mellowgold

My uncle passed away a few years ago. We weren't close - I'd only met him once. Just recently, I found out that after he died they found lots of BBW porn on his computer. Kinda makes me wish I got to know him better.

Well, I think I'm a bit late here, but to give you an honest answer: When I was younger, I was in denial about it. The only girls that turned me on were bigger - in high school there was this girl who had a nice ** belly, wore tight clothes and gradually put on weight over the years. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her but still convinced myself that I wanted a smaller girl because that's what everybody is supposed to want. It wasn't until I had a pretty intense sexuality crisis that it became clear that it just wouldn't work with a girl who wasn't bigger. Immaturity and fear of judgment made it hard to admit that to other people, so I still kept my preference something of a secret for a while. So to answer the actual question, it's mostly immaturity and feeling the need to conform with what is seen as "normal". At a certain point, hiding it is just a sign of very poor character. Not that I'm older, I'll state my preferences with no hesitation on the rare occasion it comes up. But with girls I'm with or interested in, it's tricky. Most women do not want to be overweight and have extremely negative feelings about being fat. It's difficult to express how much I love a girl's big belly, or that I prefer them at the size they are because there is a real risk of it backfiring. Truly honest communication about this kind of thing can reinforce a girl's insecurities and get you dumped. Nobody wants to feel like a fetish object. "Oh, so you're just a pervert who likes me because I'm fat. Wonderful." I've concluded that it's a risk worth taking, but it's not a trivial concern! I truly believe body positivity has helped a lot, but a lot of bigger girls hate their size and consider being a "chubby chaser" to be a deal breaker.

My friend with benefits is pretty chubby and has recently put on a good amount of weight in the past year or so. She's got a decent belly on her now and it drives me crazy. She picked up on my preferences pretty fast - first time we hooked up I was playing with her belly and she was like "what are you doing that for?" and I said I liked it, and she was like "hmmm okay". Her boobs are the only part of her body that she likes and seems to think that guys only like that about her, but I like all of it. She's not happy about having gained weight and will sometimes say "oh you're just a chubby chaser" when I tell her how hot she is, which I never deny but tell her it doesn't mean I'm wrong. Recently I finally told her that I loved her belly, that I think it's the hottest thing and that I'd hold things out of reach or go for high fives (she's very short) so she would reach up and I could get a peak of it. She said that she didn't like it - that it was her least favorite part of her body and she was embarrassed of it. She did accept the compliment and say she was glad I liked it. Let me play with it a little bit. I've never hidden this about myself, but I also never really know what to say when girls complain about their weight other than to reassure them that they're sexy and beautiful. It's a risky thing to do. It can trigger insecurities and it's hard not to come across as a freak or someone who sees them as a fetish object. She's not happy with her body and misses the way she looked before, but I think she's glad that I appreciate it. It feels good to be open about it. The sex is better - just talking about it got me going. I won't tell her about the weight gain aspect of the fetish personally because I think that would be too much and it's not necessary to get off. But I'm glad that I was open about it because I can fully express just how hot she is. She'll always want to lose the weight, but I hope I can help her love her body more. Now she catches me checking out her belly and kinda teases me about it. Anyway, I kinda rambled there but it still feels good to type. After years of being sheepish about it, I'm happy to be more open about this kind of stuff. Even though not everyone will take it the same way, I think it's worth it.

I think most people have felt this way at some point. Admittedly, it took me way longer than it should have to get over this. But once I stopped trying to please or impress other people with who I chose to date, I became a lot more confident in my own judgment. In reality, I was hiding behind society's judgment of fat women to avoid confronting my own. bangs15 brings up a good point though - I don't feel embarrassed introducing people to a girl I really like (nervous around certain people maybe but that's besides the point), but I am if she's awful. Even though most people don't care about the size of who you're with, they will notice. And I think that might increase the odds of them wondering what you see in her. Maybe not though.

I'd have thought that if anybody from this show would have a thread here, it would be Chelsea Peretti, but she's a bit divisive. Melissa Fumero is super cute though

Thanks to all who read this and gave me positive feedback (no pun intended). After reading some very enjoyable stories on here (Michelle's Rite of Passage and The Sculpting of Kate being my favorites), I thought I'd post something on here. Turns out it's harder than I thought! Still, I'm glad that despite the clunky writing, numerous typos (posting this on a tablet), short chapters and repetitive plot that y'all enjoyed reading this. I certainly enjoyed writing it. I'd also like to thank the contributers and admins of this site that have made it such an awesome place to lurk for so many years.

CHAPTER TWENTY The Sunday before school was to resume, Carly came home and beamed at the sight of her girlfriend Emeko having ballooned even more, her naval visibly hanging over her tight jeans. Their pot bellies touched as they hugged each other. "Hey you," Carly said, with adoration. "Hey..." "Something wrong?" "Yeah. I need to talk to you about something." Carly gave her a concerned look as Emeko continued, "So, my mom was here a few days ago." Carly's eyes widened. "Yeah. She saw this, chewed me out and was gone in fifteen minutes... Would you still want to be with me if I... if I stopped gaining weight? I mean, I don't see myself losing this but-" "Of course! Oh my god Emeko. I'm so sorry! You can do whatever you want with your body. You'll always be sexy to me. Heh, I could gain for both of us. My mom would be a hypocrite if she complained, heh..." Emeko smiled. "Thanks Carly. It's good to see you. You look great." Carly chuckled. "Thanks, you too. So you're not gaiing any more, huh," she teased, poking Emeko's belly. "You're one to talk," laughed Emeko, poking her plump girlfriend back. ---------- A bit after Emeko and Carly had... caught up with each other, Caitlyn strolled in. "Hey guys!" Caitlyn too, had put on some weight. The two of them had noticed t hat the blond, while not overweight, had filled out since they'd known her, and both of their eyes focused on her tan beer belly, which was now pierced. As they stared, Caitlyn cleared her throat and said, "well my break was amazing! You've got to go to Miami some time. Those beaches are aMAZING! Well, I'm gonna hop in the shower! See you lovebirds around." Emeko and Carly looked at each other and smiled. ---------- Emily was at Jack's place watching Netflix with him. "Oh man. Nine o'clock. I'd better get going - class tomorrow," she said, grabbing the remote with her pudgy hand. "Alright, good night beautiful." Emily gave him a kiss on the cheek and grabbed her things. On her way to the door, she dropped her keys. "Oops," she said, bending over, giving Jack a nice view of her huge ass and lower back. ---------- As her sophomore year in college came to a close, Emily picked up a new part-time job and had finally gotten the hang of balancing work with school and a social life. She continued to not exercise and eat whatever she wanted, but with the pantries *slightly* less stocked than they had been, her weight gain had slowed. The night before she was to go home for a week after the semester had ended, she gave herself one last look-over. She was a total bombshell. Her large breasts hung over a perfectly round belly that had just the lightest hang and the faintest of stretch marks. Her flabby arms and gelationous tights jiggled as she walked around her room. She grabbed a handful of flab. 'I wonder...' Emily pulled out her scale and got on it. It read 240.3. '240 huh? That's a good weight.' She put the scale away and went to bed smiling. ---------- THE END

