Elite. Otherwise known as Hell on Earth. I punch in my pin on the pad and the gates slowly open enough for me to drive my convertible through. I find my assigned parking spot and park. My car fits in with all of the others here. Everyone at Hansworth is important in one way or another. There are children of politicians, celebrities, CEOs, the list goes on...being so connected is a blessing and a curse.
It proves to be a curse today as Julia and her crew strut down the sidewalk like it's a runway. I try to make myself small but the pastel yellow dress that I've chosen makes me stick out like a sore thumb. Julia spots me and changes her route, coming straight for me.
"Hey, Flabby! How was your summer? Eat any children lately?"
I roll my eyes. Last year I'd have stuttered and submitted to her. And I almost do this time, too. I'm ready to bow my head and apologize for somehow offending her with my chubbiness, but then something in me clicks. This year, I'm done with being treated like shit because I'm a little heavy. I'm still human, God damnit! And if they can't treat me like a person, then I won't treat them like one either.
"How nice to see you, Julia. Is your drama going to have an intermission soon? Quite frankly, I'm rather tired of it."
Her face reddens and her mouth gapes like a fish. I'm sure she was expecting me to cry or something. I won't. Not anymore.
"Funny, Hampton, you think you have comebacks now? You're still a fat pig, witty or not."
I give her a wide grin. "I've been called worse by better. Now please, have a nice day! Just have it somewhere else." With that, I spin on my heels, smiling in victory. She doesn't need to know that I spent nearly two hours last night memorizing insults in preparation for this very situation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Leo
"Yeah, it was super weird." Tony chuckles into his fist. "And, hey, did you hear that Flabby Gabby roasted Julia L? It was savage. Brett overheard it."
"It's just Gabby." I correct him, my eyes widening when I realize that I've opened myself to ridicule. Sure enough, it comes.
"Ooolala! Is Leo Hamilton in love with Hansworth's resident cow? How romantic! I don't want to have to report you for bestiality though, bro."
"Oh, fuck off." I roll my eyes. "I don't like Gabby. I just think it's time we drop the nickname."
"Why? It's so much fun to watch her turn red and all sweaty."
"It's a shitty thing to do, Tony." I snap, whirling around to face him. "We don't need to be assholes to be popular."
Tony raises his hands in mock defeat. "Alright, bro. I won't call her that. Around you, at least. Geeze, what's got your panties in a wad?" I can see the gears in Tony's mind turning. He stops in his tracks. "Oh my God!" He cries, an excited expression on his face. "Are you porking his sister? Bro, I thought you don't go back for seconds? No matter how hot they are...or how nice their ass is..." Tony bites his knuckle, eyeing me in expectation. He wants me to confirm? I will if it means he thinks I'm banging Haley instead of Gabby.
"I cannot confirm nor deny." I wink, a wicked smirk spreading across my lips.
"And you don't want her to get mad at you for calling her sister Flabby Gabby." Tony's eyes widen in realization and I mentally fist pump the air. He's filling in the blanks for me.
"Yeah, but I don't want anyone knowing I'm screwing Haley. So keep it on the DL, okay?"
Tony nods. "So, how is she in bed?"
I try to recollect what she was like in bed last summer in the Hamptons. If I remember correctly, she wasn't that good. Or maybe that was Bianca.
"Great." I lie, and speed up, signaling the end of the conversation. "Come on. We're gonna be late to class."
GABBY
It's afternoon and I'm in AP Chemistry when in waltzes Leo Hamilton like he owns the place. I didn't know Leo is in AP, none of his friends are. None of my friends are--the only friend I have isn't, anyway.
I think maybe it would be polite to wave to him. After all, even if he's been ignoring me, we did share that month in summer together. And he hasn't been mean, if a little cold. Don't get me wrong, it pisses me off, but that doesn't mean I should be an ice queen to him. He even helped me after the incident with Christopher. I should be grateful for that. I decide to wave. I know he sees me, I feel his gaze, but he quickly averts his eyes to the ground. Huh. Maybe he didn't see me.
The only other desk is next to me, go figure, so he sits.
"Hey!" I whisper, leaning closer to make sure he hears. I haven't seen him since the party and before that, not since the Hamptons. In this lighting, I can tell that he looks a bit older now even though it's been only two months. He has stubble growing and his eyes look brighter. Different.
He pretends not to hear me. So much for 'I think I'm falling for you.'
"So that's it, huh? You're going back to being a dick?" I lean back in my chair and let out a huff. "Should have known you'd go back to ignoring me even after we kis-"
This gets Leo's attention.
