It wasn’t always easy, doing what she did.
In her own private office, given to her through the generosity of her administration at Buttercombe Academy, when she was alone with her thoughts Shiro would often question the path that she was on.
Working towards her accreditation was always a good thing. And this program set up through the Yeng Corporation was wonderful because it allowed her to get practice in her field while also getting paid. Her cabin was free of charge so she could save up her money, and almost everything that she would require was taken care of.
But looking at the medical chart in front of her—clipboard feeling heavy in her hands—she could help but question the ethics of it all.
She may have only just started over the Summer, but this was the fourth student today who had come into her offices on recommendation for the SSS program.
It was only the first day!
According to her charts, Ginny Cutter had come to this Academy weighing one hundred and ten pounds—a perfectly reasonable weight for a girl of her height and age. She was a young and developing woman, after all. But the girl in front of her looked to be almost twice that!
“Two hundred and… eight pounds.” Shiro clicked her pretty pink pen, circling the number on her chart, “That’s… a little higher than what you weighed in at this time last year.”
You would have thought that the young doctor-to-be had just told her she’d never walk again. Poor Ginny looked down at her soft, flabby belly with the utmost disappointment. It was clear that she had been hoping for a lower number—Shiro could hardly blame her. Almost doubling her weight in just two short semesters and a Summer vacation… that was unreal!
Except it wasn’t. The other three girls that Shiro had seen today had been more or less the same. One girl had gone the extra mile and put on an extra thirty pounds to what the red-faced little Buddha in front of her had gained. How was this real? Four girls, all at once… practically back to back!
“So…” she squeaked, her voice was high and tinny, “Does that mean…”
She gulped, looking up at Shiro with big doe eyes.
“Does that mean that you have to put me on SSS?”
Shiro’s thin lips tugged to one side. This one didn’t seem too pleased with the prospect, unlike some others that came to mind. Honestly, Shiro wasn’t too big of a fan of the SSS program in general. At least, how it was handled…
But now wasn’t the time for sternness—what Ginny needed was comfort. A little bedside manner. And that, Shiro thought with some pride, was her favorite part of the job.
She put one of her long elegant hands on the poor girl’s fluffy shoulder. Bent down just a little to accommodate for the difference in height, and smiled as warmly as she could manage to the sitting, sniffling patient.
“No, of course not.” Shiro hummed, “You’re still a way’s away from needing the next tier up.”
Shiro was exaggerating, of course, to make the girl feel better. Truthfully, Ginny was just a mere 10 pounds away from qualifying. But that seemed to help her.
“I am?” Ginny sniffled hopefully
“Yes, you are. But you do need to start exercising more. And eating less.” Shiro offered in as benign a way as possible, “Just keep taking your medication and you’ll be fine. Maybe… I don’t know… do any of your friends jog?”
Ginny snorted—of course they didn’t jog. That’s what was wrong with this place.
“No.” Ginny said a little less hopelessly, “My friends are all lazy.”
“Well… then you could always go by yourself.” Shiro countered, “But like I said, if you don’t want to wind up on Tier 3, then just keep taking your meds and cut back a little. You’ll be fine.”
Her problems momentarily alleviated, Ginny hopped down to the floor with joy. Her whole body quivered and quaked with the impact of her weight to the hard linoleum floor. Shiro refilled her prescription, one last warning, and sent the poor little plumper on her way.
Hopefully she wouldn’t come back next year another hundred pounds heavier.
Sixteen and over 200 pounds… Shiro gulped, That’s nuts…
It wasn’t any of her business, of course. Yeng and Buttercombe paid her to do her job, and that’s what she did. She doled out the medication and operated within their prescribed limits. But something about all these girls, gaining upwards of a hundred pounds in a year… it didn’t seem right.
Maybe she should talk to somebody about this?
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