CHAPTER NINETEEN Emeko yawned, walking into the living room wearing a tight nightgown, unbuttoned at her belly when she stopped in her tracks. "Mom..." Emeko's mother's eyes widened. Her daughter, who she'd seen just three months prior, was fat again. Her round, double-chinned face and wide figure was even larger than she'd come home for summer break. Her pot belly, sucked in to no avail, showed faint stretch marks around its button. "Emeko... what HAPPENED?!" "I uh, school, it's..." "Is this your way of lashing out against me? You're huge. You had to have done this on purpose...:" "No, I..." "You're a terrible liar Emeko. You know, I really thought this was going to be fun. Meeting your friends, exercising together... How do you expect to find yourself a man if you don't care at all about your appearance?" "Mom..." "Don't 'mom' me! This is disgusting." "Mom-" "I guess marriage-" "MOM! I have a girlfriend!" The room went silent. Emily attempted to sneak out of the room. Teresa snapped at her, "where do you think you're going? Are you her girlfriend? Is getting fat some little game you too play?" Emily responded, "no" "Carly's my girlfriend, and yes, you could call it that. We both find gaining weight... It's hard to explain." "I don't want to here it. This is insane," her mother said, grabbing her things. "I'm going home. You've made your choice. Enjoy eating yourself to death." "Wait!", but she was gone... ---------- Emeko was in tears after the visit. "Can I get you something? Kleenex? Cake? Liquor?" "Cake? The last thing I need is CAKE", Emeko screamed, grabbing her belly fat. "My mom's right, this is insane. What am I doing?" "Well, she is and she isn't. You look beautiful, but if Carly truly cares about you, you don't need to be constantly gaining weight on purpose. I mean, look at me. I got huge without even trying!" "So what are you suggesting?" "Eat what you want, but not more than that. Don't eat for the sake of gaining weight, eat because it's one of life's joys." "But my mom..." "Won't accept it for a while, but she loves you. She'll come around." "She thought I was straight too..." Emily scratched the back of her neck uneasily. "It was a lot to process. Give her some time. I think she'll be accepting in time. Emeko sniffled, but smiled. "Hey Emily. Do you still have that cake?" ---------- In the process of consoling Emeko over the difficult week, Emily and her had nearly cleaned out he pantry, which has been full of fattening foods. Emily put on some pajama pants and one of her larger T-Shirts, and looked in the mirror. She was taken aback by how wide her body was, how round her once sharp features were. Her naval poked out from under the bottom of her shirt, and her stomach protruded several inches past her double-D breasts. She was a BBW, no other way around it. Emily pulled out her scale and got on, not sure what to expect. Sucking her gut in to be able to read the numbers, she was unsurprised to see that they read 232.6 pounds. She just shrugged. 'Time to buy new clothes!'

