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(XWG, SSBBW)

Anna decided not to go to school the day after she was fired from her job. It would be too embarrassing, she reasoned. For months she had bragged about getting a job at one of the upscale boutiques in town, and then suddenly she was fired for… What was it her boss said? Oh yeah, no-call-no-showing on nights where she closed and trying on the merchandise while she was on her shift. Basically, all the perks of working at a nice clothing store were off limits to her. Bullshit. She knew the other employees did the exact same thing, some even stole clothes.

Anna never got along well with them, though. That was probably how she got ratted out, she figured. They hated some girl who was about to graduate high school totally upstaging them at their dead-end job. She’d get a new job, and then quit that for something better eventually. In the meantime, however, Anna just didn’t know if she would ever be able to find a job as awesome as that one was.

Sighing, she slumped on the couch of her living room again, playing with a strand of black hair as she stared at the T.V. At that moment, Anna’s phone buzzed. She picked it up, seeing it was a text from her friend Brenda. They usually got lunch together. Cafeteria food sucked, and Brenda loved eating out. Eating in general, really.

‘Hey i saw u werent in class today. Do you still wanna do lunch???’

Anna sighed. She wasn’t really dressed today, and besides, her budget was going to be tight until she got herself a new job.

‘Would love to but idk if i can afford it ‘

The reply from Brenda was nigh instaneous.

‘I can pay for u!! Ill pick you up and everything! I just wanna make sure ur ok’

Anna thought it over a little bit. Fine, she decided, beginning to make a quick sprint up the stairs to her room while texting her reply to Brenda.

‘Ok! I might need a bit of a minute to get properly dressed and stuff thanks.’

‘Be right there!’

In her closet, Anna got a pastel yellow shirt she adored as well as a long pair of navy slacks. They would go great together with that belt she… acquired on the way out after being fired. Slipping both onto her slender frame, she then went to the bathroom to apply some make-up as quickly as possible. Just something to accentuate her eyes and lips a little bit more. She made a glare into the mirror once it was all done-- Being somewhat tall for a young woman at 5’7, she was often compared to a model. She just seemed to have this perfect figure able to fit well in any clothes she put on. It was probably one of the things that got her the job at the boutique in the first place.

There was a honk from outside. That was probably Brenda’s SUV. Grabbing her keys, phone and purse, Anna rushed once more back down the stairs to go meet Brenda outside. Anna knew she didn’t like to be kept waiting for a meal. Locking the front door, Anna saw that her suspicions were in fact confirmed, Brenda’s silver SUV parked in the driveway with its corpulent driver checking her phone behind the wheel. Jogging up to the passenger side, Anna tapped on the window to get Brenda’s attention.

After a few taps, the fat girl popped to attention in her seat, her overfed figure trembling. A smile spread across Brenda’s round, triple-chinned face as she saw her friend. She reached one chubby hand over to unlock the passenger door, Anna opening it as soon as she heard the click.

“Hey, girl! How’s it going?” Brenda said, moving one of two empty extra-large frappe cups out of the cupholder next to Anna’s seat and throwing it in the back seat. Her car was surprisingly clean save for a few Starbucks items here or there, Brenda must have cleaned it frequently.

“Not the best, I… Got fired yesterday and so I’ve been just sort of… Moping about that…” Anna said, giving a somewhat awkward smile to Brenda as the other started backing out of the driveway.

“Oh my god, that’s awful… Tell me all about it when we get there, okay?” Brenda replied, pulling her sunglasses down over her nose and cherubic cheeks before they started speeding down Anna’s street. “I’m so distracted right now… We got held back late in Mrs. Abbeville’s class and ugh…”

A low rumble emerged from Brenda’s elephantine belly. Keeping one porky hand on the wheel, she brought another one to her gut and pressed it into its softness. Even with how far back her seat was, Brenda’s belly grazed up against the steering wheel somewhat. “...I couldn’t make my usual vending machine stop, so I’ve just been starving and distracted all day.”

“Oh, is that abnormal for you?” Anna said with a joke, both of them cackled. They were like a pair of old ladies, so close enough that they could blatantly insult one another and laugh about it.

It may have at first glance seemed strange that the two were such best friends. As they both stepped out to the parking lot from the SUV-- squeeze may be more descriptive in the case of Brenda, their silhouettes were so wildly different. Anna was tall and thin as a rail, whereas Brenda was beyond fat and about four inches shorter than her friend. At the same time, Brenda was so massive compared to Anna; she was nearly five times her size. Anna kept her graceful pace slow to match what Brenda could manage, a slow waddle that involved her entire figure teetering. Anna could move in near silence, while one could always hear the heavy breathing of Brenda even if the surface beneath her was still.

Yet, if one were to focus one’s attention on both of them and gain even the smallest bit of familiarity, one could understand why they were friends. Really, it could be seen in their clothes. Both girls were quite fashionable, or at least evidently passionate about the way they dressed. Even though Brenda was at a size where clothing options seemed rather limited, she always managed to pull off a stylish look. Today she was boasting boasting a somewhat tight periwinkle dress with a muted green cardigan and black leggings beneath. There was no doubt to Anna that these all came from the plus-sized boutique at the mall where Brenda worked. Dress up play had been something that Anna and Brenda bonded over even when both were little kids, and ever since then they stuck together.

The restaurant they visited was a retro-styled burger joint only a few blocks away from the school. It had that whole old diner look to it: tiled floors, a non-functioning jukebox, a bar for no real reason, just about everything. Brenda ordered her meal first, Anna popping in after to just have some chicken nuggets and fries. She was never one to go hard on food. While they waited for the order, they found themselves a booth. Brenda had to squeeze herself in carefully, Anna had no idea why she still insisted on sitting in a booth when Brenda had outgrown them at least 200 pounds ago. ‘Because it’s more authentic!’ Was always the reply.

