This choice: Erin makes it to her first interview, full of energy bars but without incident. • Go Back... Erin's stomach wouldn't stop growling even though she ate more than a usual amount of energy bars. Six, she counted, with disgust. She had to put it in the back of her mind. She had to ignore how tight her buttons were, how her slacks felt like they were squeezing her hips and ass, and her belly flab jiggled with every step. Getting to the office ten minutes before the interview, she sucked in her stomach and puffed out her confidence.
Dynamex Co. was one of the larger company's she had applied for, but that didn't bother her. The main reason she applied was that she had an ace up her sleeve. She knew, from her lucrative Facebook contacts, that her old high school friend Emily would be interviewing there the same day, for the same position. Well, "friend" might be too strong a term. The two had a rivalry going back the middle school. Erin relished the idea of continuing that rivalry well into adulthood, although she wouldn't be one to gloat. Luckily, Emily was leaving just as Erin walked up.
"Emily? Oh my god, it's been forever!"
"Erin? I almost didn't recognize you!"
The two hugged. Erin was probably imagining it, but it seemed to her that Emily kept her hands on her little lovehandles a little too long after.
"It's so good to see you again! How are things? Do you work here?" Erin asked.
"No, I'm applying for the front office administrative position," Erin said, knowing that was Emily's goal as well.
"Oh, I just applied for that, too!" Emily said, still looking as pleasant and friendly as always. "Well, may the best woman win, right?"
The two laughed.
"Well, anyways, I'd better get in there," Erin said. "It was great catching up."
"You too! We need to grab lunch some time to catch up," then, as the two parted, Emily threw in one stinger that threw Erin off, "It's great to see you looking so . . . healthy. Bye!"
Erin tried to shrug it off. She only just had to get used to have some extra meat on her bones today, of course she'd have to get used to potshots like that from rivals. But she was smarter, and sneakier, than Emily ever was. And when she showed up in the office and was escorted in to be interviewed, she was already feeling that familiar surge of confidence. Still, she was making sure to keep her stomach sucked in.
"Hello, Mr. Henderson, Ms. Lowell," Erin said, politely but firmly. "Thank you for taking the time to interview me today."
"Thank you for being on time. Not everybody is," Mr. Henderson, a tall elderly man, said.
"Now Erin--you do go by Erin--we've looked over your resume and just have a few questions," Ms. Lowell, a plump, middle-aged woman, said. "Oh, I saw you speaking with Emily Paulson, do you two know each other?"
Here was her chance. "Oh, we've known each other since middle school. She really is a nice person, it's so good to see she's starting to get her life back on track."
Erin smiled, but not too much. The two looked at each other with concern. There it was, the doubt she was hoping to sow.
"Well, that's neither here nor there. So, Erin . . . " Mr. Henderson returned to his friendly but professional demeanor, and the interview commenced.
Erin sat with her hands across her lap, hoping to hide some of her swollen tummy, and confidently responded with her usual finesse. However, soon, she felt that stirring in her stomach again, and the growls that came from her stomach were quiet for now, but would they stay that way? She shifted in her seat, hoping they didn't hear. She started answering questions in a louder voice to drown it out.
"I always believed that an employee's first concern should be their own job-urp-oh, excuse me," Erin felt the gas well up inside her and hoped she could stifle it more than she did. Her stomach was getting more active now as it demanded food, the hunger making her edgy. "But, just because I'm mainly looking out for my own duties doesn't mean I don't pay attention to what's--uuurp-sorry--to what's going on arou-bwaaarp!"
The last one came on so suddenly that she hardly had time to cover her hands. She blushed and apologized. They just smiled and asked her to continue. That was a good sign. Erin now had one hand on her stomach, hoping that would settle it for the moment. Just a few more minutes, she pleaded inwardly.
The interview was nearly over. Erin was so distracted by her own body suddenly betraying her that she only had the vaguest idea of how well it went. They were impressed with her responses, and didn't seem too put off by her noisy stomach or fit of burping. So that was good, right?
"Once again, we really appreciate you coming in," Ms. Lowell said as the three stood up. Erin leaned forward to shake her hand, feeling her slacks strain under her soft, bloated tummy as she did so.
"It was my pleasure. I really hope you consider me for-uuuurp-for this job," she smiled, turning to Mr. Henderson. Maybe they thought it was endearing?
Mr. Henderson leaned forward to shake her hand, and Erin responded. Just as it happened, she felt it. She felt her stomach growl again, felt the shirt strain, and then watched in horror as the second button, the one right above her naval, popped off her shirt, ricocheted off the desk, and knocked Mr. Henderson in the cheek.
"Ow," he said lightly, confused by what just happened.
Erin didn't stop leaning forward. She was shocked, appalled at herself, not sure what to do now at all.
"Oh, god, I am so sorry . . ." she stood up straight, holding her tight shirt together with her hands, hoping that at least they didn't see any of that horrible pudge which Erin was hating more and more every second.
Mr. Henderson looked down and saw the button. His expression was blank while he looked to it and Erin.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2025 Rubarbstreet (UN: rubarbstreet at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Reneg4de has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author