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN After several months of intense studying, the girls were happy to experience the reprieve of Spring Break. While Caitlyn and Carly opted to see family, Emily and Emeko stayed home for the week. Emeko, wearing a black tanktop that revealed her thick arms, and hugged her pot belly like a glove, asked Emily what she wanted to do. Emily thought about it for a moment. "We should go to a party!" Emeko smiled. "I'll get ready!" ---------- Emily and Emeko arrived at the apartment of one of Caitlyn's friends, Emily wearing a tight red dress nearly bursting at the seams, and Emeko jeans and a loose fitting shirt. As the night progressed, the two of them became increasingly inebriated, and after each turning down offers to go home with guys, decided to call it a night around 1 AM. On their way home, they passed a Jack in the Box. Emeko looked at her friend. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" After devouring their massive meals, Emeko had unbuttoned her jeans, and Emily patted her large stuffed belly and joked, "I think my water just broke." The two of them laughed. "I got so fat", Emily lamented. "You and me both!" "Not as much as me... What happened though? You got pretty skinny there for a while." Emeko realized she'd messed up. "Oh... Well, I guess I just realized that I loved food and not exercising more than being skinny." Emily looked at her with a smirk. "Are you sure it doesn't have something to do with a certain roommate of ours?" Emeko blushed. "How obvious is it?" "Well, to a person that isn't blind, very. Caitlyn knows too, she just doesn't care." "Oh. Well, uh." "I'm happy for you too. Just be careful. I doubled my size without trying - you look beautiful, but do take care of yourself, promise?" "Pinky swear." ---------- The next morning, Emily woke up to the sound of a knock on the door. With a headache and still bloated from the previous night, she put on some pajama pants, and a T-shirt a couple sizes too small and answered the door. A thin asian woman was there, shocked at the sight of the stout, unkempt girl in front of her. "Hi, are you Carly?" "It's Emily actually", she said, shaking the woman's hand. "Emily! You're different rom how I pictured you. I'm Sue, Emeko's mother. May I come in?"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Emily woke up with a splitting headache in an unfamiliar bed to the smell of bacon. "Hey sleepyhead. You're finally up. You can borrow my pajamas - they're on the dresser. There's breakfast for you when you're ready," she heard Jack say. She sat at the edge of the bed, her belly hanging over her thighs. Emily saw that Jack had laid out a glass of water and some Advil, which she promptly took. She put on the pajama pants, which were snug but too long, and a tight band T-shirt. "Coming!" ---------- In the coming weeks, Caitlyn and Emily noticed Emeko and Carly spending more time together, but were too busy to think anything of it. What they did notice was that there always seemed to be baked goods lying around the house, which tended to be cycled through quickly. Caitlyn more or less resisted them, but Emily got into the guilty daily habit of serving herself a generous serving of cake for breakfast and desert. Emily caved and went to Lane Bryant to purchase new clothes. Bursting out of everything, she knew she needed to look respectable and not in denial of her expanding figure. Jack was slightly disappointed when Emily came to his house and her belly wasn't visibly hanging over skintight spandex, but had a feeling these new clothes would eventually suffer the same fate. In her room, Emily looked at herself in the mirror. Even with widened cheeks and a double chin she still had a beautiful face. Her once tan, toned arms were now fluffy and pale, while her now DD bust dominated her tanktop. Emily's once flat belly drooped over her waistband, and began to show stretch faint stretch marks. She sighed as her bed gave an audible wheeze when she plopped on to it. ---------- Carly and Emeko were sharing a full-size cake in Emeko's room while working on homework. "Do you think they know?', Carly asked, "They've got to. Us hanging out all the time, the pastries lying around, THIS," Emeko said, lifting up her shirt and patting her now considerable gut. "I dunno. Have you seen Emily lately? She might be blowing up faster than you are!" Emeko objected, "she is not!" Carly laughed. "Someone's jealous." "We've been dating less than a month and I'm already up three sizes. I'll be bigger than her before the quarter ends." Carly embraced her. "God you're sexy."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN Carly embraced Emeko, kissing her, and squeezing her love handles. Emeko removed her pants, and Carly's shirt, which revealed her ample bust and stretch-marked belly. Carly's usually stern face had a glow to it Emeko had never before as they removed the rest of their clothes and proceeded to make love. ---------- It was Valentine's Day, and Emily had a date with Jack, who she'd been seeing the last couple months. She'd always liked Jack, shy as he was. He was in the same program as her, but hadn't shown any real interest until this school year, and his pursuit intensified after the holidays. Emily was at a loss for what to wear. She had bags full of clothes she loved, but was in denial about the fact that she'd never wear again. Her skirts barely made it up her thick thighs and didn't have a prayer against her ass. She sucked in her gut to button upper largest blouse only to pop a button off when she let up. Ultimately, she chose a tight blue dress that more than accentuated her curves, hugging her ass, displaying ample amounts of cleavage, and putting her pot belly and back rolls on full display. She didn't care - Jack didn'y mind. He REALLY didn't mind. Caitlyn snickered when she saw Emily. Emily turned around. "What?" "Nothing." ---------- After spending the last two hours in bed, Carly had to ask. "Where did that come from?" Emeko rolled over and kissed her on the cheek. "I overheard you two... on Thanksgiving. About your fantasies. I... I thought it was kind of hot, And I felt jealous! Really fucking jealous of Emily. It was at that moment that I realized that I wanted to be with you." Carli's eyes widened. "So.. Your weight.." Emeko beamed proudly. "Up 30 pounds since that day. I just checked yesterday, I'm up to 162. It's been a lot of fun!" "But... your mom?" "... Is gonna kill me. But you know what? I'm an adult, and I'm happy. So what do you think?" Carly looked at her for a moment andburst into tears. "This is the best day of my life."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Emily was sad to see her two weeks of relaxation and family fun come to an end, and the return to the grind of academia. She was excited to see her friends though. Emily removed her coat and her body jiggled as she walked into her house. Her tight pink shirt hugged her volumptuous torso, failing to conceal her naval, which hung over the thick thighs her leggings clung to like a glove. She had put on some weight since she'd seen her friends, but they must be used to that by now. She brushed a lock of black hair out of her round face and exclaimed, "Emeko!" Emeko beamed and hugged her friend. "Emily! It's so great to see you! How was your break?" "Amazing! I think I might have over-indulged myself though... Just a bit," Emily said, chuckling. "I know, right? It feels so good to not have to suck it in any more," Emeko replied, patting her belly, which was noticably larger than it had been before the holidays. "My mom would have killed me if she'd caught me sneaking pastries. Speaking of which, have you eaten?" Emily, who'd had a burrito on the way home, shrugged. "I could eat." ---------- it didn't take long for the stresses of school to get to Emily. Though she tried to keep track of her food intake to a certain degree, she knew she would soon need new clothes once again. However, Emeko had clearly reverted back to her fat girl habits, and then some - regularly making cookies ("study fuel") and drinking multiple cups of cocoa daily. By the first of February, Emeko was nearly to her end-of-Freshman year weight, and didn't appear to mind, as she strutted around the house in a tight striped shirt, which accentuated her gut that had once again overtaken her breasts. Caitlyn, sporting thicker thighs and a double chin at times, was initally dressing conservatively around the house, before quickly realizing she was once again the skinny one. Emily noticed her friend's weight gain, but was preoccupied with school and a fling with a guy she had met at a party. ---------- Carly woke up and sighed. Valentine's Day had come and once again, she was single and lonely. Then came a knock on the door. "Hey, can I come in," aked Emeko in a quiet voice. Carly groggily opened the door. Emeko walked in, wearing jeans and a T-Shirt three sizes too small, exposing her belly. "Close the door."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN In the weeks that followed Thanksgiving, things were still a bit awkward between Emily and Carly, though they still were on good terms. The weeks leading up to the holiday break meant a heavy workload, and consequently, a lot of junk food. Emily caved and bought new shirts, knowing she was to soon visit her family, and her weight gain was obvious enough without her wearing shirts that now exposed her belly button. Carly and Caitlyn as well had been stress eating. The big surprise however was Emeko, who after Thanksgiving, had seemed to do a 180 on her eating habits, going from the obsessive fitness fanatic to the glutton she was during the previous holidays. She was still in shape, but was back to her beginning-of-semester form. Emily and Emeko were eating in the dining hall, when Emeko got up to get a third helping of beans and rice. "I'm getting some more. Do you want me to grab you some, Emily?" "No, I'm stuffed. Thank you though." Emily thought it was curious that her friend had fallen off the wagon so suddenly, marveling at the food baby, which still paled in comparison to her own gut. She was afraid to weigh herself, but she knew she had put onn weight since she last checked and figured she was hovering around 200. Emeko sat back down. "It's a good thing I didn't throw out my old clothes! The holidays are dangerous." "College is dangerous", Emily said, looking down at her body with a grim smile. ---------- The day finally came for Emily to fly home for the holidays. Looking at her nude self in the mirror, she admired her large ass and breasts, but frowned as she stopped sucking in her stomach, which jutted out past her bust and over her waistband. Overcome with curiosity, she decided to dig out her scale, and stepped on. With no clothes and with an empty stomach, she weighed... 204.8 pounds. She grabbed a handful of belly fat and sighed. "The Sophomore 15". She threw on leggings, a large shirt and a coat that hid her curves, grabbed her suitcase, and was on her way home. ---------- Emily's mother spotted her daughter at the airport, and looked at her for a minute. 'Well she hasn't lost any weight... Stop! She's my daughter and I don't need to be obsessed with her weight," she waved. "Emily!" When they arrived at the house, Emily's father and brother greeted her with hugs. Emily's brother still wasn't used to her sister's round face and chubby body, and was taken aback by just how large and soft she was. "It's great to see you! Take off your coat. Grab a beer!" Emily's thick thighs, larger ass and big belly covered, but not hidden by her long red shirt were the elephant in the room, but they didn't dare bring it up. The next few days were filled with drinking (much to her mother's chagrin), eating and hanging out. Emily's friends were all staying at school for Christmas or out of town, but she enjoyed the family time, ---------- On Christmas day, Emily got lots of great gifts, including some shirts and sweaters that she thought might actually fit. She went to go try them on after unwrapping all the gifts and found even fitting into her plus-size shirts to be a struggle. She eventually decided to wear a yellow shirt, that, while tight, at least covered everything. Christmas dinner was amazing - a large pot roast with mash potatoes, and assorted vegetables on the side. Emily, already quite buzzed, forgot about her tight clothes, and had three helpings of dinner, when her father asked. "Does anybody still have room for pie?" "I do." Emily said, getting up from her chair. Her mother watched in horror, as her daughter, with a larged stuffed belly hanging out of the largest shirt she had bought for her, burying her large slice of pumpkin pie in copious amounts of whipped cream. Still, she kept her mouth shut, and did so for the rest of the holiday break. All of Emily's new clothes were extremely snug as she got ready to board her plane back to school, but she was okay with it. She had had a wonderful break, and her family didn't judge her. "Love you mom", she said, hugging her mother and walking on to the plane.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN After her disappointing first weigh-in, Emily did only a little better in following weeks, with numbers of 187, 186 and 187. Over that period, Emeko had lost 6 pounds, and had nearly broken into the 130's. "Hey Emily. It's Sunday, remember?" Emily groaned. With all of the stress of the semester, she didn't have time to exercise at all, and was not doing the best job of watching her weight. She knew she had done particularly bad ths week, and dreaded the embarrassing prospect of weighing herself in front of her friend. "Yeah..." Emeko sensed that Emily didn't want to do this, and to spare her feelings, and the friendship said, "..yeah! The Packers game is on." ---------- Knowing school was the top priority, Emily caved to the reality that she wasn't going to lose her gut any time soon. However, she didn't want to get even bigger, and tried to control her portions and snacking. However, her weekends were spent partying, and she sometimes lost track of her food intake. On one cold October morning, she put on her largest pair of jeans, but they wouldn't button, even if she laid on her back. From there on out, it was leggings and sweatshirts for her. Caitlyn was baffled by her roommate's eating habits and rapid transformation, but didn't judge as she herself had been putting on weight. She loved her wider hips and larger bust, but had to suck in her beer belly, which liked to hang over her tight jeans. Carly too, was putting on weight, but her conservative style of dress and quiet demeanor meant it went largely unnoticed - or at least not acknowledged. Indeed, the dynamic in the house had shifted, with Emeko suddenly the skinny one - turning into an exercise addict at that. She continued to lose weight, and had several male suitors who she didn't find particularly attractive. Still, the weight loss had done wonders for her confidence, even though she was never particularly self-conscious at her heaviest. ---------- With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Emily made the decision to do Christmas with her family instead, and stayed home for Thanksgiving. Emeko and Carly were also staying in town,, so they decided to do a Friendsgiving. Carly, as it turned out, was a wonderful cook, and handled the turkey while Emeko got one of her 21 year old guy friends to procure the alcohol, and Emily made the sides. There was enough food to feed a village, but Emeko binged on all her old favorites that she hadn't been eating, while Emily and Carly went to town on the turkey and mashed potatoes. "I feel like I'm gonna pop!", beamed Emeko as she laid a hand on her hard food baby. "That's nothing!", an inebriated Carly said, pulling off her sweatshirt to reveal a black tanktop which failed to contain her bloated, stretch-marked belly. "You're such a show-off, Emeko," Emily said with a smirk. "I look eight months pregnant right now, but I'm just getting started", Emily said, reaching for her fourth helping of stuffing as Carly watched her, mesmerized. Emeko eventually passed out on the couch, and Carly and Emily sat on the floor, playing Cards Against Humanity. Emily took off her sweater, revealing a tight pink shirt which confirmed her claim that she indeed looked eight months pregnant. "Guess I overdid it tonight, and for the last year for that matter..." "You and me both! Look at this," responded Carly as she grabbed a large roll of belly fat. "I was on the varsity basketball team and high school. Now I don't think I would last two minutes on the court." "Yeah. I can't believe I let myself get so fat! Next month's gonna be fun. 'Merry Crhistmas Mom, by the way, I weigh 200 pounds now." "I doubt you weigh 200 pounds, Besides, if I'm being perfectly honest, I find weight gain... kinda hot. I don't know. My ex and I were mutually gaining... until she realized she wasn't as into it as I was. Obviously as you can see habits are hard to break." Emily was silent for a moment. "Well, the heart wants what it wants. I can't imagine how tough it must be to be attracted to something society frowns upon. Then again,.." Emily said, looking down at her chubby body. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable with that overshare! I've had one too many." "It's cool Carly, me too, me too," Emily said, accidentally locking eyes with her roommate. Carly leaned forward and started to kiss Emily, who went alng with it for a moment before pulling away. "I'm sorry Carly. You're great, but.. I'm not bisexual." Carly was beet red. "I'm so sorry! Well... I'm gonna head off to bed now. Good night!"