"Not now, Gabby." He whispers, sharply. My blood runs cold. The audacity of this boy! If the bell hadn't just burst the tension I'd have made sure he realized just how big of a mistake he made by pushing me aside. But instead, I sit back and pay attention to the Chem teacher, Ms. Greenburg.
"Alright guys, I figured we shouldn't start the year off with a boring lecture."
The class whoops and hollers and even I let out a sigh of relief. All of my other classes have been boring syllabus read-throughs and rules. I could definitely get on board with this change of pace.
"We're doing a lab! Obviously, you'll need a partner. Since I don't know you guys yet, I'm making my job a little easier and assigning partners and workstations based on names. Creative, I know. Let's see...Amaro and Bard at table 1..."
I already know who my partner is. Unless I somehow get the person behind my name, I'm going to be paired with Leo. With my luck, I know I will be. "...Hamilton and Hampton at table 5..."
I vomit in my mouth. Not literally, but it might as well be. The tension between the two of us is undeniable--the only thing to do now is decide which kind of tension I'm feeling. Sexual tension or angry tension. Hopefully, it's angry. Life would be so easy if I hated Leo.
"Now before we start, I want to assign you your homework." There is a collective groan throughout the class. "Yes, you have a lot of homework on your first day--boohoo! Welcome to AP Chemistry. You are to pick a topic pertaining to Chemistry and report it to me and your classmates on Friday. I don't care how you communicate or work on your project but you are to do it on your own time. So exchange numbers or addresses, I don't really care as long as you've got something for me by this time Friday. Got it?"
The class mumbles in half-hearted agreement. My heart sinks. A whole week worth of working on a project...with Leo? How are we going to get anything done?
"Alright, grab a worksheet, read the directions, and get cracking! All of the experiments are different and the papers are on the stool. Go and pick one randomly and follow the directions. I'm not going to tell you what the outcome of each experiment will be--you get to find out for yourself!" She dismisses us.
I grab a lab worksheet that Ms. Greenburg has placed on a stool in the center of the room. Leo shadows me awkwardly, not quite sure what to do in order to be useful. I scan the directions and decide to put him out of his misery.
"Go get a hot plate, a beaker, a flask, and the chemical kit." I order him and he nods eagerly, happy to be not a total waste of my space. I read once more over the directions and, once Leo arrives with my supplies, begin to start on the chemical reaction. Leo hovers beside me. I can feel his stare.
"Looking at anything in particular?" I question, not bothering to glance up from the bottle of acetone I'm handling.
"No." Is all Leo says in response, but I feel him look away. He was staring. The question then becomes: why?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"So I spent all night googling insults for mean girls and I just used them on her. It was great." I take a bite of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and chase it down with a few sips of water.
"Gabs, that's hilarious." Camille giggles and Emily mimics her with a fake laugh.
"So funny." Emily agrees. Then she turns to Camille, once again ignoring my existence. Looks like this year isn't going to be all that different after all. She whispers something in Camille's ear and her eyes widen. She glances at me quickly but then focuses on prodding at her salad.
"Guys..." I flinch. "What is it?" Camille only avoids eye contact when something is wrong or she's mad at me. She has no reason to be mad at me, so something is wrong. "Just spit it out."
"Leo is screwing Haley?" Camille questions, finally looking up. "Sorry, word vomit. But seriously. He's sleeping with your sister? Why didn't you tell me?"
"What? Haley hates me, you know that. She wouldn't tell me shit. But...rewind...they're sleeping together? Wha--"
"Apparently. Leo said it himself. He told Tony who told Brett who told me." Emily points to herself and then us. "Who told you guys."
"No way," I mutter. I thought my sister knew better after this past summer in the Hamptons when he slept with her and dumped her within the span of a week. Is she really that naive?
"Yes way." Camille's eyes narrow. "And if you don't mind, Gabs, since you guys aren't on the best of terms anyway, do you mind if we put her in her place? The senior guys are off limits, everyone knows that."
I shrug. I'm indifferent to my sister after everything she put me through. She's more of an acquaintance than anything else. "I don't care."
With that, Camille rises with Emily hot on her heels. Shortly after the two begin their journey to my younger sister, Leo enters the cafeteria. He spots Emily and Camille heading for Haley and then he spots me. Angrily, he juts a thumb at me and then the hallway, signaling for me to follow him. I reluctantly oblige, right when Camille and Emily reach Haley. She sees them too because her eyes widen like she's a deer in headlights. She should be scared, she knows better to mess with senior boys. I race out of the cafeteria before chaos ensues.
