Big Girls - Original Short Story

I wrote this short story for the Helium Network when I was at home with an injured ankle in 2012. I've been a "big girl" for most of my life. If there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that being overweight, or at least larger, is at least somewhat more acceptable now than it was when I was the ages of the teenagers in this story. For all of you out there who are also "big girls," remember that it's what inside that counts, and that being big means there's plenty of love to go around.

Big Girls
By Emma Redmer

I picked up the teen magazine on the newsstand. “Why can’t we look like those girls? I’ll bet they have sixteen guys who are begging for their cell phone number. They can actually fit into all the really cool new clothes. I bet they never heard a joke about their rears or their boobs in their entire lives.”

My best friend Laura rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you really think that’s real. First of all, most of those pictures are probably Photoshopped or airbrushed or whatever. Second, we can eat whatever we like. If we wanna have a slice of chocolate cake, we can have a slice of chocolate cake. Those girls can’t eat anything they haven’t been told to eat. They have to go on weird diets all the time to lose weight for the photo shoots. And how’d you like to be teased ‘cause you’re too skinny?”

“I’d rather hear skinny jokes than fat jokes.”

Laura ignored me. “Besides, not every guy goes for skinny models. You know Sharlinda Morrison? She’s dating Brad Hewitt now. She’s big like the girl in Hairspray. Really big. But Brad has said he doesn’t care. He’s even going to nominate her for Homecoming Queen.”

I grinned. “Sharlinda is great! She’ll be an awesome homecoming queen. We have a child care class together, and the little kids love her. She never turns them down for a game or a story. And everyone knows she’s a lock for Dolly in this year’s spring musical.”

Laura just grinned at me. “See? You don’t have to be some Ashley Tisdale look-a-like to get a guy.”

“I guess you’re right.” I dropped the magazine back in the rack. “How about we celebrate us big girls and see if Sharlinda is home?”

Laura put an arm around me. “You’re on.”