“So, like I said before…” Brenda began, looking up as two waitresses in cute, retro uniforms came out with two trays each. Three of them were Brenda’s, one was Anna’s. Both nodded to the waitresses in recognition as Brenda continued. “Tell me about it: How’d you get fired?”

“Ugh, it was such bullshit…” Anna rolled her eyes, looking to Brenda. The blonde was already going to town on her fries, nodding as she listened. One would think she’d be annoyed by her friend’s gluttony, but really it gave her a way to talk someone’s ear off without being interrupted--something that Anna would always appreciate. “Basically I was fired for modeling too much in their clothes and posting it online, like on insta and stuff, as if promoting my place of work was going to be a bad thing?”

Brenda nodded, dabbing a bit at her lips with a napkin. “Yeah, that sounds like some shit. Do you know which of your bitch co-workers reported you?”

“No! That almost annoys me more! It had to be jealousy, though. I know it.” Anna sighed, slinking back in the booth as she ate a single fry. Brenda looked concerned as she ate her way through a chicken sandwich. “I guess I just don’t know what I’m gonna do, there’s no way I can get a new job in time for Spring Break…”

It was then that Brenda had an idea, swallowing some of her sandwich. “Why don’t you just work with me? Like, at the plus-sized store! I can put a good word in for you and everything. They love me there, and plus they let me model for them and promote them all the time on social media since it’s a like--it’s a smaller chain.”

Anna took some pause at the suggestion, nearly dropping one of her half-eaten fries. Instead, she set it down, making a slight wincing expression on her face. Brenda’s semi-excited look dropped.

“Oh, come on, Anna! Don’t be a snob about it! It’d be just the same as your last job except you’d get to do more!” Brenda stuffed another chicken sandwich into her maw. Anna sighed.

“I mean, is it really the same, though? I mean… Your clothes do look good, but like… I don’t know. I feel like I don’t fit the, like, profile of an employee there. Get what I mean?” Anna said this to someone who fit the profile of such an employee perfectly. Indeed, to Anna, Brenda epitomized the exact sort of customer that her store wanted: super-sized and of good taste.

“Well, sure. I mean, that’s why I said I should put a good word in for you, but it’s not like working there will make you fat or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Brenda was insistent on her point. “Besides, think about how much fun it could be if we work shifts together! At least try to interview for a position.”

“... Fine.”

*

“Well, and I’m not sure how I should say this Anna--may I call you Anna? But, um… Do bear in mind that you do not necessarily… Fit the profile of the usual team member here…”

Anna nodded. “I’m well aware of that, but I hope my experience and qualifications can overcome whatever difficulty it poses.”

“Right.” The manager to Brenda’s place of work said with a curt nod. She was a portly woman, nowhere near Brenda’s obesity, but she was very clearly large. Her red hair was done in a tasteful bun, a red cardigan covering a black dress. Beneath her generous chest and above her porcine gut she wore a belt with a silver buckle. “I had hoped from Brenda’s testimony that you would be taller, too.”

Anna cringed a bit. She felt as if she were bombing this interview. “I-i can wear heels, if that’d make things better?”

“On the sales floor? I’m afraid not. Only flats are allowed, especially when you have to do things in the back room.” Anna just nodded along with what the manager--Tina, said. It was all correct, and all of them posed the sort of objection Anna could not think of in time at the restaurant when Brenda got it into her head to apply for her.

Anna had been half-tempted to purposely bomb the interview, but she knew that if she made a bad impression that Brenda would be pissed. She also knew that there was no way this (seemingly) easy of an opportunity would present itself for a job any time soon. So she decided to bring her A-game. She actually wore heels to the interview, hoping to make herself taller. She figured her facade was not enough to convince Tina. This woman was something she just wasn’t used to. She seemed so uniquely able to grill people. Brenda said she was nice. Anna almost wondered if she was being discriminated against for being thin.

“Why is it so important that I fit the profile?” Anna then decided to blurt out. “I can do the work, can’t I?”

Tina gave her a look. Anna felt almost immediately as if she had fucked up in some way. Tina just sighed.

“It’s a matter of comfort for the customers, and also a matter of pride for us. We prefer that our employees wear items from the store, you know…” Anna nodded. Again, it made sense. Then Tina continued. “But, looking at your measurements, you should be tall enough for some of our items. We can get you something to wear if you bring a belt.”

“Huh?” Anna looked up from her lap.

“I’m hiring you, Anna. Your resume is impressive, and to be honest, we’re too short-staffed to be too picky.” Anna stood up, Tina joining her with two pudgy hands on her desk. Anna almost leapt to hug her, but caught herself in time to just extend a hand for a handshake.

“Thank you so much, Tina! I promise I won’t disappoint you, even if I’m not a perfect fit for the profile!”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll grow into it!” Tina replied with a grin as she shook Anna’s hand in return. Anna just laughed it off.

“When do I start?”

“How about you come in for tomorrow evening, it might be good to get you in on a closing shift first thing. I’ll have Brenda train you, since she knows you best.” Anna nodded, turning to go out the door. “Oh, and one more thing, you can keep whatever clothes you wear during your shift. If anything happens to them, just change. No deductions or anything.”

“Got it, thank you so much again!” Anna said, unsure whether she should curtsey to Tina or not. Tina just gave a slight laugh.

“Really, it’s not a problem. You seem like a good worker, Anna, we’re happy to have you on board!”