CHAPTER TWELVE "Wake up Emily." "Ugh, What time is it?" Emeko, wearing an exercuse uniform, replied "6:40. It's time to go for a run,: Emily groaned. "This early? Fine. Let me get ready." ---------- Bound and determined to keep up with her friend, Emily puushed herself to keep up for the first few blocks. However, she soon reached her limit and Emeko understood "Maybe we should walk the rest of the way." They had been walking for about a half hour, when finally Emily commented, "it's so weird being the fat girl. Like, I used to think that people just needed to have a little self-control, but now I see good food and I just can't help myself." "Don't I know it. That's how I got so big. You just need to change your habits. I can help you if you like!" "Please do. Whatever you're doing - it's working." ---------- When Emily got back, she was starving, and reached for the Eggo waffles when she remembered her weight loss goals and looked down at her gut, which gave her an almost pregnant appearance. She opted for oatmeal instead. "Okay Emily, if you want to lose weight, you should track your progress at weekly intervals. I'll do it with you, since I'd like to lose those last five or ten pounds myself, We can motivate each other", Emeko told Emily. Emily was hesitant. "I don't know... I'm kind of embarrassed," "Don't be. Remember how big I was?" They went to the bathroom and Emeko weighed in at 138.6. "I'd like to be in the 125-130 range, but I'm healthy at this weight. Your turn!" Emily sighed. Did Emeko really need to see this? Part of her felt like her friend was just flaunting her weight loss. Still, she needed the motivation. 'I went to the doctor three weeks ago. I couldn't have gained that much more, right?' She stood on the scale. It read 187 pounds, even. Emily hung her had. She was obese. There was an awkward silence, before Emeko said, "That's okay! You'll lose it!" ---------- After yet another devastating weigh-in, Emily was determined to lose the weight. However, after the third day, she opted to sleep in rather than jog, She was eating smaller, healthier meals, but developed the tendency to graze snack foods throughout the day. Feeling insecure about her body and trying to not drink alcohol, Emily initially turned down Caitlyn's offer to go to a party. However, she was goaded into it with the logic that it would be the last friday before school started and there would be lots of guys there. Emily had a few beers and also smoked a joint for the first time in a month, which led to her raiding the snack pantry at the house she was at. Caitlyn snickered when she saw her roommate stuffing her face. Still, even with her thicker features and bloated belly which her T-Shirt barely covered, she ended up taking some lucky guy home with her. ---------- The day before classes were to start was also weigh-in day. Knowing she had lapsed in her diet a bit, Emily made sure not to eat breakfast that morning. Emeko went first. "137.4! I lost a pound!" "Great job Emeko. I'm not sure if I lost anything..." "Oh, I'm sure you did! You've been eating salads and went jogging with me a couple times. "Well here goes..." Emily stepped on the scale. It read 188.7.

CHAPTER ELEVEN Bound to lose the weight she'd gained over the Summer, Emily refused to buy new clothes. She laid on her back to button her largest pair of jeans, and threw on her largest T-Shirt, which didn't quite cover up her muffin top. She sighed and threw on a sweatshirt. Emily reached up to place her suitcases on the family station wagon's luggage rack, revealing her pot belly in the process. Her parents drove her to the airport, they said they're goodbyes and it was back to Wisconsin... ---------- Emily arrived before all of her roommates. After unpacking her stuff, Emily was excited to see her best friend Emeko. The first of the others to arrive was Caitlyn, who she had been dreading seeing. To her surprise, it appeared that Caitlyn had gained weight as well, sporting a beer belly that her pink shirt couldn't quite contain. "Hey Emily. How was your Summer?" "It was good. How was yours?" "Good, but I think I had a little too much fun," she said, patting her belly. Emily smiled. "Me too, haha. Well it's nice to see you." The next to show up was Carly, who looked the same as she remembered her, in all her pale, no-makeup glory. Finally, Emily's best friend Emeko showed up. Emily was surprised by what she saw. Emeko, who had ballooned to borderine obesity during her freshman year, had lost all of the weight she'd gained. What was once a pot belly was now somewhat toned, and her tight blue dress showed off her height-weight proportionate physique. "Emeko... you look amazing!" Emeko blushed. "Thanks Emily. It's great to see you." "What's your secret? It's been what, two months?" "Well, when I got back home, my mom took one look at me and just shook her head. She put me on a strict diet and exercise plan. It was horrible. It worked though! How was your Summer?" "It was good, but I put on the pounds you lost," Emily said, frowning. Emeko checked out her friend. She was wearing a sweatshirt, but her face and legs did look to have plumped up a bit. "You look fine! You're too hard on yourself. Now I'm starving. After a Summer of dieting, I need some pizza!" Emily hesitantly looked down at her chubby body, but nodded. "Okay, but tomorrow we're going for run." "Deal. Maybe I can keep up this time!" ---------- They arrived at the pizza place and decided to split a large pizza. Emily devoured her four slices, while Emeko was stuffed after her third. "You can take that last one if you'd like!" Emily smiled and indulged. 'Her appetite hasn't always been like this', thought Emeko. On the way home from the pizza place, Emily asked. "Ooh, are you down for Cinnabon?" "I don't know, Emily." "C'mon! I'm starting my diet tomorrow, you're just getting back from your mom's boot camp. Just this once." Emeko sighed. "Oh, alright." ---------- When they arrived at Cinnabon, they agreed it was way too hot in the cafe, and Emily took off her sweatshirt. She scarfed down her cinnamon roll and drank her blended mocha drink and got up to use the bathroom, when Emeko really got a sense of how much her friend had let herself go. Emily was bigger everywhere - her arms were thicker, her size 18 jeans were skin-tight, and her once flat belly could not be contained by her shirt, and hung over her waistband. 'Emily's fat.'

