"You girls were lucky enough to end up with me," Sarah began, taking a stance before the assembled bean bags. "I'm privy to some details that the other cheerleaders aren't, so we're going to do things a little bit differently than all the other sleepovers tonight."
Five grinning faces couldn't wait to find out what this meant.
"Some of you might have had a sense this week that something wasn't quite normal," the hostess continued. "And it's okay if you didn't notice, and it's also okay if you did. But because you're with me," Sarah pointed a thumb at herself smugly, "I can control that thing that isn't normal. And I am going to give each of you a chance to speak your truth, without any outside influence at all."
Aside from Karyn, Sarah's guests had no idea what she was talking about. Michelle and Andi found familiarity in what Sarah was saying, but they weren't sure why. Emma and Gladys were simply dumbfounded. But the five of them didn't care. In that moment, they would do anything Sarah told them to do.
"We'll start with Gladys." Sarah waved her hand towards the overweight girl.
Nausea. A quick wave of nausea overtook Gladys as her nerves very suddenly got the better of her. She was in Sarah McMillan's house. She was in Sarah McMillan's bedroom. She didn't belong here. What was she doing here?
"It's okay," Sarah soothed in a genuine voice. "I know you're confused right now, but even though it doesn't feel like it, you are among friends."
Gladys just pressed her hands firmly on her own generous gut, as though the pressure would calm her nerves.
"I want you to tell me, Gladys" Sarah focused in on the larger girl, as the other four guests watched on with vacant smiles. "Truthfully, honestly, why is it you think you wouldn't make a good cheerleader?"
Some guttural noises that were not even close to words somehow managed to pass through Gladys's sealed lips.
"It's okay, Gladys." Sarah deliberately repeated the girl's name. "Nobody's going to be upset with you. Nobody is going to think poorly of you. Everyone has their truth, and I need to hear yours."
"I..." Gladys trailed off for a few seconds. But she had said a word, which was progress. "I can't ever seem to lose any weight."
Sarah brought a hand to her chin and gave a 'hmm' as her eyes shifted into a thoughtful expression.
"It doesn't matter how I watch what I eat. It doesn't matter how much I exercise." With the flood gates opened, the words were now flowing freely out of Gladys's mouth. "My body is an apple shape, andeEverything just goes straight to my belly. And I know weight is just a number, and my doctor says I'm perfectly healthy, and that this is just how my body carries its weight. And I feel fine. But I can't go out on a field and dance at half time like this. I can't stand there next to--" Gladys looked directly at Sarah now, "next to you and know that every single person in the stands is comparing us and asking why I'm even there."
Sarah took this in. "So." She removed her hand from her chin in order to make an 'ah-hah' gesture with it. "The main issue is one of distribution. Well, that's fixed easy enough."
Gladys screwed her eyes. "What are you talking about? It's just genetics. I don't have a cheerleader's body like you do, and I never will." There was more confidence in Gladys's tone now. "You can't just say 'it's a distribution issue' and pretend it's nothing. Everything I eat, no matter how little I eat, it all goes straight to my--" Gladys paused, mouth hanging open, mid-word.
"Yes?" Sarah asked.
"It all goes straight to my--" a slight choking sound emerged from her throat, as though the next word didn't want to come out.
"Your what?"
"It all goes straight to my BOOBS!" Gladys finally gasped. She took in a deep breath, and her gut sucked in as she exhaled. But it stayed there as she breathed in again, and contracted more when she breathed out. "You have no idea what it's like. I've gone through five bra sizes this year alone!" More breathing, more contracting. Slowly slowly, the mass from Gladys's waist moved away, distributed itself to other parts of her body in ways that the average onlooker would find more appealing. "I know big boobs are a thing for cheerleaders, and I know I have the core strength for all of the moves and everything, but I feel like I'm going to slap myself in the face every time I do a jumping jack!"
Sarah smiled down at the new girl before her. This changed version of Gladys was not petite by any means. She had thunder thighs, and she had boobs for days. But her waist was trim and her limbs were well-muscled, and she was well-proportioned. Nobody would question why she might be standing next to Sarah.
"But I do them anyway," Gladys continued. "And flips, and spins, and everything that goes into a routine."
"And why is that?" Sarah's smugness returned. She knew the answer.
But Gladys didn't say it at first. She just gave Sarah a quizzical look, as though she felt like she was being tricked somehow. Like this question was too obvious.
But after a moment, she spoke. "Because I'm a cheerleader."
Sarah snapped her fingers, and Gladys's expression shifted to match the other guests.