“See you tomorrow at 1!” Anna said, waving as she left the office to immediately start texting Brenda about her new job. A lot of exclamation marks were exchanged as well as repeated announcements of how excited each of them were and how Brenda already knew the best outfit for Anna to wear.

Already, some of Anna’s anxieties had started to dissipate.

*

The next day Anna wandered into the boutique at around 12:50 in jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but enough to get a good idea of her measurements and so she could be decent before she got a work uniform picked out for her. Brenda was already there, ringing up a customer at the counter while another employee, a slightly older girl with a pixie-cut that appeared to be about half Brenda’s size folded clothes and put them into a bag.

Brenda noticed Anna and waved, the olive flesh her flabby upper arm jiggling out in the open. As she was indoors, she was wearing a white, short sleeved blouse tucked into a dark blue skirt which ran down to her knees and then some to obscure her gut as much as it could. Of course, one could obviously notice the way her belly hung in front of her just by her silhouette. Anna approached as the customer walked away.

“Hey! Welcome to your first day! Anna, meet Becky, she usually works the day shift.” Brenda moved out of the way, Anna extended her hand to shake Becky’s. Becky was initially apprehensive, but then took it.

“Nice to meet you, Becky.” Anna immediately got the sense Becky didn’t like her.

“Nice to meet you too…” Becky said, her voice was a slight alto. She must have been a smoker. She turned to Brenda. “I might head off now that you have some help, that alright with you?”

Brenda shook her head. “Fine with me, get you some lunch!”

Becky gave a half smile and then wandered to the back. Brenda looked around at the store, checking the horizons. As it was the middle of the day on a Friday, there was hardly anyone there. She turned to Anna.

“Alright, let me show you where you clock in and everything. Let’s also get you ready for the workday with some clothes and stuff. It’s so like you to come to work in a t-shirt and jeans.” Brenda scoffed, squeezing herself out from behind the counter.

“I knew I was gonna change, Brenda, just thought I’d be comfortable before then.” Anna began to follow Brenda to the back of the store. Brenda scoffed yet again.

“As if you won’t be comfortable already. Now… We should probably just get something from the smallest sizes here…” Brenda began to file around a rack of high-waisted dress pants hanging up. She then pulled from a neighboring wall a blue-and-white horizontal striped sleeveless top, handing both that and the pants to Anna. “Smallest sizes are a ten, do you remember what yours is again?”

“I’ve got a 29 and a half inch waist, I think? That’s at least if I’ve been out.” Anna replied, she looked at the insides of the pants to see the tag. All that sat there was a tag with the number 10. “Does this place have its own size chart?”

“Yeah, if you’re used to straight measurements you’re gonna get confused. As a point of reference, the size ten is suited for a thirty-two inch waist.” Brenda replied. Anna nodded, she’d have to take note of that. Eventually they were in the back room, and there Brenda showed all the different storage racks, the breakroom table, the (well-stocked) fridge, and the time-clock. “Lisa said your number was… Nine… Seven… Two. You got that?”

“Mhm.” Anna said, punching it in. A green light of approval as well as a small ‘ding’ greeted Anna to indicate that she was on time. “What do you want me to start with, Brenda?”

“Well, change first. Then I’ll run you through how the register works, and once things pick up I’ll put you out to watch over the changing rooms.” Brenda said, going over to the fridge to take a long sip from a large iced coffee she had in there. She made eye-contact with Anna. “Want some?”

“Just a sip.” Anna said, taking a quick drag from the straw before she headed off to the dressing rooms.

Anna was careful to hold her tongue, but she had to whisper ‘holy shit’ under her breath once she saw the changing rooms. They were all quite roomy, the small seats inside of them boasting full, reinforced benches. Again, it seemed like a store that was built specifically for someone Brenda’s size. Well, perhaps a little bit smaller Brenda. She remembered that the entrance to the shop counter seemed a little bit snug for her friend. Still, it was much bigger than any of the places Anna was used to visiting.

Anna hung both of the items on the hangers provided and began to undress herself. She undid her belt--this would probably come in handy, and pulled the jeans down to her ankles, stepping out of them lightly and then folding them up. Out of curiosity, she checked the tag. It just read ‘30”’ on it. Pantsless, Anna then pulled her t-shirt off over her head, she didn’t bother checking the size on that.

She looked at her slender body in the mirror, giving herself a wink with both hands on her just-curved-enough hips. After striking a pose, Anna then grabbed the top from the rack. She pulled it on. It did hang on her somewhat. Some bagginess was to be expected, Anna reasoned. She took the pants down, and carefully stepped into them, pulling the black slacks all the way up till they were slightly above her waist. She decided that she would tuck the top in, zipping and buttoning the slacks after that.

She kept her hands on the button for a second before she let each of them go, letting her arms spread out a little. She wanted to see how they held on their own. Anna was honestly a little worried about coming off as a sort of tourist if she was wearing a belt too. For a brief moment, Anna’s vision felt blurry. Her head had a weight to it. Did she stand up too fast? Maybe it was that little bit of caffeine.

Whatever it was, it didn’t last long. Anna was staring at herself in the mirror. In all honesty, the outfit seemed to fit on her just fine. Indeed, she felt quite comfortable in it. Not loungy, but she fit it alright. She didn’t even think she needed the belt. Winking at herself again in the mirror, Anna bent over to pick up her jeans and t-shirt. She could feel her stomach pooch just slightly as she did it. She’d have to decline on dinner with Brenda later, she figured.

Old threads collected, Anna then went to see Brenda again in the breakroom. She wasn’t there. She must have been on the sales floor. Shrugging, Anna just found a random locker to put her old clothes in and then left for the sales floor. Brenda was up there waiting at the register on her phone. She looked up when she heard Anna approaching and put her pudgy hands on round cheeks to indicate surprise.

