Chapter 3 The party

"I just took a shower," I lied, and that made him frown even more.

"Why don't you come out? We are leaving next week. Spend some time with us!" he said, and the way he said it made me sigh.

"I don't know, Ethan. I don’t have a suitable swimsuit," I replied. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You bought one yesterday."

"Yes, but it doesn’t fit me well. I took it home, and it just won’t work for me."

"Then put on a winter coat. I don’t care, but just come out."

I sighed again and nodded.

"See you in ten minutes," he said before leaving. I closed the door, leaned against it, walked to the mirror, and removed my robe.

My naked body stared back at me. I have loved eating since I was a little girl, especially sweets and cakes. Eating those treats satisfied me, and even though it made me gain weight, knowing that Spencer would never see me as a woman, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Sweets and cakes were a sort of medicine for me.

I held my belly as I turned to check my side. "Gross," I whispered to myself. For a moment, I thought of my classmates, who often used that word to describe me. It didn't feel enjoyable, but I understood them. Some could starve themselves for weeks to get a modelling job, a role in a movie, or an advertisement. Spencer and Ethan tried to comfort me sometimes by saying they were just jealous because I could eat what I wanted. However, I grimaced as I continued to examine my body.

My breasts were round and large, but because of my weight, they didn’t look good without a bra.

I shook my head and turned my back to the mirror. "That won’t get any better," I muttered before moving to the wardrobe. I took out a shirt and a short skirt, and after a quick shower, I put them on. I styled my hair into a bun, not even glancing at the mirror to check my outfit before I left my room.

When I reached the garden, and the boys noticed me, they shouted,

"Finally!" It made me feel embarrassed, as all the attention was focused on me, and it was overwhelming.

I walked to the table where all the food was, poured myself a glass of orange juice, and sat down in a chair.

The party continued, and I felt better until I noticed Carla looking at me a few times. Her friends surrounded her, and sometimes she would say something to them, which would make them glance at me and laugh. I couldn't stand them. Honestly, I didn't understand what Spencer and Ethan saw in them.

Carla came from a wealthy family that owned several businesses in which my father was involved. Occasionally, they would come over for dinner, and I had to endure their attitudes since my parents always expected me to attend these gatherings. Carla was sweet during these dinners, of course. She always managed to win our father over. Even though she was preparing for university, she spoke frequently about business, which endeared her to him even more. He often congratulated Mr. Hearst for having such a daughter.

She was also friendly to me until others were around, revealing her true colours only when our parents weren't present. She was a master of manipulation, and I feared she could manipulate Spencer into accepting her as his girlfriend. That was all my father wanted, and he would be thrilled if they were to become a couple.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realise someone was standing beside me until I heard Carla's voice.

"Orange juice?" she asked with a broad smile. "If I were you, I'd be careful with that. The sugar from fruit can make you gain weight."

I made a face, trying to gather my thoughts before I replied. "Do you know how many calories are in that glass of champagne you're holding?"

She giggled, then stepped closer to me, leaning down with a smirk. "Even if I drank a whole bottle, I wouldn't weigh half as much as you." She smiled again before leaving me to sit by the pool, gazing seductively at Spencer, and it infuriated me to see him smile back at her.

"Your favourite cake!" A small plate with a slice of cake suddenly appeared close to my face, held by Ethan.

"You scared me!" I exclaimed, but he laughed. "Eat it, Cora. It'll make you smile. And later, if you want a little vodka in your orange juice, I guarantee it will stay our secret." He whispered, but I just looked at him and shook my head.

"I’m only sixteen, Ethan. If Mom and Dad find out, they'll be furious."

"I didn’t say to get drunk. If that were the case, I would be the one to kick you. I’m just saying that a little vodka could help you relax and enjoy the party."

I sighed, shaking my head as I took the plate from him and took a bite of the cake. Tilting my head back, I smiled. "This is delicious. Who needs alcohol when I have a cake like this?" The cake was made by the most famous bakery in Los Angeles, especially for the twins' party. How could it be anything but good?

As the alcohol disappeared from the table, the party grew wilder. The music got louder, and the girls in bikinis began to dance, trying to be sexy while the boys watched in excitement. I noticed one of their classmates holding a girl's hand and disappearing inside the house.

My parents were away on holiday. I knew they booked the trip so the boys could enjoy their leaving party undisturbed. I was surprised they allowed such a party, but I also understood that Mom had hired a cleaning company to come in the next day.

I felt tired and checked the time; it was only nine o'clock. I wanted to leave, but I was worried. Carla was always near Spencer, and I didn’t dare leave him alone with her. She was so seductive, and Spencer was a young, attractive man. I couldn’t take the chance of finding him in a room with that girl the next morning.

I stood up to get some coffee when I noticed what was happening. Ethan and Spencer were competing in a drinking game, seeing who could down three shots the quickest. Ethan won, and everyone applauded him.

They soon started dancing, and I could see that Spencer was feeling the effects of the alcohol. He told them he would be back in a minute and went to the bathroom. I watched him stumble and realised no one was following him, so I rushed after him.

I heard him flushing the toilet when I reached the door, but he didn’t come out.

"Spencer!" I called, knocking on the door. "Spencer!" I called again before deciding to enter the bathroom because he didn’t respond. I found him washing his face, which relaxed me. When he opened his eyes, he noticed me standing there and smiled widely, his gaze lingering on my body for a moment. He turned to me, pulled me in, and hugged me from behind. We looked into each other’s eyes in the mirror. He smiled at me, holding me in a way that felt like a man in love would embrace a woman.

"Look at you; how beautiful you are."

I frowned, and my heart began to race. Spencer reeked of alcohol, but this time, it didn’t bother me. Being in his arms made my heart feel like it might explode. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and kiss him, but I forced myself to return to reality.

"Spencer, don’t say that."

"I mean it. It's so warm outside. You bought that nice swimsuit, yet you're wearing this instead." He touched the hem of my shirt, unwittingly tracing the soft skin on my belly, which made me feel butterflies in my