CHAPTER TEN Emily looked at a picture of her from a year ago and compared it to the version of herself she sa in the mirror now: the one that is sixty pounds heavier. 'I need to change this'. she thought, grabbing her love handles. 'I am going on a diet... on the first of the month.' Emily reached for the ice cream and looked forward to her last four days of eating what she wanted. Emily took full advantage of her rationalization of gluttony by binge eating at nearly every occasion. Knowing she was to return to school in little over a week, her brother visited and they got lunch. Her brother was shocked when he saw his sister. Always athletic and in-shape, his jaw dropped do see a round faced girl wearing a tight green shirt which accenutated her love handles and larger breasts, and an unbuttoned, unzipped pair of short jean shorts. However, he was smart enough to know that nothing good comes from mentioning a girls weight gain and greeted her happily. "Emily! It's so great to see you!" Emily and her brother caught up over massive burgers and a plate of fries. He couldn't finish his, but was amazed to watch his formerly petite sister polish off the entire plate. "Should we get dessert?", she asked. "Oof. I'm good, but you go ahead." Emily smiled and gestured the waiter. "Could I get an extra large Sundae please?" After lunch, the two of them went for a short walk, and he couldn't help but notice her repeatedly pulling her shirt down to cover her stuffed belly, He could never in a million years imagine that she would let herself go so fast, and that her mother would be okay with it. "So Emily, is everything alright with you?" Emily knew where he was going with this and changed the subject. "Yep! Hey, we should go see a movie!" ---------- The first of the month came and Emily squeezed herself into some fitness gear she'd bought a few months prior. Her love handles and belly, still stuffed from her "last supper", spilled out over her tight spandex, so she threw on a sweatshirt, and went for her first run in six months. It went even worse than she'd expected. Her clothes failed to contain her full figure and within a couple blocks she was gasping for breath. After her second and third wind, she decided to walk. 'Baby steps'. After traveling a couple miles, she saw a Starbucks. 'I've earned coffee', she thought. She ordered an iced coffee, no sweetener but an almond croissant caught her eye. She resisted and sat down to drink her coffee. Twenty minutes later, she walked up to the register. I'll take that almond croissant please. And... a grande mocha... with whip. After devouring her pastry and finishing her mocha, she left the coffee shop with a sense of regret. She failed her diet on day one. 'Wait... school starts on the tenth... I have to properly say my goodbyes and it would be rude to not indulge in food and alcohol. I'll live it up during the rest of my vacation, then get to business when school starts.' Emily smiled and caught an Uber to her place.

CHAPTER NINE 'She's rubbing it in my face. I can't believe it,', thought Emily's mother as she saw her daughter get off the plane, wearing clothes that accentuated her rapid weight gain. She couldn't tell if she was any bigger than when she had returned from spring break, but before she considered saying something, her husband gave her a look. "Emily! It's great to see you!", she said, giving her daughter a hug. On the ride home, Emily told her parents about her last quarter of school, and how much she was looking forward to a couple months off. "Well, I know you're excited to be back, but if you get bored and are looking for a little extra spending money, I could probably hook you up with a summer job," suggested her father. "That would be great!" ---------- A couple days after getting back home, Emily went on a beach date with some friends from high school. She wore a tight bikini which showed off her luscious curves, including her gut which hung over her waistband. "My eyes are up here," she said, teasing her friend Zach as she batted her raven black hair out of her eyes. Emily's chubby, now slightly pale figure stood out like a sore thumb on the beach, but she received a lot of stares. She cracked a beer and winked at a passerby. ---------- After a week of catching up with friends and partying, Emily decided to take her father up on her father on his offer of a temporary receptionist job. After quitting her coffee job for the Summer, her funds had been dwindling. However, she would need some professional clothes. She tried on a few different skirts. The size 10 she knew was ambitious, but was still surprised that it didn't even get past her ass. The size 12 was better but still didn't quite zip up all the way. 'I can't believe I'm a size 14', thought Emily, marveling at her stomach, a bit bloated from a week of binge drinking, as she put on the next skirt. 'This will work she thought', before noticing her sneakers were untied. She bent over and heard a ripping noise. She blushed, pulled off the ruined skirt and put it in the middle of her discard pile, and went to grab a size 16 skirt, which, while a little loose, we knew deep down she'd probably grow into. ---------- Despite lacking the height and black hair of a Christina Hendricks, she was definitely the Joan Holloway of her office where she was doing receptionist work. In her first week, she was asked out twice, but was uninterested in the suitors. Emily proved adept at her job, which allowed her to regularly stay out late with her friends with little parental scrutiny. Before she knew it, Summer was more than halfway over and she had to start thinking about back-to-school preparations. "Hey Emily, are you doing anything Saturday?", her mom asked. "Not necessarily, why?" "Well, your doctor called. It's about time for your annual physical. He has an opening at 1 PM that day. Does that work?" Emily felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. While she was body positive, she still didn't like the idea of visiting her doctor, knowing she had gained a considerable amount of weight before the month and a half of partying and working a desk job. "Uh... sure. That's fine." ---------- Dr. Simmons knew that he was due to see Emily on Saturday to do her annual physical for the thirteenth straight year. When he saw a chubby dark-haired girl with a slightly round face and a double chin, he had to ask, "may I help you?" "It's Emily... your 1 o'clock?" Dr. Simmons's eyes widened for a split second. "Emily, of course! How are you?" "I'm alright. Didn't recognize me, did you?", frowned Emily, looking down at her larger body. "Well.. you're... blossoming into a young woman," stumbled the doctor. Uh, first thing's first, we'll have to get you on the scale. Emily inhaled and closed her eyes as she stepped on the scale. When she opened them, she'd wished she'd hadn't. Despite eating very little on the days leading up to the visit and skipping breakfast on the day of, the scale nonetheless read 175.7. "Okay... 175.7. So... Emily... you're up 40 pounds from the last time you were here, which looks like... 9 months ago. You were up a few pounds then but I didn't think anything of it, but you went from being a skinny girl to the overweight range very quickly. Is everything alright?" Emily was beet red. "Yeah. I don't know... I guess going to school and moving away.. it's just such a big adjustment. And to be honest with you, I like eating whatever I want." Dr. Simmons nodded. "I understand. Well, you aren't in the obese range yet, but this is very concerning. I strongly urge you to start an exercise plan and watch what you're eating. Also, if you're drinking alcohol frequently, I'd cease that at once. Now let's get the rest of this physical out of the way.."

