Unchanged

CHALLENGE: To write a flash fiction story with 300 words or fewer.
MUST INCLUDE: the phrase, "You haven't changed a bit."

UNCHANGED

She lingered on the terrace, savouring the cool night air. It’d been a hot day, but dusk had produced a playful zephyr and a tapestry of stars above.

Sarah closed her eyed against the music and opened the door.  It was all of her worst nightmares woven into one evening.  Jocks, cheerleaders, cool kids, and then her.  She’d spent her four years hopelessly, painfully obese.  The pain all came from without; inwardly she’d felt human but confused.

Now svelte and lithe with two magazine covers under her Dior belt, she was that girl again.  There was the boy who pushed her; there was the girl who laughed.  A hundred pounds was regained in three minutes.

She got her nametag and gladly paid for a drink.  One drink led to three, and then from nowhere, she heard her name spoken behind her.

“O.M.G. Apparently, Sarah Cromwell’s here!”

“The fat girl?”

“Like, yeah!”  Tittering ensued.  She tried to melt away, but one humiliating tear escaped.

“Is this seat taken, Sarah?” a lush voice melted over her.  He was beautiful; all blue eyes and long lashes with a chiselled jaw to make Michelangelo weep.

“You know me?” she asked incredulously.  His loveliness was confounding.

“Grade Ten English,” he crooned, reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind one of her ears.  “I always had a huge crush on you.  I’m Edward.  Edward Maddux.  You’ve done well.  I saw you on several magazines and I was so proud.”

Recognition flooded over her.  Eddie: the chubby boy with huge ears and fat cheeks.  Postpuberty had been good to him – the ears were completely proportionate against his handsome face.

“I was fat in school,” she stumbled, her blush giving away everything, “I wasn’t pretty.”

“I disagree,” he said, “You haven’t changed a bit,” and smiled.


WORD COUNT: 300