"What the Hell, Gabby? You're letting your friends pick on your little sister?" Leo storms toward me angrily.
"Why do you care? You're sleeping with all three of them, you had to know that some drama would come out of it..."
"I'm not sleeping with Haley, dumbass! I just said that so they didn't think I was sleeping with you."
His eyes widen as he realizes that he's just horribly insulted me. And he has. The words cut deeper than expected. Of course he's embarrassed by what happened in the Hamptons, he probably beats himself up every day for it. Can't have his pals thinking he has the hots for a fat chick, can he?
"I get it," I reply, my voice a deadly whisper. "She's the lesser of two evils, huh? That way you get a pat on the back for landing such a hot chick instead of a whale. Can't have your flawless reputation hurt over big, old me, right?"
"Gabby, that came out wrong, I'm sorry. I think you're great--"
"Save it for someone who gives a shit, Leo. You know, I really thought you might have changed. You didn't call me Flabby Gabby anymore, Hell, you even smiled at me in the hallways. And now I see again how much of a jackass you are. I guess it's true that people don't change. You're still the same asshole you were when you made that stupid fucking nickname in the first place. Shove your sorries up your ass."
With that, I storm out of the halls and then out of the school. First day of school officially over. For me, at least.
------------------------------------------------
It is after the official end of school that I receive my first ever text from Leo Hamilton. I had his number, our families are friends after all, but it was a mutual understanding that the two of us were perfectly happy ignoring the other. That was before the Hamptons, of course. It seems to be getting harder to ignore the boy every day.
'Your place or mine?' Is all the text reads. I bite my lip. Does he want to hook up even after what he said to me today? The audacity of that man! I text a furious reply.
'WTF? NEITHER!!!!'
Seconds later my phone pings, signaling a text.
'...I guess we can just fail Chem then???'
I blush a crimson even though no one is around to see. Of course he wants to get together for Chem. He doesn't want to hook up! What the Hell was I thinking? Just then, Haley barges into the kitchen with three of her clones. I don't like to tear other people down but Haley's friends are bitches. Absolutely miserable to be aroundânot to mention obsessed with Leo. If I bring him here to work on our project, we won't get anything done.
'Yours. Be there in 10.'
And then, as an afterthought, I add: 'just because we do homework together doesn't mean I'm not still pissed at you.'
A second later, the response, 'duly noted.'
Haley and her clones sneer at me from across the marble counter.
"Bitch." Haley frowns. "Your stupid ass friends called me a whore in front of the whole cafeteria because they said I was sleeping with Leo. Know anything about that, fatso?"
"Fuck you." I spit, and barge out of the kitchen, only stopping to grab my keys. Haley's a bitch--Camille went easy on her. After what she did to me after the Hamptons, she deserves Hell.
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
"So I was thinking we could make a slide show. Easy enough that it could be done by Friday but creative enough to get us at least a B+."
We sit in one of Leo's living rooms across from one another. I sit on of the two red, velvet love seats while he sits perpendicular to me on a cream sofa.
"Sure," I respond curtly. I'm still extremely pissed at him.
A door slams somewhere in the mansion and Leo visibly tenses which catches my attention. What has him so frazzled?
"Mom?" Leo calls out, his eyes hardening. "Is that you?"
Footsteps sound from the floor above us and then I hear someone descending the stairs. A boy that vaguely resembles Leo approaches. He's undeniably handsome but unlike Leo, this boy has blond hair and round facial features. Where Leo is rugged and chiseled, this stranger is soft and smooth.
"Aaron." Leo snarls, looking at the boy.
"Leo!" The boy, Aaron, gives Leo a playful swat on the back. "Good to see you, little brother!"
"I'm not your brother," Leo says, his voice barely audible. I can smell the testosterone oozing out the pores of the two.
"Little brother, cousin, what's the difference these days?" Aaron turns to face me as if noticing me for the first time. "And who is this fetching, young thing?" He takes a step towards me. "I'm Aaron, Leo's cousin. We're practically brothers, I came to live here when my parents died."
"Oversharing, cousin?" Leo's voice sounds odd and strained. I clutch my Chem textbook, feeling very uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I say, biting my lip. What else can I say?
"Yes, well, at least someone is." Aaron gives me a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Do you go to school with Leo?"
I nod and decide to crack a joke to lighten the mood. "Unfortunately!"
