Who's Laughing Now?

The day before the high school reunion, the queen bee who'd bullied me for three years suddenly posted a video in the group chat. In the video, my 220-pound high school self was locked inside a bathroom, with a piece of paper stuck to the back of my uniform that read: [No Food for Pigs] The group chat instantly erupted. [Holy shit, she's coming to the reunion?] [Do you think the hotel chairs can hold her?] [After all these years, she can't possibly still be so fat she won't even fit through the door, right?] Naomi White, the queen bee who'd led the bullying back then, tagged me. [Old friend, everyone wants to see you. You have to come to the reunion this time.] Soon, someone started a betting pool on whether I'd actually dare to show up. Naomi bet 1,500 dollars that I wouldn't. The school's golden boy, whom I'd secretly loved for three years, placed a bet too. [If she really dares to come, I'll give her a hug in front of everyone. Consider it my apology for what happened back then.] The group chat exploded with laughter. I stared at the video that had jolted me awake from countless nightmares and clenched my fists. No one knew I'd gone from 220 pounds to 110. And no one knew I'd just signed with the entertainment company Naomi had always dreamed of joining. Without a word, I bet 7,500 dollars that I'd show up right on time. Then, amid the flood of taunts and laughter, I sent one final message. [Deal. I'll honor the bet.] Chapter 1 After the message was sent, the group stayed silent for a full ten seconds. Then the chat exploded. [???] [Wait, Megan really bet 7,500 dollars?] [Where did she get that kind of money? Don't tell me she borrowed it.] [Who gets the money in the end? Let's make one thing clear: no backing out once the bet's placed!] Naomi White was the first to jump in: [Meg, don't be impulsive. Everyone's just joking around. If you're short on cash, you'd better take that 7,500 dollars back.] She hadn't changed at all. Every sentence carried a hidden sting, yet she always pretended she was only looking out for me. She'd done the same thing throughout all three years of high school. She'd had someone dump my lunch in the trash, then covered her mouth and said, "Oops, I was worried you wouldn't be able to control yourself, so I was helping you lose weight." She'd thrown my school uniform into the boys' bathroom and forced me to attend class in clothes soaked with filthy water. She'd cornered me in the girls' bathroom, forced me onto a scale, and made me announce my weight in front of everyone. In the end, she'd stuck a piece of paper on my back that read [No Food for Pigs], then made the entire class line up to take pictures. And now, she'd reposted that video simply to remind everyone of one thing: no matter how many years had passed, I was still the same joke she could ridicule whenever she pleased. I opened the betting rules. Naomi had bet 1,500 dollars that I wouldn't show up. Everyone else had chipped in a little over 4,500 dollars. I was the only one who had bet 7,500 dollars that I would come. I slowly typed: [Don't worry. I can afford to lose.] Naomi immediately replied with a giggling emoji: [That's great. I was worried you'd regret it when the time came.] Someone else chimed in: [Nay, you're overthinking it. Maybe she's doing really well these days. How could she not be? If she skips two meals a month, she could've saved 7,500 dollars after a few years. Hahaha!] The screen filled with laughing emojis. I was about to leave the group chat when a private message popped up. It was from Matthew Cooper, the school's golden boy. Back in high school, I'd liked him for all three years. Whenever he played basketball, I'd secretly buy him water. His stomach was sensitive, so every morning, I'd bring an extra container of hot oatmeal for him. Later, he'd stuck the love letter I'd written him on the back wall of the classroom and laughed as he asked everyone, "What do you think? If she sat on me, would I survive?" The whole class had laughed so hard the desks shook. Now he'd sent me a message. Matthew: [You're really coming? We were young back then. We didn't know any better. Don't take it too personally.] I stared at the words "didn't know any better" and suddenly laughed. So all a bully had to do was grow up, and every cruel thing they'd ever done could be casually filed away as youthful stupidity. Matthew: [Also, when I said I'd hug you in the group, I was just trying to ease the tension. Don't get the wrong idea. I have a girlfriend now.] I finally replied with two words: [Don't worry.] As if he were afraid I was still hung up on him, he immediately added: [She'll be at the reunion too. Just watch your boundaries. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable.] I ignored him. The moment I put my phone down, the doorbell rang. My manager, Erin Morgan, walked in with two enormous garment bags in tow. The moment she saw me, she frowned. "You're going to your high school reunion tomorrow, aren't you? That's your reaction? