Curvy Girls Can’t Date Soldiers by Kelsie Stelting

Eleven

Nadira

All my friendsand I sat around a table in the AV room for our Curvy Girl Club 2.0 lunch. For whatever reason, someone sponsored fat girls to get together and eat once a week.

Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous.

No, I’m not making it up.

It was our crazy guidance counselor’s idea, if that means anything.

Besides, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Once a week, I got food catered from some of the best restaurants in Emerson and avoided the cafeteria. That was a win-win for me.

Today we were eating Italian from La Belle, and I swirled one of my noodles around my fork, lost in thought.

“What’s up, Dir?” Desirae asked me. “You seem off.”

I glanced up at my friend, realizing how much I must have missed as my thoughts wandered. “Sorry, I’m just having a hard day.” I set my fork down.

Faith frowned. “That stinks. What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “It sounds dumb out loud... but my parents haven’t come to any of my Mathlete meets, and Apollo thinks I’m Tatiana, who my brother has a crush on, and I guess I’m just feeling sort of pathetic.”

Cori reached across the table and rubbed my arm. “You are not pathetic. You’re one of the smartest people I know.”

“That’s the problem,” I said. “Smart doesn’t mean interesting. Smart doesn’t mean beautiful. If anything, it means unique.” I groaned.

Adriel practically growled. “Don’t let Isabella and Tatiana get to you. I danced with them for years. They treat everyone that way.”

“Not their boyfriends,” I said. “Not skinny people.”

“So what?” Des asked. “You want to be skinny? Do you really think that would make anything better?”

“Maybe if you cured my vitiligo too,” I muttered. “Then we’re in business.”

Des groaned. “Can you make me a deal?”

“What?” I asked.

Her eyes twinkled. “You have to agree to it first.”

I closed my eyes. “Why do I feel like I’m making a deal with the devil?”

“Want to win that fiddle made of gold or not?” she asked.

I snorted. “Sure. Sign me up. It’s not like I have anything better to do anyway.”

Her teeth gleamed as she smiled. “This weekend, you and me. We’re going to a party. A college party. You’re going to talk to boys, and one of them is going to get your number.”

My eyebrows drew together. “That’s the best you got? Some drunk dude’s going to ask for my number?”

Her lips pursed. “I bet within the first half hour, a sober guy is going to be interested in you. And he’s going to see the real you, not some picture of Tatiana you grabbed off the internet.”

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. “But if no one asks for my number, you’ll drop this self-love nonsense and let me be a realist?”

“A cynic?” she corrected. “And sure.”

Cori’s eyes pinballed between the two of us. “Okay, you have to text us and let us know what happens.”

Faith nodded in agreement. “But I know that doesn’t fix what happened with your parents. Sorry, Dir.”

Her thoughtfulness made my heart hurt. I managed a “thanks” and got back to eating the food in front of me. People always said that exercise gave you endorphins. Well, you know what else gave you endorphins? Carbs. And I was going to eat plenty of them before enduring whatever nonsense Des had planned for tomorrow night.

* * *

I came home to an empty house. My parents were working, and my brothers were at practice. Which meant I had the television—and the newly stocked pantry—to myself. I popped a bag of popcorn and played something on the TV while I worked through my homework.

I had it done in under an hour and sat back on the couch with my popcorn and soda, thinking about the romcom on TV and the tragedy of my life. Des had been so confident someone would ask for my number at this party she was dragging me to, but how would it feel when I got there and everyone acted as though I were invisible?

Past experiences had taught me that was an eventuality. No one at my own school or any of the Mathlete competitions I’d been to had ever acted remotely interested in me. Why would that change now?

I shoved down the disheartened feeling spreading in my chest and looked at my phone for a distraction.

Apollo was online.

I bit my bottom lip and sent a message before I could chicken out.

Nadira: Hey, how are you doing?

Apollo: I was actually just writing my email to you. This is easier. :)

I smiled at the screen. At the realization he had been thinking of me at the same moment I’d been thinking of him.

Nadira: Instant gratification for the win.

Apollo: Haha. How was your day?

Nadira: It was okay. You know, besides comments from the mean girls and my brother’s new crush on said mean girls.

Apollo: Ugh, I’m sorry.

Nadira: It’s not your fault.

Apollo: You know what I mean.

Nadira: I know. How was your day?

Apollo: It was okay. I just finished at ROTC. We had a back to school meeting, and it felt like drinking through a fire hose.

Nadira: I bet.

Apollo: And my professor completely called out this couple in front of the entire class. I was embarrassed FOR them.

Nadira: What happened?

Apollo: We were sitting in a lecture hall, so there’s like a hundred people in the class. Maybe more? And there’s this couple in the middle of the room. He has his arm around her, and she’s resting her head on his shoulder. It was cute, but also, I was kind of jealous, and then the officer just snapped at them. “This is a lecture hall, not a movie theater! If you want to be romantic, take it out of my classroom.” blah blah blah. It was a little harsh.

Nadira: It sounds harsh, but... what about ROTC got them in the mood for that?

Apollo: I don’t know. I feel like when you love someone, you always want them to know they’re loved, whether you’re in a class or a restaurant or just watching TV.

Nadira: You’re a romantic.

Apollo: Well, my mom thinks I’m sweet.

Apollo: ... thought I was sweet.

Nadira: Ouch. Still no contact?

Apollo: That would be a negative.

Nadira: Doesn’t Brentwood U have Parents’ Day in the spring? Maybe your dad can talk her into coming?

Apollo: I wouldn’t count on it. My sister said they’re sleeping in separate bedrooms now. Have been for months... I guess she was upset that Dad supported my decision.

Nadira: Apollo... I’m so sorry.

Apollo: Don’t be. It’s good practice, right? Sacrificing for my country?

Nadira: Soldiers don’t get paid enough.

Apollo: We don’t do it for the money. Or, most of us don’t anyway.

Nadira: Well, thank you in advance. When you’re a big-time sergeant, I’ll be able to say I knew you before you got famous. ;)

Apollo: Name dropper.

Nadira: Definitely.

Apollo: What are you doing now?

Nadira: Sitting on the couch, watching a movie, eating too much popcorn. What about you?

Apollo: Hanging out in my dorm room. My roommate’s watching Sex and the City without headphones while playing video games.

Nadira: Are you rooming with a girl? I didn’t know that was allowed.

Apollo: Oh, no, it’s a guy. He says he’s doing “recon” on the female psyche.

Nadira: I just laughed out loud.

Apollo: He’s convinced it will help him meet girls.

Nadira: How’s that working out for him?

Apollo: It’s not, but he’s only on season two. I’ll let you know if anything changes by season six. And he said he’s going to start going to parties.

Nadira: I’ll be standing by for that.

Apollo: I hope so.