“Oh my gosh, girl, you look great!” She bounced a bit in her spot, her whole body shaking and jiggling. “How do you feel? Did I do a good job?”

“Oh, it feels great. I think you did a great job. Good call on the stripes, too.” Anna set both of her hands at her hips, pinching a bit at the softness that had formed there. “They make me look wider.”

“My thought exactly. Here, let’s get started on making sure you’re trained with the register. Most things should just scan…”

And so Anna was put through the ringer of cashier training while the store was still mostly dead. Most of the information consisted in things that she had already known from her previous job, but every store also had their own little oddities and traditions that had to be observed. After that initial fifteen minute training session, Anna then spent the next three hours or so with Brenda manning the registers. It wasn’t awful, but it was somewhat boring as things were still slow. However, she had Brenda to chat with, which is exactly what they did. By about 4:30, Brenda put a fat hand on Anna’s shoulder.

“People are gonna start getting off work and school now, so things might pick up a little. Why don’t you go man the changing rooms and put anything away that’s left in there.” Brenda pointed behind her.

“Oh, sure. You’ll be fine up here alone?” Anna asked.

“Oh, I do it all the time. I mean, we can’t talk the whole time, can we?” Brenda gave a slight laugh. “Tell you what, at about six-thirty we should just take our breaks together. I’ll close the store for half-an-hour, but no longer.”

“Oh, uh. I guess.” Anna said. She wasn’t feeling that hungry at all. Still, she didn’t want to argue with Brenda like that at her job. Especially not the job that Brenda got her. “See you in a few then.”

They gave each other mock salutes and then Anna went to do her job at the dressing rooms. Her there was quite simple, she took rejected (usually too small) items from customers and directed them to whatever rooms were opened or informed them if they were all too full. Again, this was mostly something she had done before. She just knew that she had to be nicer here than she was at her old place. It wasn’t as if the customers at both were sensitive, but the one’s here were sensitive in a different way. They didn’t need to be dressed down by an employee in the way Anna could at her old job.

So instead, she was helpful. She was always complimentary, even if the customers didn’t deserve it. There was another edge to this all of course, Anna would say whatever she could to sell more items. She didn’t know the pace at this store, but at the old boutique she was an aggressive sales hawk. Anna constantly inflated the bills of clients coming in with her words alone. She figured if there was anything she could transfer, it would be this. With so many of the clients not having much in the way of options, selling them on more was like shooting fish in a barrel.

By six-thirty, things were slightly different. Anna felt somewhat irritable, her gut growling. She set a hand to it as she hurried the last customer, a hefty blonde mom in trainers, away to the register. Anna had no idea when this appetite came up, she was just glad it was about dinner time. Whatever, she escaped her counter to go start picking up some of the dressing rooms while she waited for Brenda.

“Hey! There’s no one up there, Annie!” Anna stopped and scowled. Adjusting her expression, she turned to see it was the blonde woman from before. “There’s no one at the register, just a sign saying someone will be back! What gives?”

“Here, let me ring you up instead.” Fucking Brenda, Annie shook her head as she rushed ahead of the woman to the register, handling something that was not her job.

After Annie was finished scanning all the clothes and the coupons and sacking everything up, Brenda reappeared again with two plastic sacks of fast food from the food court. Annie looked to her, and saw Brenda was somewhat frozen. She was about to shriek something as a surprise, but noticed the customer.

“Find everything alright, ma’am?” She then said, putting both bags behind her wide body. The older woman just laughed.

“Oh, yes. Everything but the bill, of course. You two have fun now.” She waddled off, stopping at the entrance to point to Brenda. “And make sure that you’re not a bad influence on her.” She was clearly gesturing to Anna.

Brenda just rolled her eyes as the old lady wandered out, lumbering over to the counter to put the sign that once stood there where it belonged again. Anna laughed a little bit.

“What’s so funny?” Brenda asked.

“Oh, that you’re the bad influence on me.” Anna said. “I guess you were slacking.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Here, let me poorly influence you more in the breakroom with a chicken sandwich.” She lifted one of the bags and as if on cue Anna slipped out from the counter and followed her to the breakroom.

“Thanks for buying me dinner…” Anna said as she sat down on one chair across from Brenda’s two. Brenda had a whole array of boxes laid out in front of her. They were all from Rex’s, a local chicken place at the mall. Her meal consisted of fries, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, and a chicken sandwich. All of them fried. As she watched Brenda take a bit from each one, she was compelled to ask her something. “Which one’s mine?”

“Mmh!” Brenda’s mouth was full. She picked up the second bag and handed it to Anna. It was… The same meal with an extra-large drink. Anna laughed a bit.

“I guess I can’t fault you for your eyes being bigger than my stomach.” She pat her stomach again, not quite noticing its slight fleshiness underneath her clothes.

“Juscht eat what you can, I’ll finish the rescht after our shift.” Brenda told her amidst some fries. Anna nodded, looking down over the meal after she set it out.

She figured she could go for any two of them. Or just a bit of each. Taking a sip from the extra-large iced tea, relishing a bit in its sickening sweetness (she never ordered anything like this on her own), Anna soon reached for a chicken strip and dipped it in the ranch provided. As if tasting food reminded her how hungry she was feeling before break, every step after that seemed to flow naturally from the next. She’d finish that strip, enjoy a few fries, eat a nugget, more fries, and so on. The nuggets were the first to go, which made sense as they were the smallest. It was after that when bites from the sandwich soon took place in the rotation, which seemed to continue steadily.

