There they were. The Barbie Dolls. The bleached-blond, silicon-enhanced, daddy's-credit-card-endowed, anorectic airheads, aka the Popular Girls, aka the Cheerleaders. They took their seats at a table in the cafeteria, chittering loudly about the upcoming prom. Dresses, corsages, limos, dates…
Right on cue, a dark-voiced brawling by the entrance announced the arrival of the jocks. They joined their squeaking girlfriends to the sound of kisses and coos. They were too used to the attention to care about all the stares they got from the rest of the cafeteria. They were the Perfect People; the boys muscular and athletic, the girls slim with big tits, all of them with perfect complexion, white teeth, and thick, well-groomed hair. Barbies and Kens. The reason why people referred to Bartel Senior High School as Mattel High.
Paula forced herself to turn her attention to her history book and the political intrigues of Argentina in the mid 40'ies. She got so caught up in what she was reading that she didn't notice the whole cafeteria suddenly getting quiet, their eyes following the figure approaching her table. Suddenly, someone pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her. Paula looked up.
"Hi Paula," said Tony Johnson.
"Hi?" said Paula, frowning.
"Remember me?" he asked. "I'm Tony Johnson. We're in the same chemistry class."
"Yeah, I know," she said.
As if she wouldn't know Tony Johnson! Quarterback, elite pitcher, track star, the spitting image of Shawn Wayans… and the only one of the Popular People who had ever talked to her, although it was just to ask her to pass a flask of citric acid. What surprised her was that he knew who she was, let alone that he talked to her in public. He probably wanted to buy a copy of her chemistry notes, but she couldn't believe he was stupid enough to ask her in front of the whole cafeteria.
"Would you like to go to the prom with me?" said Tony.
Paula wasn't the only one who gasped for breath. All the eyes in the room were fixed on the two. Paula froze. So that was what this was all about, huh? The Perfect People were playing a game! Tony Johnson had been sent over to ask her out, so they could get a good laugh at her! She summoned all her dignity, stood up, and collected her books.
"No thanks, " she said coolly. "I'm not going to the prom."
She wished she'd been slim and graceful like the Barbies, so she could have swept out of there, instead of waddling off with a tray full of dirty dishes.
*************************************
Paula muttered some bad words as she strained to reach the English-French dictionary on the top shelf. Why did she have to be this short? She jumped when someone came up behind her, reached up, and grabbed the book. She spun around. She hadn't noticed Tony Johnson sneaking up behind her.
"Here you go," he said, and handed her the dictionary.
"Thanks," she muttered.
NOW what did he want?
"How come you're not going to the prom?" he asked.
"I'm not interested," she lied.
"Why not? It's the most important party of our school years!"
"I don't go to parties."
"Yeah, I've noticed. Why is that?"
Whow! Tony Johnson had noticed that she didn't go to any parties? No way!
"I'm not the party type. like you and your friends."
He grinned.
"We're not THAT bad," he assured her. "Why not give it a chance? Come to the prom with me! I promise you'll have a good time!"
"Oh, gimme a break!" said Paula. "Do you really think I'm stupid enough not to understand what's going on?"
"What do you mean?" said Tony, looking confused. "I'm trying to ask you out, that's all."
"Yeah, right!" said Paula. "And how much are they paying you for that?"
"What are you talking about?" said Tony.
"It's a bet, isn't it?" said Paula bitterly. "Ask out ugly, boring Paula and see if she'll fall for it? All your friends are in on it, right?"
"No!" said Tony, looking like he had just bitten into something that tasted really bad.
"It's nothing like that! I just want to go to the prom with you! My friends have NOTHING to do with this!"
Paula looked at him skeptically.
"Why would you want to go out with me?" she said. "Why don't you go with one of the PRETTY girls?"
"I think YOU are pretty," said Tony.
"Yeah, right!" said Paula angrily. "Like I'm gonna fall for that! You think I don't know what I look like? I'm FAT!"
She bit her lip when Tony moved closer and forced her back against the bookcase.
"Yeah, you're fat." he said. "And I think it suits you. You look cuddly. You're cute. I like big girls."
"You've never shown any interest in me before," said Paula.
"True," said Tony. "But I've been checking you out for the past 2 months. Didn't you notice that?"
Hmmm, come to think of it, she HAD caught him looking at her now and then, but she'd merely figured he was looking at someone sitting next to her.
"Besides, you're smart and nice and easy to talk to," said Tony. "I'd like to get to know you. Will you come to the prom with me – PLEASE?"
"Promise this isn't some trick to make fun of me!" said Paula, locking his eyes with hers.
"I promise," said Tony. "No tricks."
"OK," said Paula. "I'll go with you."
***************************
Rumor quickly got out that Tony "Tiger" Johnson was taking "Paula Plump" to the prom. The reactions varied from astonishment to skepticism, from jealousy to pity; and everyone speculated about what could be Tony's hidden motive. No-one, especially Tony's friends, believed that he could really prefer a fat bookworm over the sexy cheerleaders. Paula's friends kept warning her that the jock was just playing games with her; either he was going too lead her on just to cancel their date just before the prom, or he was hoping to take sexual advantage of her. Whenever they mentioned the latter, Paula felt her heart skip a beat. Sex? With Tony Johnson? She began to secretly check him out properly. He was tall, and muscular from endless hours of sports, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, and a flat stomach where the toned abs were hugged by tight tank tops. He was not just cute, he was also sexy. He moved smoothly, like a dancer, and his voice was deep and dark.
"He's just trying to get inside your pants!" Paula's best friend Helen warned her.
"I hope so," said Paula.
"Paula!!!"
"Oh, please!" said Paula. "I'm 18, I can take care of myself! Besides, it should probably be worth all the bad rumors to get a hunk like Tony Johnson to deflower you! If he tries to seduce me, I'm gonna go for it!"
********************************
When the big night had arrived, Paula was a nervous wreck. Hundreds of pessimistic thoughts flew through her head.
5 minutes past. He's not coming. I knew it. I might as well go and change into my sweat-pants again…
"Ding-dong!"
Paula went to get the door.
OK, he DID show up. But he's got all his friends with him, and they're gonna laugh at me all dressed up…
"Hi, Paula! Whow, girl, you look beautiful!"
She HAD made an effort. The dress (which had cost her almost all of the money she'd been saving for the past 2 years) was dark blue and had a simply cut model that made her look slimmer. She had put her hair up, too, and a had applied a discrete make-up. Tony – who had come alone, thank God! – was even more handsome than usual in a white suit with a slate grey vest. He looked simply gorgeous.
"Paula? Ask your date to come in, dear!"
Paula froze. Oh, no! This was definitely gonna freak him out!
"You don't have to…" she started, but he surprised her again.