Read Online Fatty Patty (A James Bay Novel) by Kathleen Irene Paterka - Free Book Online

into one of those trim little skirts scared me silly. But I’m all grown up now. I can do it.
    Especially if I lose another ten pounds.
    I settle behind my desk, grab a catalog and start dreaming.
    Brand new school year. Brand new body. Brand new me.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Where do ten-year-olds get so much energy? I keep watch from my usual spot near the playground fence, eyeing my crop of fifth graders as they hit the playground for morning recess. Nick’s class beat us outside and most of the boys—including mine—have lost no time joining Mr. Lamont beneath the basketball hoop. Their shouts of laughter are sucked up in the hot dry wind, scattering over the asphalt court. Some of the girls pair up in clumps of twos and threes, giggling as they scamper for the monkey bars, slide, and swings.
    Only two hours into the new school year, but every September it’s the same. Time and hormones dog them, especially the girls. They start fifth grade fighting over swings and finish the school year fighting over boys.
    Brand new school year. Brand new students. Brand new faces. Most of them I already know by name. By the end of this month, I’ll know their smiles and personalities, too.
    Eric tops my list of kids-to-keep-your-eye-on. Painfully thin, dark smudges under his eyes, shabby clothes. A classic case. Problems at home.
    Andrea, a diabetic whirlwind. No sugar. No snacks. Hopefully no seizures.
    Billy and Joseph, big and brawny. Special attention for those two. They could turn into major troublemakers.
    Matt and Mark, new to our district, identical twins. School policy mandates the brothers be separated; Matt’s in my class and Mark is in Nick’s. The twins haven’t been separated since they started school. I spent extra time reassuring their mother that her boys would be fine. They look fine now, laughing and shouting, part of Nick’s crowd under the basketball hoop.
    The girls are another matter. Jenna and Sarah on the swings, twirling and whispering with their heads together. Tiffany is off by herself, knobby knees pulled tight, dirty sneakers squeaking in protest as she inches down the metal slide. The school year’s barely started but Lauren, Becky, Katie, Amanda, and Jamie are already holding court. Head high, arms locked tight, they rule the playground.
    I keep an eye on them as they make another loop, then head in Tiffany’s direction. She sees them coming, tumbles down the slide and lands in a cloud of sand at the bottom. Loud hoots of laughter erupt from Lauren and her cohorts, making me cringe. Twenty years have passed since I was in fifth grade, subjected to daily torture on this very playground by the pretty girls. It wasn’t called bullying in those days, but I’ve never forgotten how much it hurt.
    “ They’re mean girls, Patty ,” Priscilla whispered on a daily basis. “ Just ignore them .” Poor Tiffany has to go it alone, while at least I had Priscilla at my side. The silent code of twins trumped being part of the in-crowd and Priscilla gave it all up for me. She could have joined them, but both of us knew I’d never get an invitation. Amy had made sure of that. I’ll bet she was the one who thought up that nickname that followed me through grade school.
    Fatty Patty . If I listen hard enough, I can still hear the voices of my playground torturers chanting in my head.
    “Hey, Miss P. Want a cookie?”
    Tyler, one of the smallest boys in my class, stands before me with a half-eaten cookie in one hand and an open baggie filled with cookies in the other. Huge homemade chocolate chip cookies. The best kind. A promise of pure pleasure sitting on your tongue.
    “They’re pretty good.” He grins, showing off gaping holes from two missing front teeth. “My mom made them.” Sugary crumbs stain his lips as he spits out the words and holds out the sack.
    Grab it quick, before he gets away.
    “Thanks, Tyler, but I had a big breakfast.” I swallow down a surge of desire. That dry piece of toast