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were just going downstairs to pick up a package." She unzipped the garment bags. Inside were more than a dozen dresses that hadn't even made their public debut yet. I glanced at them. "They're too much." Erin nearly laughed in frustration. "Your signing is being officially announced at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow, and the company party is on the top floor of the Grandview Hotel. You still want to wear a hoodie?" She held a silver-white gown against me, then quickly shook her head. "No. Too sweet." Next, she pulled out a black velvet gown. The dress had no elaborate embellishments, but the cut accentuated the waist beautifully. "This one. Tomorrow, I guarantee everyone who ever looked down on you will question their entire existence." I looked toward the floor-length mirror. The woman reflected in it had a slender figure and cool, composed features. It had taken me five long years to go from 220 pounds to 110. No one knew how I'd survived those days when the mockery had gotten so bad that I'd been afraid to look in the mirror. Even fewer people knew that Starlight Entertainment, the company Naomi had failed to get into after three interviews, had already placed its highest-tier rookie contract in front of me. Erin shoved the schedule into my hands. "Contract signing in the morning, wardrobe fitting in the afternoon, Grandview Hotel at 7:00 p.m. Eight sharp, the announcement goes live across every platform." I lowered my eyes to the schedule. The class reunion was on the third floor. The company party was on the top floor. One was desperately trying to drag me back into the past. The other was waiting to propel me toward an entirely new future. Chapter 2 The next morning, a flood of messages from the group chat jolted me awake. Someone had turned a screenshot of the betting pool into a meme. [Megan bet that she can make it through the hotel doors.] The chat erupted with laughter. [If she really weighs 300 pounds, does that count as overloading the hotel?] [Does Grandview have a freight elevator? Better make sure she doesn't bring the regular one down.] [Matthew, remember to keep your promise. Write your will before you hug her.] Matthew finally appeared: [Cut it out. I only said I'd give her a polite hug. And my girlfriend will be there too. Megan should know where to draw the line.] Naomi immediately tagged me: [Meg, don't overthink it. Matthew just feels sorry for you because you used to have a crush on him. He's only trying to make it up to you.] With a single sentence, she'd dragged my old crush on Matthew back into the open and tossed it to the crowd for everyone to laugh at. Then she sent a photo. It showed the school uniform I'd worn in high school. The uniform was so oversized that it looked like a sack, and the same piece of paper was still stuck to the back. [No Food for Pigs] An electronic scale sat beside it. Naomi wrote: [I brought a little piece of our youth too. Meg, why don't you put it on again tonight and let everyone have a look? You can weigh yourself while you're at it and see how much you've gained over the years.] The chat instantly filled with messages of support. Someone even sent a GIF of a pig stepping onto a scale. I stared at the uniform as my fingers went cold. Five years ago, they had forced me to wear it and stand at the front of the classroom. Naomi had grabbed a megaphone and led the entire class in chanting, "198 pounds! A new record!" I had run out of the classroom in tears. Matthew had stuck out his foot and tripped me. Then he had laughed and said, "Slow down. You might bring the whole building down." And now they wanted me to wear it again. Naomi called soon after. "You're really coming?" None of the sweetness she'd used in the group chat remained. Her voice held nothing but undisguised contempt. "Megan, don't say I didn't warn you. Matthew's girlfriend is a dance instructor now. Her waist isn't even as big as your thigh was back then." I calmly asked, "You prepared that uniform?" "Of course," she said with a laugh. "We have to give everyone something to enjoy at the reunion. You were so fat back then. Isn't making everyone laugh the only reason anyone was willing to talk to you?" I laughed too. "Don't worry. I'll definitely be there." A brief silence followed. "Fine. Then you'd better wear something loose. If you collapse a chair, you'll have to pay for it." The call ended. I saved the recording. Just then, Erin walked in and tossed a black velvet gown into my arms before handing me her tablet. Starlight Entertainment's announcement page filled the screen. [Welcome Megan Anderson to Starlight Entertainment.] The accompanying photo showed me in a couture gown, my features cool and sharp. The announcement was scheduled to go live at exactly 8:00 p.m. tonight. The class reunion started at 7:30 p.m. Erin glanced at the photo of the school uniform in the group chat and laughed in disbelief. "They're still waiting to see the 220-pound version of you?" I