:( (Sad) — Description
(XWG, SSBBW)

Anna decided not to go to school the day after she was fired from her job. It would be too embarrassing, she reasoned. For months she had bragged about getting a job at one of the upscale boutiques in town, and then suddenly she was fired for… What was it her boss said? Oh yeah, no-call-no-showing on nights where she closed and trying on the merchandise while she was on her shift. Basically, all the perks of working at a nice clothing store were off limits to her. Bullshit. She knew the other employees did the exact same thing, some even stole clothes.

Anna never got along well with them, though. That was probably how she got ratted out, she figured. They hated some girl who was about to graduate high school totally upstaging them at their dead-end job. She’d get a new job, and then quit that for something better eventually. In the meantime, however, Anna just didn’t know if she would ever be able to find a job as awesome as that one was.

Sighing, she slumped on the couch of her living room again, playing with a strand of black hair as she stared at the T.V. At that moment, Anna’s phone buzzed. She picked it up, seeing it was a text from her friend Brenda. They usually got lunch together. Cafeteria food sucked, and Brenda loved eating out. Eating in general, really.

‘Hey i saw u werent in class today. Do you still wanna do lunch???’

Anna sighed. She wasn’t really dressed today, and besides, her budget was going to be tight until she got herself a new job.

‘Would love to but idk if i can afford it ‘

The reply from Brenda was nigh instaneous.

‘I can pay for u!! Ill pick you up and everything! I just wanna make sure ur ok’

Anna thought it over a little bit. Fine, she decided, beginning to make a quick sprint up the stairs to her room while texting her reply to Brenda.

‘Ok! I might need a bit of a minute to get properly dressed and stuff thanks.’

‘Be right there!’

In her closet, Anna got a pastel yellow shirt she adored as well as a long pair of navy slacks. They would go great together with that belt she… acquired on the way out after being fired. Slipping both onto her slender frame, she then went to the bathroom to apply some make-up as quickly as possible. Just something to accentuate her eyes and lips a little bit more. She made a glare into the mirror once it was all done-- Being somewhat tall for a young woman at 5’7, she was often compared to a model. She just seemed to have this perfect figure able to fit well in any clothes she put on. It was probably one of the things that got her the job at the boutique in the first place.

There was a honk from outside. That was probably Brenda’s SUV. Grabbing her keys, phone and purse, Anna rushed once more back down the stairs to go meet Brenda outside. Anna knew she didn’t like to be kept waiting for a meal. Locking the front door, Anna saw that her suspicions were in fact confirmed, Brenda’s silver SUV parked in the driveway with its corpulent driver checking her phone behind the wheel. Jogging up to the passenger side, Anna tapped on the window to get Brenda’s attention.

After a few taps, the fat girl popped to attention in her seat, her overfed figure trembling. A smile spread across Brenda’s round, triple-chinned face as she saw her friend. She reached one chubby hand over to unlock the passenger door, Anna opening it as soon as she heard the click.

“Hey, girl! How’s it going?” Brenda said, moving one of two empty extra-large frappe cups out of the cupholder next to Anna’s seat and throwing it in the back seat. Her car was surprisingly clean save for a few Starbucks items here or there, Brenda must have cleaned it frequently.

“Not the best, I… Got fired yesterday and so I’ve been just sort of… Moping about that…” Anna said, giving a somewhat awkward smile to Brenda as the other started backing out of the driveway.

“Oh my god, that’s awful… Tell me all about it when we get there, okay?” Brenda replied, pulling her sunglasses down over her nose and cherubic cheeks before they started speeding down Anna’s street. “I’m so distracted right now… We got held back late in Mrs. Abbeville’s class and ugh…”

A low rumble emerged from Brenda’s elephantine belly. Keeping one porky hand on the wheel, she brought another one to her gut and pressed it into its softness. Even with how far back her seat was, Brenda’s belly grazed up against the steering wheel somewhat. “...I couldn’t make my usual vending machine stop, so I’ve just been starving and distracted all day.”

“Oh, is that abnormal for you?” Anna said with a joke, both of them cackled. They were like a pair of old ladies, so close enough that they could blatantly insult one another and laugh about it.

It may have at first glance seemed strange that the two were such best friends. As they both stepped out to the parking lot from the SUV-- squeeze may be more descriptive in the case of Brenda, their silhouettes were so wildly different. Anna was tall and thin as a rail, whereas Brenda was beyond fat and about four inches shorter than her friend. At the same time, Brenda was so massive compared to Anna; she was nearly five times her size. Anna kept her graceful pace slow to match what Brenda could manage, a slow waddle that involved her entire figure teetering. Anna could move in near silence, while one could always hear the heavy breathing of Brenda even if the surface beneath her was still.

Yet, if one were to focus one’s attention on both of them and gain even the smallest bit of familiarity, one could understand why they were friends. Really, it could be seen in their clothes. Both girls were quite fashionable, or at least evidently passionate about the way they dressed. Even though Brenda was at a size where clothing options seemed rather limited, she always managed to pull off a stylish look. Today she was boasting boasting a somewhat tight periwinkle dress with a muted green cardigan and black leggings beneath. There was no doubt to Anna that these all came from the plus-sized boutique at the mall where Brenda worked. Dress up play had been something that Anna and Brenda bonded over even when both were little kids, and ever since then they stuck together.

The restaurant they visited was a retro-styled burger joint only a few blocks away from the school. It had that whole old diner look to it: tiled floors, a non-functioning jukebox, a bar for no real reason, just about everything. Brenda ordered her meal first, Anna popping in after to just have some chicken nuggets and fries. She was never one to go hard on food. While they waited for the order, they found themselves a booth. Brenda had to squeeze herself in carefully, Anna had no idea why she still insisted on sitting in a booth when Brenda had outgrown them at least 200 pounds ago. ‘Because it’s more authentic!’ Was always the reply.