Aaron chuckles and I find, to my chagrin, that butterflies seem to be in my tummy. His laugh is dazzling.
"Beautiful and smart." Aaron grins appreciatively. "Where have you been all my life?"
"That's enough flirting, Aaron." Leo frowns. "We're trying to work if you don't mind."
"What are you studying?" Aaron asks, plopping in the matching loveseat beside me. He takes the book from my hands. "Chemistry? I passed this with flying colors! How can I help?"
"We don't need your help." Leo frowns. Why is he being so mean to Aaron? His cousin has been nothing but nice so far.
"Actually, we would love for you to check our research so far." I smile, symbolically waving a white flag at the two. "We got assigned the boring stuff, ions and atoms and bonds and all that..."
Aaron gives me a happy smile and Leo shoots me daggers with his eyes. I feel a tug of satisfaction knowing that he's unhappy and uncomfortable. Serves him right. Aaron starts fact-checking our research and I study him. He's really very handsome, almost angelic in his features. Very soft, like his face has been airbrushed. He's all lightness while Leo is darkness. Good versus evil, I decide.
"You've got the gist of it." Aaron glances up at me, "but you need some guidance for sure. How about you give me your number? I can text you some info. I did a project similar to this last year and probably still have my notes lying around."
"We don't need your help." Leo snaps, but Aaron just looks at me.
"I'd love to help a pretty girl like you." He gives me an award-winning smile. I'm hesitant at first but then I look at Leo and see how annoyed he is. He's probably mad that his cousin, his flesh and blood, is flirting with a fat chick.
"Sure. Give me your phone and I'll type in my number."
ââââââââââââââââââââ
I get home late in the evening, feeling satisfied with mine and Leo's work. We've got a solid outline for our project sorted out and once Aaron shares some information with us, we can really get cracking on the damned thing.
Feeling exhausted from a long day, I decide to head to my bathroom and draw a hot bubble bath. I undress and accidentally step in front of the mirror. My bubbly mood is crushed as my naked reflection stares back at me. Gravity has taken it's toll on my stretch mark ridden body. My stomach and breasts hand a little too low and my hips are a little too wide and my thighs touch. Stretch marks snake around my waist and on my stomach and around my breasts. They're old and silver and I can't bear to look at them.
I hop into the bath feeling dejected. That is what society sees when they see me. They see the stomach that hangs and the arms that jiggle and the chest covered in silver lines. They don't see Gabrielle Hampton because they're too busy looking at all of her flaws.
Trying to get my mind off of my body, I grab my phone. Careful not to drop it in the bath, I scroll through my notifications. There are lots of Twitter and Instagram notifications, some group messages between Camille, Emily, and me and a text from an unknown number.
'Hey.'
'Who is this?' I respond.
'Aaron. You give out your numbers to many boys today? Expecting someone else? ;)'
'Haha, as if. To be frank, I'm surprised you even asked for my number.'
'Can't a guy ask a pretty girl for her number? To help her in school, ofc. My intentions are noble, I promise.'
'I'm sure! Speaking of, find those notes yet?'
'Not yet, I'll look in a bit.'
'Sounds good!'
'What are you up to?'
'In the bath.'
'Sounds fun. Bubbles?'
'Of course!'
'Now I feel like taking a bath.'
'I thought guys were too manly to take baths.'
'Not me. I love baths. And I'm still plenty manly ;)'
'Noted.'
'Any chance you'd be up for meeting for coffee tomorrow? It's fine if not. Leo has football practice so I thought that maybe I could help you with your project and he wouldn't be there to yell at me.'
'Ah, so you noticed that he was being rude to you too. By the way you were acting, I thought you were oblivious to it.'
'No, definitely noticed that my cousin was less than friendly to me.'
'Can I ask why?'
'It's a long story. I'll tell you about it sometime. Now how about that coffee?'
'Really? You don't mind working on Chem? It's so boring!'
'Not when you know what you're talking about (and it helps if a pretty girl is with you to keep company). If you understand it, it's truly fascinating.'
'Nerd much?'
'A cute one.'
'Haha okay, we can meet tmrw. Does 4 work?'
'Absolutely. The one on campus?'
'Yessir'
'Until then, love. Can't wait.'
I can't help but grin as I turn off my phone, chucking it onto the towel sitting on the floor. I dip my head underwater and hold my breath, letting out a little squeal. Then I sit back up and regain my composure, wash my hair, and dry off.
When did my life get so damn interesting?