Girls Weight Gain

Crickets chirped off in the distance, occasionally drowned out by a car passing on the otherwise empty road. Street lamps shone their orange glow above the asphalt, casting shadows between the cars parked along both sides of the street. A breeze blew through the trees lining each side of the road, rustling their leaves and blowing dust from beneath their branches. The wind carried the scent of grass and earth, making Avery feel like she was elsewhere.

Avery closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. The night was her favorite time of day, and Avery had spent many nights alone at one of her many secret hideaways. Avery preferred the nighttime for its solitude. People seemed to avoid the roads when the sky was black, and most businesses were already closed. Avery loved the peace and quiet of the world when everyone else was asleep. It was like she was the only person on the planet. When Avery was out at night, all her troubles seemed to disappear. School, sports, homework, and every other problem went away. For a brief moment, Avery forgot everything, and anything existed except for her.

Avery made her way along the quiet streets, admiring the old homes built in style reminiscent of days gone by. Some looked abandoned, while others showed signs of being lived-in. All were surrounded by lush lawns and gardens that would've taken hours to maintain. Each house was unique and different, decorated with varying degrees of extravagance. They reminded Avery of pictures she'd seen of colonial times.

She came to an intersection and stopped dead in her tracks as she caught sight of something ahead. A vehicle's headlights illuminated a pair of houses beside each other. One appeared to be occupied, though it was hard to tell given how little light was available. The windows glowed faintly yellow, with ambient light seeping through cracks and crevices. The other home was dark save for a single light shining from within.

The vehicle was a large white van, like the ones you'd see the villains in action movies driving. The paint was faded in places, and rust could be seen near the edges of specific panels. No license plates or other markings identified it as belonging to anybody were present. Avery bit her lip and tugged at her hair, glancing around for any signs of other people in the area. The other houses were dark, and no other cars were on the road. Avery took a deep breath and crossed the street, walking as quickly as she could past the van.

Avery's heart raced as she neared the idling vehicle, her eyes darting back and forth as she tried desperately to spot anyone hiding in the darkness. The van appeared empty as Avery passed, though she kept her guard. The low rumble of the engine began to fade behind her as she quickly walked along the sidewalk, leaving the mysterious van behind. Avery continued on, hoping that whatever it was would pass her by unnoticed.

Avery began to slow her steps, and her heartbeat returned to normal as she turned a corner and lost sight of the vehicle. It seemed like her nerves were unusually heightened tonight. Maybe it was because of all the excitement surrounding her fainting spell.
Avery turned the next corner and approached the entrance of a small park. It was a beautiful place, filled with tall pine trees and thick bushes. There was even a pond nestled among the foliage, complete with ducks swimming lazily across the surface. A trail wound through the woods, ending in a clearing at the water's edge. It was peaceful, and Avery wanted nothing more than to sit and enjoy the view.

Avery moved to one of the benches near the pond and sat on the hard wooden seat. Avery leaned back against the rough wood, staring blankly into space. Avery couldn't help but wonder why she had suddenly felt so nervous. Usually, she enjoyed her walks here. Avery always thought they helped clear her head and relax her. Still, Avery decided that she wouldn't let the incident ruin her evening.

The ducks were just faint silhouettes in the moonlit pond, drifting lazily in the still water. Nocturnal insects filled the air, creating a symphony of crickets and cicadas. In the distance, Avery heard a dog bark, but it soon grew distant again. After that, everything was silent; the only sound was the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. Cattails whistled in the gentle breeze that meandered through the night like a traveler with nowhere to go. Stars twinkled in the sky, and the moon was large above the treetops. No houses or other buildings could be seen, and it was as if the rest of the world had disappeared. All that existed was Avery and nature itself.

As Avery watched the ripples created by a fish moving beneath the surface, she felt her thoughts begin to drift. Thoughts drifted everywhere in her mind—from what happened during the game today to whether or not Tom would ever ask her to hang out again. Avery knew it was better this way without Tom in her life. Honestly, he hadn't really ever seemed to care about Avery. To him, it had been about the status of dating the star soccer player. Then, when he got bored, he'd moved on. Leaving Avery to deal with her broken heart alone. She sighed deeply and wiped the tears from her face. This whole thing with Tom had been such a mess. And now she had to deal with the fact she wouldn't be allowed to play soccer for at least two weeks.

It seemed like everything was conspiring against Avery. Her dad was too busy with work to worry about her teenage problems, and her mother was too self-absorbed in her political career to notice anything going on at home. Not that Avery expected anything else anyway. Her mom never cared much about her own family. Just her public image as a perfect wife and mother.

Avery reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She checked to make sure there weren't any missed calls before putting it back in her pocket. That was another reason Avery hated having a cell phone. Constantly being connected meant constant distraction, and she rarely had time to herself anymore. At least, until now.

Avery stood slowly, stretching her arms over her head as she yawned loudly. She stretched her legs out in front of her before bending forward slightly and touching her toes. Avery did three sets of ten squats, then jogged lightly toward the park's center. Avery may not be able to play soccer, but that didn't mean she should let her legs grow soft.

However, Avery stopped as she heard the cracking of a twig coming from the entrance to the park. Her head whipped around, and she brushed some hair from her eyes as she scanned the darkness. The park was empty save for herself. Nothing moved, and no other sound could be detected besides the occasional flutter of wings from the birds flying overhead. Avery frowned and glanced down at her phone. What could possibly have caused her to hear those sounds?

"Hello?" Avery called quietly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Is somebody there?"

No answer came, and Avery waited anxiously for several moments longer. Finally, she shrugged and resumed her jog towards the pond. Avery slowed once she arrived at the clearing and stared at the calm water. Her heart rate began to return to normal, and she took a few deep breaths. Just the wind. Or perhaps a frog. That was all it was. Avery was just being paranoid.

Avery's hand darted to the back of her neck as something pricked her, and she whipped around to face the empty park. Nothing moved in the faint light from the moon, though Avery was confident she could hear the soft sound of an engine speeding away in the distance. Had the van followed her? Why would it leave? Avery shook her head as she felt a sudden warmth spread through her body. Was it possible she didn't imagine things? Did she actually feel a needle prick her skin? The heat was strange, though not unpleasant. However, it left her feeling oddly hungry. It was like she suddenly needed to eat right this instant.

Avery blinked rapidly as she looked around again, taking stock of where she was and what might happen next. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary aside from the warm sensation spreading throughout her body. She noticed her hands trembling, which made sense since she'd been running and standing still for quite some time. Her stomach growled audibly, causing Avery to blush as she realized how loud she sounded. Avery chuckled nervously and rubbed her belly gently. Maybe she should get some food before heading home. Though perhaps all she needed was some sleep.