“So, like I said before…” Brenda began, looking up as two waitresses in cute, retro uniforms came out with two trays each. Three of them were Brenda’s, one was Anna’s. Both nodded to the waitresses in recognition as Brenda continued. “Tell me about it: How’d you get fired?”

“Ugh, it was such bullshit…” Anna rolled her eyes, looking to Brenda. The blonde was already going to town on her fries, nodding as she listened. One would think she’d be annoyed by her friend’s gluttony, but really it gave her a way to talk someone’s ear off without being interrupted--something that Anna would always appreciate. “Basically I was fired for modeling too much in their clothes and posting it online, like on insta and stuff, as if promoting my place of work was going to be a bad thing?”

Brenda nodded, dabbing a bit at her lips with a napkin. “Yeah, that sounds like some shit. Do you know which of your bitch co-workers reported you?”

“No! That almost annoys me more! It had to be jealousy, though. I know it.” Anna sighed, slinking back in the booth as she ate a single fry. Brenda looked concerned as she ate her way through a chicken sandwich. “I guess I just don’t know what I’m gonna do, there’s no way I can get a new job in time for Spring Break…”

It was then that Brenda had an idea, swallowing some of her sandwich. “Why don’t you just work with me? Like, at the plus-sized store! I can put a good word in for you and everything. They love me there, and plus they let me model for them and promote them all the time on social media since it’s a like--it’s a smaller chain.”

Anna took some pause at the suggestion, nearly dropping one of her half-eaten fries. Instead, she set it down, making a slight wincing expression on her face. Brenda’s semi-excited look dropped.

“Oh, come on, Anna! Don’t be a snob about it! It’d be just the same as your last job except you’d get to do more!” Brenda stuffed another chicken sandwich into her maw. Anna sighed.

“I mean, is it really the same, though? I mean… Your clothes do look good, but like… I don’t know. I feel like I don’t fit the, like, profile of an employee there. Get what I mean?” Anna said this to someone who fit the profile of such an employee perfectly. Indeed, to Anna, Brenda epitomized the exact sort of customer that her store wanted: super-sized and of good taste.

“Well, sure. I mean, that’s why I said I should put a good word in for you, but it’s not like working there will make you fat or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Brenda was insistent on her point. “Besides, think about how much fun it could be if we work shifts together! At least try to interview for a position.”

“... Fine.”

*

“Well, and I’m not sure how I should say this Anna--may I call you Anna? But, um… Do bear in mind that you do not necessarily… Fit the profile of the usual team member here…”

Anna nodded. “I’m well aware of that, but I hope my experience and qualifications can overcome whatever difficulty it poses.”

“Right.” The manager to Brenda’s place of work said with a curt nod. She was a portly woman, nowhere near Brenda’s obesity, but she was very clearly large. Her red hair was done in a tasteful bun, a red cardigan covering a black dress. Beneath her generous chest and above her porcine gut she wore a belt with a silver buckle. “I had hoped from Brenda’s testimony that you would be taller, too.”

Anna cringed a bit. She felt as if she were bombing this interview. “I-i can wear heels, if that’d make things better?”

“On the sales floor? I’m afraid not. Only flats are allowed, especially when you have to do things in the back room.” Anna just nodded along with what the manager--Tina, said. It was all correct, and all of them posed the sort of objection Anna could not think of in time at the restaurant when Brenda got it into her head to apply for her.

Anna had been half-tempted to purposely bomb the interview, but she knew that if she made a bad impression that Brenda would be pissed. She also knew that there was no way this (seemingly) easy of an opportunity would present itself for a job any time soon. So she decided to bring her A-game. She actually wore heels to the interview, hoping to make herself taller. She figured her facade was not enough to convince Tina. This woman was something she just wasn’t used to. She seemed so uniquely able to grill people. Brenda said she was nice. Anna almost wondered if she was being discriminated against for being thin.

“Why is it so important that I fit the profile?” Anna then decided to blurt out. “I can do the work, can’t I?”

Tina gave her a look. Anna felt almost immediately as if she had fucked up in some way. Tina just sighed.

“It’s a matter of comfort for the customers, and also a matter of pride for us. We prefer that our employees wear items from the store, you know…” Anna nodded. Again, it made sense. Then Tina continued. “But, looking at your measurements, you should be tall enough for some of our items. We can get you something to wear if you bring a belt.”

“Huh?” Anna looked up from her lap.

“I’m hiring you, Anna. Your resume is impressive, and to be honest, we’re too short-staffed to be too picky.” Anna stood up, Tina joining her with two pudgy hands on her desk. Anna almost leapt to hug her, but caught herself in time to just extend a hand for a handshake.

“Thank you so much, Tina! I promise I won’t disappoint you, even if I’m not a perfect fit for the profile!”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll grow into it!” Tina replied with a grin as she shook Anna’s hand in return. Anna just laughed it off.

“When do I start?”

“How about you come in for tomorrow evening, it might be good to get you in on a closing shift first thing. I’ll have Brenda train you, since she knows you best.” Anna nodded, turning to go out the door. “Oh, and one more thing, you can keep whatever clothes you wear during your shift. If anything happens to them, just change. No deductions or anything.”

“Got it, thank you so much again!” Anna said, unsure whether she should curtsey to Tina or not. Tina just gave a slight laugh.

“Really, it’s not a problem. You seem like a good worker, Anna, we’re happy to have you on board!”