CHAPTER EIGHT Emily returned to school still shaken by her experience. While she was glad that her mother had apparently changed her tone, she was still taken aback by what the scale had reviewed. She vowed to actually lose the weight this time, but that proved much easier said than done, as Spring quarter was very demanding, allowing no time for exercise or planning her meals. Hanging out in the living room with Emeko and Carly, Emily worked on her homework. "Hey Emily," Emeko asked. "What?" "Are you okay?" "Of course I'm okay, what are you talking about?" Emeko shrugged. "It's just... after you got back from spring break, you've seemed really down." "Oh... Well, you know, school's been-" "It's not just that though, I can tell. Something is troubling you." Emily sighed. "Well, to be honest, I've just really let myself go, and I haven't felt super confident." "Give me a break!, exclaimed Carly, who lifted up her sweatshirt to reveal a large stretch marked belly. "You're a knockout. Sure, you've put on a little weight, but it just makes you sexier. I have to hide all this." "You like fine Carly - I didn't mean-" "Yeah, I'm up to 172 and I'm 5'3"... You must think I'm massive," Emeko chimed in. "I'm sorry guys. I don't mean to be inconsiderate - it's just... I've gained almost 40 pounds since I got here!", Emily said, looking down at her body with unease. Carly's eyes lit up. "I have an idea! Let's do shrooms!" ---------- The following Saturday, they decided to hang out and take psilocybin. Emily was excited, while Emeko was nervous but agreed to participate. After an hour of hanging out and listening to music, they started to peak. "So, the reason I wanted to do this with you guys was so that you'd have a more positive body image," said Carly, clad in shorts and a tank top a couple sizes too small. "Take it from someone who likes girls, you're both really sexy." Emeko, who was having a great time and was already okay with her chubby body, smiled and looked at her tits, which were much larger than they were when she'd started school. Emily meanwhile, was enjoying a deeper introspection. 'I am a goddess', she thought, as she admired her curves, from her filled out yoga pants to even her gut, which her tight T-shirt hugged. ---------- Emily's perspective and body image changed after her trip. She wasn't a gainer, and didn't gain on purpose, but stopped watching and worrying about what she ate. The pounds crept on as the quarter came to a close. On the first hot day of the year, Caitlyn gave Emily a look of disgust as Emily proudly wore an outfit that showed off her chubby midriff, which she didn't suck in. Going home for the Summer was bittersweet for Emily. It was nice to have a respite from her demanding schoolwork, but she had to quit her job and would miss her roommates. She squeezed into an old outfit which gave her an impressive muffin top, hugged her roommates and was on her way home once again.

CHAPTER 7 Winter came and went, and it was already time for Spring Break. For Emily, that meant flying home again to see her family. While she loved her family, this trip did not come without anxiety, as she had not stuck to her New Year's resolution. While she had certainly not noticed any less looks due to her expanding figure (the opposite, if anything), she knew judgment would be coming from her stick thin mother. As such, her unbuttoned jeans and tight T-Shirts would not do. She went clothes shopping with Emeko to find some clothes that were both appealing and hid her gain. "Now that the weather's getting nice again, I really need to get back in shape. I can't afford to buy new clothes every couple months, this is ridiculous!", she complained to Emeko, who didn't respond. Emeko was partially to blame for her friend's weight gain, herself now hovering around the obese BMI line. She wasn't particularly displeased with her own weight gain, with the pounds mostly going to her lower body, balancing her natural apple shape. "Cinnabon?", she offered. Emily signed, looking down at her gut. "Might as well. I'm going to be sucking in and watching what I eat all next week." ---------- When Emily got home, she made sure to suck in her belly and arch her neck a bit to minimize her developing double chin as best she could. She could notice her mother check out her figure, but made no comment about it. Emily had a good time with her family, and her weight was never an issue. She was relieved when she met up with some of her friends from high school and saw she wasn't the only one who had put on weight. "Emily, you look so good!", remarked her friend Kara. "Hehe, thanks. I've been overdoing it on the beer and cheese, as you can tell", she chuckled, patting her stomach. Her other friend Lauren laughed, lifting up her shirt and grabbed a roll of belly fat. "I can't say that I've avoided the Freshman 15 myself. You do look great though. Curves look nice on you." Emily shrugged. "Thanks. I don't think my mother agrees though." Lauren rolled her eyes. "You're an adult now! Fuck what she thinks, you look great. Now let's get drunk!" --------- Emily returned home a few hours later very tipsy and full of Taco Bell. She took off her coat, her full belly very visible through her T-shirt, not noticing her mother standing there with her arms crossed and a smug grin on her face. "You've been keeping up with the healthy eating and exercise I see." Emily's face turned beet red, as she quickly sucked her gut in. "Mom, I..." "It's alright dear. You are your own person. If my daughter doesn't want to take care of herself, that's fine with me. Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh these days?" "Oh, uh, I don't know..." "Hmm I should have known you wouldn't find much use for that scale I bought you. Well, no worries, I have one! I got all the way up to 122 after the holidays and have been trying to shed those last few pounds. Let me grab it!" "Come on mom. Why are you being this way?" "What way? Let me go grab it!" Emily sighed. She knew her mother would disapprove of her figure, but this was ridiculous. 'I'm not even overweight', she thought. Teresa got on the scale, which read 112.4. "Well, only two or three pounds to go.. I need to start drinking my coffee black. Come on Emily, hop on." Emily groaned and stepped on the scale, lamenting her decision to pig out on fast food that night. Both Emily and her mother were surprised with what the scale read: 155.8 "155... Uh, well, hey, you know what they say, real women have curves", Emily's mother taunted. "You're mean!", Emily shouted, running upstairs sobbing. Her father came down. "Teresa, what was that all about?" "Our daughter is OVERWEIGHT is what this is all about. That girl needs to learn some self control!" "She is, really? Well, she's an adult, she can make her own decisions. I don't need you to make her cry. Shaming her isn't good for her health, physically or mentally." "I know, it's just... I just want what's best for her!" "What's best for her is to have a supportive mother, not an eating disorder." "But-" "No 'buts'. I don't want her to hate visiting her parents. Now let's go to bed - and put that scale away!" ---------- Emily's parents were were nice to her during the last couple days of her visit, but she was upset. Upset at her mom, upset with herself for turning the Freshman 15 into the Freshman 35. In her room, she looked at herself in the mirror - she carried it well - a nice soft hourglass figure. The main thing she didn't like was her chubby belly, which protruded if she didn't suck it in. Before she left, her mother knocked on her door. "Can I come in?" "I'd prefer you didn't." "Please Emily." Emily sighed, put on a sweatshirt and opened the door. "What?" "Well, I just wanted to apologize. You know, how I acted was mean and childish. I just... I worry about you. I look at you, and you're such a beautiful girl - prettier than I was at your age, but gaining 30 pounds in a few months... I just don't want you be unhappy." Emily frowned. "I didn't mean to... It just sort of happened." "I know dear. I won't harangue you about your weight any more. Just... understand where I'm coming from. I want you to be healthy, that's all." Emily nodded with a faint smile. Emily's mother gave her a hug and they both cried. "Hey mom, could you do me a favor?" "What is it, sweetie?" "Thank Dad for me."

