"Could you please just give us a minute to decide, Ms. Johnson?", Jon asked. "Please-I mean I know we shouldn't have been making out in the girls locker room (not that we could help, Jon thought bitterly, due to Sarah's mean wish), and it's really nice to offer not to tell our parents-it's just that sometimes the...popular kids are kind of mean to us."
Ms. Johnson sighed. "That's part of the point, Jon. You and Ethel need motivation to shape up-and a little teasing isn't going to hurt either of you. I'm not just offering a way out of getting suspended-I'm trying to help you both out. It's obvious you need more than gym class three times a week. Jon, there's nothing you can do about being a runt, but give me half a chance and I'll work off that potbelly and those man boobs of yours-and Ethel, you weigh 507 lbs for goodness' sake-do you want to end one of those people firemen have to rescure from their own beds because they're too fat to move? If we get some weight off you, you might even sweat less and smell better>"
But take a minute and talk it over if you need to>"
Except Ethel accepts how big she is and how much she sweats now, thought Jon, and thanks to Sarah, I absolutely love it now! She's the one who made us this way-and I don't think she'll let things get any better while we're in high school. I know she and her cheerleader puppets will put us through hell if we agree to this.
Jon turned to Ethel. He was unconfortably aware that the sight of her was still making him hot-her flabby upper arms, the huge round belly flopping out from her t-shirt, and her strong body odor, which even a heavy layer of deodorant couldn't fully conceal. Sarah had wished that Jon was only attracted to super-size women-and to Ethel in particular, sweaty odor and all. He shook his head and moved closer to her, so they could whisper to each other.
"What are we going to do, Ethel? We can't get suspended-and I don't want everyone finding out about me being in the girls locker room-but Sarah, Tanya, and the other cheerleaders..."
"We have to, Jon. My mom will freak if I get suspended, and so will yours. They won't let us see each other any more-and we can't let that happen." Jon lowered his head. He hadn't thought about that-and he couldn't stand letting that happen either. Because of Sarah, he and Ethel had finally acted on the feelings they had when she was still Karyn. Even if that was becaue of magic, he felt like he couldn't stand being separated from her.
Ethel continued:" Besides Jon, it won't be so bad. Sarah and the others tease me anyway in gym. A fatty like me learns to live with stuff like that. And besides, Sarah wished for me to be nice and big, instead of boney old Karyn. She even made me smelll like a real woman. So I'm sure they won't be too rough on us. I just hope I don't really lose much weight."
"Okay, Ethel. I guess we have to get used to being teased anyway-it looks like these are our new bodies from now on. Maybe a little excercise wouldn't hurt anyway."
"We accept, Ms. Johnson. Ethel and I will start coming during the three study halls we have together each week."
"Great, you two. You made the right decision. I'll talk to Sarah right after class to set things up-I'll give her and the other cheerleaders extra credit for helping me. There may be hope for you two yet. Now clear out of here, Jon-and don't ever try sneaking in here to see your girlfriend again. You can both report here starting 11 am tommorrow."
Defeated, dreading what the next months would bring, Jon's puny shoulders drooped even further down. He paused to give his "new" girlfriend a brief kiss (standing on his tiptoes), promising to call her after school to set up a date. Then he walked out the back of the gym into the hallway.
He heard the bell ringing for the class. He lingered outside the entrance to the gym long enougth to see Ms. Johnson speaking with Sarah, wathcing her break out in laughter.
Sarah sauntered past him as the bell conintued to ring. " On Jon, this is just too funny. I'm going to get to have all kinds of fun with you and your tubbo girlfriend for the next eight months-and I'm getting credit for it. See you at 11 oclock tommorrow."
Jon felt like crying all over again. What was going to happen next?
Oh well. At least he and Ethel had each other now. And maybe he could still figure out some way to get the stone back and set things right. But how?
Wracking his brain, he walked to his next class.