turned off my phone and picked up the gown. "Let them wait." Thirty minutes was more than enough time for them to finish saying every disgusting thing they had to say. Chapter 3 I went to Starlight Entertainment at 10:00 a.m. After I signed the contract, Erin handed me one of the copies. "An S-tier rookie contract. The company has only offered one of these in the past three years. Once the announcement goes live tonight at 8:00 p.m., there won't be a shortage of people trying to step on you to get ahead." I put the contract away. "Naomi included?" Erin gave a cold laugh. "Her? She went through three interviews and didn't even make it past the second round. "She even pulled strings to find out if the company was deliberately targeting her. When she finds out the company signed you, she'll probably have a complete meltdown tonight." My phone buzzed just then. Naomi had sent a photo of the hotel's private dining room to the group chat. My old high school uniform hung right in the center. Beside it sat an electronic scale and two chairs pushed together. Someone had even taped a piece of paper to the backs of the chairs: [Megan's XL Seat.] The chat erupted with laughter. [Nay, you're seriously too thoughtful.] [Are two chairs enough? Should we add another?] [Don't. Add another and we'll have to charge her for a conference table.] Naomi tagged me: [Meg, we've got everything ready. Don't disappoint everyone.] I didn't reply. I simply saved the photo. They had no idea that Starlight Entertainment wasn't just announcing my contract tonight. The company was also announcing my first movie. The director was Alexander Coleman, an internationally award-winning filmmaker. Last year, Naomi had spent an entire week camped outside Alexander's studio in hopes of landing a role with only three lines. In the end, she hadn't even gotten an audition. Meanwhile, I'd landed the supporting role opposite the female lead. … That afternoon, the makeup artist came to the company for my makeup trial. The black velvet gown hugged my waist and fell to my ankles. When I stepped out of the fitting room, everyone around me suddenly fell silent. The makeup artist recovered first and immediately raised her phone. "Don't move. I need a picture." Erin folded her arms and looked at me with satisfaction. "Perfect. You won't even have to say a word tonight. Just standing there will be enough to make all of them question their lives." The makeup artist took several photos, then selected one to send to the publicity department. In it, I stood in profile before a floor-to-ceiling window. My features looked cool and sharp, and my waist was so slender that one hand could almost circle it. The announcement copy was already prepared. [Welcome actress Megan Anderson to Starlight Entertainment. We look forward to embarking on a new journey with director Alexander Coleman.] It was scheduled to go live at exactly 8:00 p.m. I was reviewing the copy when Matthew suddenly messaged me. Matthew: [Megan, are you actually coming or not? My girlfriend's already here.] He immediately followed up with a photo of the two of them. Sarah Meyer wore a white dress and leaned against his shoulder, her figure slender. Matthew sent another message: [She's pretty blunt. Don't be too sensitive when you get here.] I couldn't help laughing. I hadn't even shown up yet, and he'd already found an excuse for his girlfriend's cruelty. I didn't reply. Soon, a video from the reunion appeared in the group chat. Naomi stood beside the electronic scale with my old school uniform in her hands. "When Meg gets here, we'll have her weigh herself first. If she's gained more weight since high school, Matthew won't have to hug her. Wouldn't want anyone to die tonight." The camera turned toward Matthew. He had one arm around Sarah and gave a lazy laugh. "Then I'll thank her for that." Sarah covered her mouth and giggled. "Don't say that. She's been in love with you for three years. She'll crawl here tonight if that's what it takes." The private room erupted with laughter. I closed the video and saved it in the same folder as Naomi's recording. Erin noticed, and her expression turned cold. "Are you sure you don't want me to have someone go with you?" "No." I picked up the earrings from the table and slowly put them on. I had waited five years for this reunion. I wanted to see the expressions on the faces of the people who had once cornered me in the bathroom when they finally realized who I was. … At 6:50 p.m., the driver messaged me to say the car was already waiting downstairs. Erin helped me put on my coat. "The party upstairs starts at 7:50 p.m. Don't stay too long." I stepped into the elevator in my high heels. As the doors slowly closed, Naomi sent another message to the group chat. Naomi: [Meg, we're still keeping your seat open.] I glanced at it and didn't reply. "Forty minutes… Let them laugh. They don't have much time left to enjoy themselves," I muttered. Chapter 4 At 7:10 p.m., the car pulled up in front of the Grandview Hotel, and the driver opened