CHAPTER SIX Seeing as how she had a busy schedule, and didn't have much trouble losing seven pounds, Emily slacked off her diet and exercise regimen a bit. She grew gradually complacent, as her few nights not spent doing work, at her job, or for school, were spent at parties, or at home with hot cocoa and Netflix. Emeko proved to be a bad influence on her. Emeko had slowed the rate of her own weight gain, but had also purchased some larger clothes in order to stop thinking about it. More often than not, she was able to convince Emily to stay in with her, rather than go for runs, and the Hot Chocolates she made, infused with a secret ingredient (half&half) were irresistable. Emily and Emeko were straight, but Carly, who wasn't, often joked that they seemed like an old married couple. ---------- On Valentine's Day, Emily awoke to a box of chocolates with a note that just said, "from your secret admirer". She racked her brain, thinking who it could have possibly been. She'd certainly hooked up with a few guys since starting college, but hadn't gone on any dates. She put on a snug tanktop that didn't completely cover her belly and took the chocolates into the living room. "YOU got chocolates? From who?," asked Caitlyn with a slightly nasty tone. Emily shrugged. "Dunno. My 'secret admirer'" Caitlyn chortled, "that figures. Guys must think they actually have a chance with you since..." "Since what?", Emily asked, angrily. "Since you got this," Caitlyn said, poking Emily's beer belly. "Fuck you! Do you know why guys like me? Because I'm not a stuck-up bitch!" "Oh please. Enjoy your chocolates. As if you need them," Caitlyn said, storming off. Carly, who had been there the whole time, chimed in, "someone's a little insecure..." Emily sighed. "She's right about one thing though, I've really let myself go." "Not really. Honestly I thought you were a little too skinny when you got here. Now you look smoking hot!" "Thanks Carly. You're probably right. It does seem like I've been getting more looks lately. I think they've been positive! It still wouldn't be a bad idea to cut down on the hot cocoa." Emeko walked in, yawning. "What's up guys? Ooh, can I have a chocolate?" ---------- After a couple weeks, Emily still couldn't figure out who her secret admirer was. She was at a party, chatting with a guy she found attractive, when Caitlyn, wearing an unflattering outfit that showed off what little bit of a belly she did have, swooped in. "Heeeeyyyyy, Donovan! Let's play beer pong! Want to be my partner?" "Oh, um, I guess so. Uh, hey Emily, do you want to play?" Emily had a mischievous smile, and looked for Nate, the guy she knew Caitlyn was into. "Hey Nate? Want to be my beer pong partner?" ---------- Carly, not much for parties, was at home. She looked down at her stomach, which hung over the waistband her panties - nobody had noticed, given her penchant for wearing oversized sweatshirts, but she had gained twenty pounds in the past three months. She sighed, looking at the last text she had received, 3 weeks and 5 days ago, from her now-ex girlfriend. 'I know I said I was into this, but... I was lying... to you... myself. You're a wonderful person, but I think it would be better if we were just friends.' A tear fell down Carly's cheek as she finally deleted the text, and her ex's contact information.

CHAPTER FIVE After a the last few days of the year were filled with netflix, hot cocoa and cookies, the day Emily was dreading had come: January 1st. She knew she had gained weight since her visit to the doctor, but didn't know how much. Stripping down to her bra and panties and underwear, she saw her thighs and ass were a little thicker and no longer toned, but more noticeably, her breasts were nearly as large as Caitlin's, and she undeniably had a belly. She gulped and got on the scale. It read 144. Before she could process the fact that she'd gained 25 pounds in less than four months, Carly walked in. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It was unlocked and I didn't know you were in here." Emily, still in her bra and underwear, blushed and instinctively sucked in her stomach. Carly said, "um, I'll leave you to it. Nice bod by the way. Curves look good on you." ---------- Emily appreciated Carly's comment, but was still embarrassed and squeezed herself into her running gear, which gave her a muffin top she covered with a sweatshirt. Running was as difficult as ever, but she pressed on and ran three miles. After a week of diet and exercise, Emily was pleased to get on the scale and see she was down to 140. As school got into full swing, she eased into a more balanced routine, but was still making progress with her improved diet, getting down to 138 the next week, then 137 the week after that. Emeko, on the other hand, had gone in the opposite direction. She was having trouble with her classes, and had been stress eating with regularity. Emily noticed her friend's double chin becoming more pronounced, her shirts now all failing to completely cover her belly, and her butt finally catching up to the rest of her body. She had always been chubby, but was now turning into a true fat girl. Emeko was sitting on the couch, eating chips as Emily worked on the computer, when Caitlin walked in. "Gosh Emeko, are you REALLY sure you should be eating that?," she asked with a harsh chuckle. "Be nice, Caitlin! But if you do want to go for a run with me sometime Emeko, you're always invited!" Emeko frowned and looked at her belly, which she had been in denial about having grown considerably. "Yeah, that might be a good idea." ---------- Emeko and Emily went for a run the next evening, but Emily quickly got frustrated as her friend was unable to keep up after a few blocks. After that, Emily offered the invitation to Emeko, but did not press the issue. Within a couple of days, Emeko was back to her old ways. "Hey Emily, Carly and I baked some cookies and were going to watch movies tonight. Are you down?" Emily thought, 'well I was going to go for a run, but I have been good lately'. "Okay, let's do it!"

CHAPTER FOUR Emily was still a little shaken from her visit to the doctor. She still wasn't even chubby, but it came as a shock to see she had gained 14 pounds. She frowned, looking at her belly, small but no longer toned and protruding just a little bit. Her plans to restrain herself on Thanksgiving went by the wayside in a hurry as family members shoved plates of delicious food in front of her. She sighed, 'it is the holidays. Might as well enjoy them', she thought, grabbing a beer and joining her brother and father who were watching football on the couch. Emily was in a food coma after three helpings. She headed off to bed, making sure to suck in her distended stomach. She looked in the mirror - she looked five months pregnant. She sighed and went to sleep. ---------- The next morning, she awoke to the smell of hash browns and bacon. She indulged in some breakfast, when her mother walked in. "Alright I'm going for a run" "I'll come with you," Emily said. "Oh no, dear. You'd better stay off that knee for a couple days," she said, leaving. Emily shrugged. 'Guess I'll just stay in today.' After a weekend of movies, leftovers and relaxing, it was time to fly back to school. Emily hugged her parents and brother goodbye and was on her way. ---------- Emily's plans to diet and exercise were interrupted by cold weather, and Chemistry, which proved to be the bane of her existence. When she wasn't at work, she was studying. When she wasn't studying, she was writing a paper for English class. Most days, she would just throw on sweatpants as she was always in a hurry. While writing one of her papers for English class, she didn't notice herself polish off nearly an entire party sized bag of pretzels. She was still partying on the weekends and was beginning to notice that she got a lot more stares from guys than she was used to, much to Caitlin's chagrin. She didn't have time for relationships, but a couple of times there was a very lucky college student. ---------- Emily wasn't able to go home for Christmas break, and would have to wait until Spring. Fortunately for her, Emeko was in the same boat, so they agreed to spend Christmas together. For the first time in weeks, Emily put on jeans, which proved very difficult to put on. She had to lay down to button them up. 'I've got to stop going to that laundromat', she thought, throwing on a sweatshirt. "You ready Emeko?" "Yeah! Let's go shopping!" After finding all the gifts they needed to buy, Emeko and Emily went to the food court. "Ooh, Cinnabon!", exclaimed Emeko. Emily shrugged and followed her. They both bought coffee chakes and a cinnamon roll. "I need to go on a diet," complained Emeko. Emily laughed, "as you eat a cinnamon roll?" "Well I'm not gonna start a diet right before Christmas! After the New Year, silly! But I mean, look at this." Emeko opened up her coat and patted her soft belly, which her shirt barely contained. "Oh, you are not. I need to get back in shape too. I'll do it with you. For real this time!" ---------- Emily woke up on Christmas day, and put on pajama pants and a sweater that was big on her last Christmas, but was now form-fitting. She poured herself some coffee with Kahlua and joined Emeko in the living room, who was eager to open gifts. Emeko bent over to hand Emily one of her presents, showing some skin in the process. Both had a nice haul. Emeko received her favorite candy, some books she had been wanting and some new shoes. Emily got a tablet, a pair of designer jeans, a couple shirts and... a scale. "Gee, thanks mom," she said, getting ready to test it out. "Emeko, who could tell (because she had eyes) that Emily, like herself, had put on some weight, said "Wait until New Year's, remember? Besides, the cookies are almost ready." Emily pushed the scale away and decided to try on one of her new shirts, which she struggled to get over her increased bust. 'Hey, I finally have tits,' she thought, grinning and not noticing that it didn't quite cover her belly. She walked into the kitchen as Emeko was taking the cookies out of the oven. Emeko was wide-eyed when she saw her friend's belly hanging over her pants. "What's up, Emeko?" "Nothing.. That's just a cute shirt is all!"

