Whatever You Want

Chapter 8

Adrienne’s feet were starting to hurt as she walked up and down the side streets, looking for a dress shop that had to be around there somewhere. A lady in one of the other clothing stores she had visited had mentioned it. So far all she had found was seven estate agents and one expensive looking homeware store.

‘What’s the point,’ Adrienne thought as shuffled over to a bench and dropped heavily. ‘It’s not like I will find a dress that doesn’t make me look like a fat lump.’

“Why so glum?” Adrienne looked up to find the new kid smiling at her. God, he’s too fit, she thought. No way he is genuinely interested in my problems. He’s probably only being polite.

“Hey, new guy,” Adrienne did her best to force a beaming smile, squinting against the low sunlight. “What brings you to town?”

“Looking for you.”

Adrienne blinked then frowned. “Me? Why would you want to see me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Zach asked evenly, staring into her eyes. She finally broke under the weight of his stare.

“Because I’m fat!” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Too fat to find a prom dress, not that anyone will ask me. I’m the girl who ‘would be cute if she lost a few pounds,’ ‘what a shame for her!’ ‘She has such a pretty face, pity about the rest!’”

Zach took a seat beside her on the bench and put an arm around her shoulder. Adrienne knew he was trying to be comforting, but his arm was heavy.

“Who said that to you?”

“It doesn’t matter. Nobody said it to me. I hear people say stuff like that all the time.” Adrienne shook her head, wiping away the tears with sleeves she’d pulled up over her fists like mittens. “I just wish he hadn’t said it.”

“Matty?” Zach guessed. Adrienne did not want to answer so instead she looked down at the ground, trying desperately to think of a speedy subject change. Nothing was coming to mind. Nothing besides food.

‘It’s no wonder I’m fat, I can’t stop daydreaming about cheeseburgers,’ Adrienne mentally berated herself. Eating made her feel better when she was down in the dumps. It sounded cliché, but a warm, sumptuous treat filling her tummy was like a hug from the inside out.

“I’ll beat him up for you,” Zach offered.

“No! Don’t do that. He didn’t know I overheard. Besides, he doesn’t even want to take me to prom. He is just waiting and hoping Alissa’s online boyfriend will say no and then she can go with him.”

“And that’s fine by you? Being second best?” Zach asked.

‘Of course, it’s not, it makes me feel dead inside,’ Adrienne’s inner voice screamed.

“I’m always gonna be second to Alissa.” Adrienne sighed. She watched Zach pace around for a moment or two. He appeared to be deep in thought.

“What did he actually say?” Zach asked finally.

The memory stung her all over again as she recalled it. “Rhys asked why he was still waiting on Alissa instead of asking me. He said, ‘Adrienne is pretty, she would be so hot if she shifted a few pounds.’ Then they proceeded to make fun of my eating habits.”

“What if you did shift a few pounds? You have two weeks. I can help you lose ten pounds by then. If you trust me.” Zach grinned at her, looking so sure of himself.

“He’ll still prefer Alissa,” Adrienne said, looking down.

“Not when I’ve bumped her from the popular group. Soon nobody will like her.”

Adrienne did a double take. “What?”

“Just wait and see,” Zach said with a wink.