the door for me. The moment I stepped out, the hotel manager hurried over. "Miss Anderson, everything is ready for Starlight's celebration. Ms. Morgan and Director Coleman are waiting for you upstairs." I glanced at the time. There were still 50 minutes until the announcement. "I'll go to the third floor first. I have a few old classmates to see." The manager paused, then quickly recovered. "Would you like me to arrange for someone to accompany you?" "No," I said and entered the elevator alone. Before the doors closed, several young men nearby kept glancing my way. One of them even hurried after me. "Hey, beautiful. Can I get your number?" I politely shook my head, and the elevator doors slid shut. My phone continued to buzz. Someone in the class group chat had posted a video from the reunion. More than 20 people sat inside the private room. My old high school uniform hung on the wall, an electronic scale stood in the center of the room, and two chairs had been pushed together beneath a sign that read: [Megan's XL Seat.] Someone pointed their phone at the door. "It's 7:10. Where is she?" "Don't tell me she's willing to give up 7,500 dollars." "At her size, she probably just made it from the hotel entrance to the lobby." Naomi sat at the head of the table with a sweet smile. "Everyone, don't rush her. Meg has a lot of pride. Maybe she made it downstairs but doesn't have the courage to come up." She deliberately turned the camera toward Matthew. "Matthew, you're the class golden boy. Want to go downstairs and get her?" Sarah immediately tightened her grip on his arm. "Why should my boyfriend go get her? She has legs, doesn't she?" The private room erupted in laughter. Matthew frowned. "I already gave her an easy way out. She's the one who insisted on coming. If she's crying downstairs, that's got nothing to do with me." His voice was cold. What he didn't know was that I'd already reached the third floor. The elevator doors opened, and I stepped out in my heels. The hallway attendant hurried over as soon as he saw me. "Excuse me, ma'am. Which private room are you looking for?" I gave him my name. He visibly froze. "Are you here for the class reunion tonight?" "Yes." His expression turned strange. Clearly, he'd already seen the school uniform and electronic scale inside the private room. He pointed me in the right direction, then couldn't resist warning me, "They seem to be waiting for a Miss Anderson." I looked toward the end of the hallway. "They're waiting for me." The attendant stood there and stared after me for several seconds. I continued down the hall. My heels barely made a sound against the carpet. In the room, Naomi had already started urging everyone to settle the bet. "It's about time. If Meg were really coming, she'd be here by now." Someone immediately agreed. "Close the betting pool. Let's stop waiting." "Naomi bet 1,500 dollars. She's going to make a killing tonight." "And Matthew gets free money without even having to hug her." At that, Sarah suddenly spoke up. "Actually, a hug wouldn't bother me." She leaned against Matthew's shoulder with a disdainful smile. "I wouldn't be jealous of a 220-pound woman." The laughter grew louder. Matthew joined in. "Let's not. I have work tomorrow. I don't want to spend tonight in an orthopedic ward." I stopped outside the private room. Through the door, I could hear their voices even more clearly. Someone said, "If Meg isn't coming, won't the uniform and scale be a waste?" Naomi laughed softly. "How could they be a waste? Once we settle the betting pool, I'll edit her video and post it online again. I'll title it, '220-Pound Classmate Too Afraid to Attend Reunion.' Maybe it'll even go viral." Matthew hesitated. "Isn't that taking it too far?" Naomi didn't care. "What are you afraid of? She's been fat her whole life. A few comments aren't going to kill her. Besides, if she really tries to cause trouble, we'll just say it was a joke between old classmates." That one casual sentence brought back all three years of high school. Throwing away my food was a joke. Forcing me to weigh myself was a joke. Locking me in the bathroom was a joke. All they had to do was add, "Why are you so sensitive?" In the end, every act of cruelty came with its own excuse. I opened the recording app on my phone. Inside, Naomi was still urging everyone to count down. "Ten seconds left. If she doesn't show up, the 7,500 dollars belongs to us." Everyone immediately joined in. "Ten!" "Nine!" "Eight!" Matthew's voice rose above the others. "I told you from the start. She wouldn't dare come. Back in high school, she brought me breakfast for three years. She couldn't even look me in the eye when she talked to me." Sarah laughed. "So if she comes tonight, does that mean she's still planning to confess to you?" "Even if she is, it won't matter." Matthew scoffed. "I'm not a garbage disposal." Outside the door, I calmly raised my hand. "Three!" "Two!" Naomi shouted excitedly, "One!" A split second before the countdown ended, I turned the doorknob.