CHAPTER THREE Emily was excited that her first quarter of school was done with and she could visit her family for Thanksgiving break. She got off the plane and was greeted by her father. "Emily! It's so great to see you!" "You too, dad. Where's mom?" "Oh, she's at home, cooking your favorite." "Mac-and-cheese?" "You know it. Come on, let me take those bags." They got in the car, and Emily told her father about school, and her job, and the friends she made until they arrived at the house. "There's my little college girl," Emily's mother, a thin woman named Teresa said, giving her a big hug. "I hope you haven't eaten yet! Your brother should be over any minute." Emily smiled and took off her sweater, exposing the lower half of her belly for a split second before she sucked it in. "I see you haven't been starving up there." "Teresa!", chided Emily's father. "Oh calm down Winston. She's always been a skinny girl. She'll lose it after the holidays. Isn't that right Emily?" Emily blushed. "Uh, yea-", she was cut off as there was a knock at the door. "Brad!" "Emily! How's school?" "Great! How's the nine-to-five?" "Shitty! But that's why I brought a 24 pack of beer!" Emily smiled. "Can I have one?" "You can have as many as you like." "Brad! She can't have beer. She's 19!", protested Teresa. "Oh come on, she's an adult. Besides, it's not like she hasn't tried it at college." Emily's mom frowned. "Fine. But Emily, we're going for a run tomorrow morning." "Of course, mom!" ---------- "Come on Emily, I thought you said you've been running still. Try and keep up," taunted Teresa, as she sprinted ahead. Emily lied, "I have, mom. Just a little hungover is all." 'What happened to that diet Emeko and I were gonna go on', she thought, speeding up. "You don't want the Freshman 15, dear. Isn't that right? Emily? Oh my god, are you okay?!" Emily had tripped on some ice and was bleeding. "We've got to take you to Dr. Simmons," said the concerned mother. "No, it's alright, I'll be fine." Teresa sighed. "Maybe so, but it would be good to, just in case. Besides, I know he'd love to see you." ---------- "Well, it looks like it's just a knee bruise. Might be sore for a couple days, but you'll be fine. Just avoid icy roads for the time being", chuckled Dr. Simmons. Emily laughed. "Have a great Thanksgiving, doc." "Oh wait, Emily, one more thing, just protocol. Could you get on the scale real quick?" Emily stepped on the scale. 'I know I've gained at least 5 pounds', she thought, closing her eyes. She opened them. The scale read 132.8. "Up a little from last time, but still healthy for a girl your age. Enjoy the holiday." ---------- Emily and her mother made small talk in the car on the ride home. Eventually, Teresa couldn't help herself. "Say, just out of curiosity, did you check your weight? "Oh, yeah. Uh, it was around 125?"

CHAPTER TWO Emily was a month into her semester and enjoying school. She had finally gotten into a running routine, though she knew she had gained a few pounds with the partying and snacking. She was still thin and didn't mind, but did want a little more spending money. "I'm sorry Emily, but with out-of-state tuition, it's hard enough for your father and I right now. Maybe you should get a part time job?" "Yeah, I suppose your right, mom. Well, I still have a couple papers to write. I can't wait to see you guys for Thanksgiving!" "Me too. Goodnight sweetie." It didn't take long for Emily to find a part-time job as a barista. A couple weeks after her talk with her mom, she was working four nights a week at a small cafe. She loved the job, being able to choose her own music, have flexible hours, and take home unsold pastries at the end of the night. Emily wasn't big on sweets, unlike Emeko. "I hate you for bring these home," Emeko told her friend. "As you grab another turnover," teased Caitlin. "Well, we can't all be as lucky as you, having all your fat go straight to your tits and ass", complainted Emeko, looking down at her slightly protruding belly. While Emily didn't eat pastries often, she was partying 3-4 nights per week and no longer had time to jog with her job. "Yeah, I've been keeping busy mom... Yeah, I love it. Yeah... Oh, um, not as much, but yeah, I've been j-... keeping active. Yeah... gotta go. Love you too. Yeah, see you in three weeks." Emily woke up one morning and it finally happened: her jeans wouldn't zip. Emily groaned and put on some yoga pants and a tanktop, which revealed her slight beer belly. She put on a sweatshirt and went to class. That following weekend, Emily and Emeko went clothes shopping. They invited Carly but she was busy skyping her girlfriend. "So you're not a size 4 any more. Guys dig curves anyway", said Emeko, reassuring her friend. At the store, Emily tried on some size 6 jeans, but had a hard time getting them up over her butt. "Huh, I've never really had an ass before," eventually opting for size 7's, which were still a bit tight. 'These just need breaking in', she thought. "Emeko, are you about ready?" "Yeah... um, can you help me out of this skirt?" Emeko was wearing a skin-tight skirt and a bra maybe a size too small. "Damn you and your pastries, Emily", whined Emeko. "I swear two months ago this would have been loose on me." They eventually got her out of the skirt, causing her pot belly to jiggle for a moment. "That's it. We're going on a diet!" ---------- "I thought we were going on a diet," laughed Emily as she took a bite out of her Cinnabon. "A diet? Oh, right! Yeah, on MONDAY. This weekend's our last chance to eat whatever we want. Let's pig out!" Emily and Emeko went to the store and purchased cookies, chocolate and chips. They were at home eating it when Caitlin came in. "Oh. My god. What are you two doing?!" Emily and Emeko blushed. There were crumbs everywhere, and Emeko's bloated belly caused her shirt to ride up a bit. "Really guys? I expected this from you Emeko, but you too Emily? You WANT the freshman 15?" "We're starting a diet on Monday, and also ouch", replied Emeko. "Yeah, I've never heard that one before. Have fun stuffing your face, you two." "Well she was in a mood", said Emeko. Emily grabbed her newfound love handles. "Yeah..."