Project Fat Suit

Thirty-Five: The Soup Pot

“Oh, hey, there’s the bell. We should probably go now,” Liam said smiling as he backed out of the room. “I guess I’ll see you later on our date.”

I rolled my eyes and then started to panic because I hadn’t put my things into my locker yet and class is starting.

“It’s not a date,” I muttering as I walked out of the library, hoping that maybe if I denied it to myself, he’ll somehow get the message.

:::x:::O:::x:::

The most difficult part of my plan was actually getting Uranus and Holly to the soup kitchen. It was even harder because I was trying to keep the rest of the school out of my personal life. I haven’t seen either of them today.

I kind of lucked out when she went into the restroom at lunch.

“Rena, isn’t it a bit unsanitary to eat lunch in a restroom every day?” Holly asked me, glancing at my sandwich.

It stared at her for a moment. It was like Saturday was just a dream. Like she hadn’t told me about her parents. Like she didn’t tell she about her emotionlessness. Right now, she looked like she did normally…and I thought I was good at hiding things.

“Um… Rena?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and remembered she asked me a question.

“Ehh, there’s soap around,” I joked. “What brings you here?” And then I thought about it. “…Oh, never mind. I don’t want to know,” I said sheepishly.

Holly laughed. “I actually just came here to wash my hands. I got peanut butter all over them.”

“Hey, Holly, I was thinking,” I started out, looking at the floor. “Do you want to help out at a soup kitchen with me today? I heard they could really use the help.”

Holly finished washing her hands and looked at me. “Yeah, sure! I’d love to. Well, I have a meeting after school, but it shouldn’t take that long,” Holly agreed enthusiastically. “Just call me with the details, okay?” she told me. “See you after school,” she bade me goodbye and left the bathroom.

But my phone had died a milky death. Yeah, I still didn’t have a phone.

I didn’t run into Uranus (hah) all day, so I told Liam to meet me at Uranus’s house after school. Since I didn’t have a phone, I was planning on picking up Holly and all four of us will go together to the soup kitchen.

The plan was that both Liam and I would convince Uranus to go because I was too scared to face Uranus alone. But, I’ve been waiting for Liam in front of Uranus’s house for a good fifteen minutes since the time we agreed to be here and I kind of felt like a stalker just standing outside of someone’s house.

“I’m pretty sure the lawn isn’t that interesting,” a voice called from the house.

I turned my gaze towards the source of the voice. I saw Uranus standing in the doorway with an amused expression.

“I don’t know. Nature is always interesting. Note how’s it is now—dead and gross.” I gestured towards the grass. “But in a few months, it’ll be green and lush. The circle of life at its finest, ” I commented, trying to sound all philosophic just to prove him wrong.

“Yeah, not with the way my aunt takes care of it,” Uranus answered, his attention now fixed on the grass. He looked up at me again. “But anyways, why are you in front of my house? This isn’t becoming a normal thing for you, right?”

Not particularly in the mood of continuing to speak so loudly across the yard, I approached Uranus’s porch.

“Actually, part one of getting you and Holly back together is about to commence,” I told him. “I’m just waiting for Liam right now.”