“See you tomorrow at 1!” Anna said, waving as she left the office to immediately start texting Brenda about her new job. A lot of exclamation marks were exchanged as well as repeated announcements of how excited each of them were and how Brenda already knew the best outfit for Anna to wear.

Already, some of Anna’s anxieties had started to dissipate.

*

The next day Anna wandered into the boutique at around 12:50 in jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but enough to get a good idea of her measurements and so she could be decent before she got a work uniform picked out for her. Brenda was already there, ringing up a customer at the counter while another employee, a slightly older girl with a pixie-cut that appeared to be about half Brenda’s size folded clothes and put them into a bag.

Brenda noticed Anna and waved, the olive flesh her flabby upper arm jiggling out in the open. As she was indoors, she was wearing a white, short sleeved blouse tucked into a dark blue skirt which ran down to her knees and then some to obscure her gut as much as it could. Of course, one could obviously notice the way her belly hung in front of her just by her silhouette. Anna approached as the customer walked away.

“Hey! Welcome to your first day! Anna, meet Becky, she usually works the day shift.” Brenda moved out of the way, Anna extended her hand to shake Becky’s. Becky was initially apprehensive, but then took it.

“Nice to meet you, Becky.” Anna immediately got the sense Becky didn’t like her.

“Nice to meet you too…” Becky said, her voice was a slight alto. She must have been a smoker. She turned to Brenda. “I might head off now that you have some help, that alright with you?”

Brenda shook her head. “Fine with me, get you some lunch!”

Becky gave a half smile and then wandered to the back. Brenda looked around at the store, checking the horizons. As it was the middle of the day on a Friday, there was hardly anyone there. She turned to Anna.

“Alright, let me show you where you clock in and everything. Let’s also get you ready for the workday with some clothes and stuff. It’s so like you to come to work in a t-shirt and jeans.” Brenda scoffed, squeezing herself out from behind the counter.

“I knew I was gonna change, Brenda, just thought I’d be comfortable before then.” Anna began to follow Brenda to the back of the store. Brenda scoffed yet again.

“As if you won’t be comfortable already. Now… We should probably just get something from the smallest sizes here…” Brenda began to file around a rack of high-waisted dress pants hanging up. She then pulled from a neighboring wall a blue-and-white horizontal striped sleeveless top, handing both that and the pants to Anna. “Smallest sizes are a ten, do you remember what yours is again?”

“I’ve got a 29 and a half inch waist, I think? That’s at least if I’ve been out.” Anna replied, she looked at the insides of the pants to see the tag. All that sat there was a tag with the number 10. “Does this place have its own size chart?”

“Yeah, if you’re used to straight measurements you’re gonna get confused. As a point of reference, the size ten is suited for a thirty-two inch waist.” Brenda replied. Anna nodded, she’d have to take note of that. Eventually they were in the back room, and there Brenda showed all the different storage racks, the breakroom table, the (well-stocked) fridge, and the time-clock. “Lisa said your number was… Nine… Seven… Two. You got that?”

“Mhm.” Anna said, punching it in. A green light of approval as well as a small ‘ding’ greeted Anna to indicate that she was on time. “What do you want me to start with, Brenda?”

“Well, change first. Then I’ll run you through how the register works, and once things pick up I’ll put you out to watch over the changing rooms.” Brenda said, going over to the fridge to take a long sip from a large iced coffee she had in there. She made eye-contact with Anna. “Want some?”

“Just a sip.” Anna said, taking a quick drag from the straw before she headed off to the dressing rooms.

Anna was careful to hold her tongue, but she had to whisper ‘holy shit’ under her breath once she saw the changing rooms. They were all quite roomy, the small seats inside of them boasting full, reinforced benches. Again, it seemed like a store that was built specifically for someone Brenda’s size. Well, perhaps a little bit smaller Brenda. She remembered that the entrance to the shop counter seemed a little bit snug for her friend. Still, it was much bigger than any of the places Anna was used to visiting.

Anna hung both of the items on the hangers provided and began to undress herself. She undid her belt--this would probably come in handy, and pulled the jeans down to her ankles, stepping out of them lightly and then folding them up. Out of curiosity, she checked the tag. It just read ‘30”’ on it. Pantsless, Anna then pulled her t-shirt off over her head, she didn’t bother checking the size on that.

She looked at her slender body in the mirror, giving herself a wink with both hands on her just-curved-enough hips. After striking a pose, Anna then grabbed the top from the rack. She pulled it on. It did hang on her somewhat. Some bagginess was to be expected, Anna reasoned. She took the pants down, and carefully stepped into them, pulling the black slacks all the way up till they were slightly above her waist. She decided that she would tuck the top in, zipping and buttoning the slacks after that.

She kept her hands on the button for a second before she let each of them go, letting her arms spread out a little. She wanted to see how they held on their own. Anna was honestly a little worried about coming off as a sort of tourist if she was wearing a belt too. For a brief moment, Anna’s vision felt blurry. Her head had a weight to it. Did she stand up too fast? Maybe it was that little bit of caffeine.

Whatever it was, it didn’t last long. Anna was staring at herself in the mirror. In all honesty, the outfit seemed to fit on her just fine. Indeed, she felt quite comfortable in it. Not loungy, but she fit it alright. She didn’t even think she needed the belt. Winking at herself again in the mirror, Anna bent over to pick up her jeans and t-shirt. She could feel her stomach pooch just slightly as she did it. She’d have to decline on dinner with Brenda later, she figured.

Old threads collected, Anna then went to see Brenda again in the breakroom. She wasn’t there. She must have been on the sales floor. Shrugging, Anna just found a random locker to put her old clothes in and then left for the sales floor. Brenda was up there waiting at the register on her phone. She looked up when she heard Anna approaching and put her pudgy hands on round cheeks to indicate surprise.

“Oh my gosh, girl, you look great!” She bounced a bit in her spot, her whole body shaking and jiggling. “How do you feel? Did I do a good job?”

“Oh, it feels great. I think you did a great job. Good call on the stripes, too.” Anna set both of her hands at her hips, pinching a bit at the softness that had formed there. “They make me look wider.”

“My thought exactly. Here, let’s get started on making sure you’re trained with the register. Most things should just scan…”

And so Anna was put through the ringer of cashier training while the store was still mostly dead. Most of the information consisted in things that she had already known from her previous job, but every store also had their own little oddities and traditions that had to be observed. After that initial fifteen minute training session, Anna then spent the next three hours or so with Brenda manning the registers. It wasn’t awful, but it was somewhat boring as things were still slow. However, she had Brenda to chat with, which is exactly what they did. By about 4:30, Brenda put a fat hand on Anna’s shoulder.

“People are gonna start getting off work and school now, so things might pick up a little. Why don’t you go man the changing rooms and put anything away that’s left in there.” Brenda pointed behind her.

“Oh, sure. You’ll be fine up here alone?” Anna asked.

“Oh, I do it all the time. I mean, we can’t talk the whole time, can we?” Brenda gave a slight laugh. “Tell you what, at about six-thirty we should just take our breaks together. I’ll close the store for half-an-hour, but no longer.”

“Oh, uh. I guess.” Anna said. She wasn’t feeling that hungry at all. Still, she didn’t want to argue with Brenda like that at her job. Especially not the job that Brenda got her. “See you in a few then.”

They gave each other mock salutes and then Anna went to do her job at the dressing rooms. Her there was quite simple, she took rejected (usually too small) items from customers and directed them to whatever rooms were opened or informed them if they were all too full. Again, this was mostly something she had done before. She just knew that she had to be nicer here than she was at her old place. It wasn’t as if the customers at both were sensitive, but the one’s here were sensitive in a different way. They didn’t need to be dressed down by an employee in the way Anna could at her old job.

So instead, she was helpful. She was always complimentary, even if the customers didn’t deserve it. There was another edge to this all of course, Anna would say whatever she could to sell more items. She didn’t know the pace at this store, but at the old boutique she was an aggressive sales hawk. Anna constantly inflated the bills of clients coming in with her words alone. She figured if there was anything she could transfer, it would be this. With so many of the clients not having much in the way of options, selling them on more was like shooting fish in a barrel.

By six-thirty, things were slightly different. Anna felt somewhat irritable, her gut growling. She set a hand to it as she hurried the last customer, a hefty blonde mom in trainers, away to the register. Anna had no idea when this appetite came up, she was just glad it was about dinner time. Whatever, she escaped her counter to go start picking up some of the dressing rooms while she waited for Brenda.

“Hey! There’s no one up there, Annie!” Anna stopped and scowled. Adjusting her expression, she turned to see it was the blonde woman from before. “There’s no one at the register, just a sign saying someone will be back! What gives?”

“Here, let me ring you up instead.” Fucking Brenda, Annie shook her head as she rushed ahead of the woman to the register, handling something that was not her job.

After Annie was finished scanning all the clothes and the coupons and sacking everything up, Brenda reappeared again with two plastic sacks of fast food from the food court. Annie looked to her, and saw Brenda was somewhat frozen. She was about to shriek something as a surprise, but noticed the customer.

“Find everything alright, ma’am?” She then said, putting both bags behind her wide body. The older woman just laughed.

“Oh, yes. Everything but the bill, of course. You two have fun now.” She waddled off, stopping at the entrance to point to Brenda. “And make sure that you’re not a bad influence on her.” She was clearly gesturing to Anna.

Brenda just rolled her eyes as the old lady wandered out, lumbering over to the counter to put the sign that once stood there where it belonged again. Anna laughed a little bit.

“What’s so funny?” Brenda asked.

“Oh, that you’re the bad influence on me.” Anna said. “I guess you were slacking.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Here, let me poorly influence you more in the breakroom with a chicken sandwich.” She lifted one of the bags and as if on cue Anna slipped out from the counter and followed her to the breakroom.

“Thanks for buying me dinner…” Anna said as she sat down on one chair across from Brenda’s two. Brenda had a whole array of boxes laid out in front of her. They were all from Rex’s, a local chicken place at the mall. Her meal consisted of fries, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, and a chicken sandwich. All of them fried. As she watched Brenda take a bit from each one, she was compelled to ask her something. “Which one’s mine?”

“Mmh!” Brenda’s mouth was full. She picked up the second bag and handed it to Anna. It was… The same meal with an extra-large drink. Anna laughed a bit.

“I guess I can’t fault you for your eyes being bigger than my stomach.” She pat her stomach again, not quite noticing its slight fleshiness underneath her clothes.

“Juscht eat what you can, I’ll finish the rescht after our shift.” Brenda told her amidst some fries. Anna nodded, looking down over the meal after she set it out.

She figured she could go for any two of them. Or just a bit of each. Taking a sip from the extra-large iced tea, relishing a bit in its sickening sweetness (she never ordered anything like this on her own), Anna soon reached for a chicken strip and dipped it in the ranch provided. As if tasting food reminded her how hungry she was feeling before break, every step after that seemed to flow naturally from the next. She’d finish that strip, enjoy a few fries, eat a nugget, more fries, and so on. The nuggets were the first to go, which made sense as they were the smallest. It was after that when bites from the sandwich soon took place in the rotation, which seemed to continue steadily.