Spring Break Forever: Epilogue

“Meet in the lobby at 6:30 for an early dinner,” the text from Austin read.

It had been fifteen years since the roommates graduated. They all moved out the summer after senior year and began their lives as ostensible adults. For the most part, they hadn’t stayed in touch. Nick and Mike remained friendly and the others had barely spoken in years. Yet when Austin reached out proposing a reunion, they all eagerly agreed. They were to stay at the same Hawaiian resort they had visited almost twenty years ago over their freshman spring break.

Colby arrived at the lobby first and did a 360 looking for his friends. Not seeing anyone he rested on one of the plush couches and pulled out his phone. He rested the device on his belly as he scrolled through Instagram. His pants felt tight from the leftover burrito he had downed in the room. He wanted to unbutton them but refrained. Instead, he shifted a bit and tried to pull them up.

“Hey man!” Nick exclaimed.

Colby hoisted himself up and hugged his friend. Nick looked Colby up and down as they expressed their excitement for the weekend ahead. His feet were killing him after all the walking in the airport and hotel, but he remained standing alongside Colby. Mike arrived next, chipper as ever, and jubilantly embraced both of his former roommates. As they stood around, his stomach growled loudly. Finally, after several minutes, Austin appeared slowly plodding toward the group for what seemed like an eternity.

Excitement was in the air as they headed to the same restaurant they had eaten at on their first spring break together so many years ago.

“I don’t remember the chairs being so small,” Nick laughed as he sat down, his ass pouring off the edges of the seat.

“I think we were a lot smaller back then,” Colby chortled.

“So what are we having?” Mike interjected. “I’m starving.”

“I mean…” Nick trailed off. “Last time we, well you remember? We had one of everything on the menu.”

“That’s a given,” Austin said through labored breathing.

The men received their drinks and did a toast. Each one struggled to lean far enough forward to touch glasses with so much belly fat between them and the table, but they persevered. One by one they went around the table and caught up on each other's lives.

Austin was once again the largest of the group. He was morbidly obese and struggled with mobility. He worked remotely and part time for a data security company, and lived in a palatial penthouse paid for by his parents. Clearly, he spent most of his time eating. His lifestyle of laziness and luxury left soft fat drooping from every appendage. His neck and wrists and ankles had long disappeared behind layers of blubber. Most of his furniture was reinforced, his food delivered, and his apartment professionally cleaned. He was a lazy tub of lard which surprised no one.

Mike had lost a good deal of weight… and then gained it back. Working as a nurse kept him on his feet and more attenuated to his health than ever before, causing him to shed a significant amount of excess fat. However, after a knee injury he transitioned to more administrative work and was quickly getting back to his proper plump self. He found that the regains hit hard and fast. It seemed like every month the numbers on the scale increased by two digits. His clothes were getting snug again, his belly was getting in the way. Only this time everything felt softer than before. His belly and side rolls and thighs all felt squishier and looser.

He knew there were whispers amongst his colleagues about his health. He wasn’t the only fat guy at the hospital, but he certainly was growing faster than the others. Everyone was aware that he used to be massive and wondered if they had an ethical obligation to intervene as healthcare practitioners. Mike didn’t care too much though. Lately, he even kind of missed his outlandish curves and being around his old chubby friends made him feel even more comfortable.

Nick talked about his weight more than anyone at the table. He was a big guy when he graduated and an even bigger guy now. He complained several times about how indulgent of a chef his wife was, even though it seemed like he secretly enjoyed it. He boasted of going up several pant sizes in their first year of marriage and then gaining nearly the same amount of weight as his wife did when she was pregnant. The only difference was that she lost the weight and he did not.

Sitting at the table, Nick looked positively jolly. His jock build had completely rounded out with puffy fat that pushed at the seams of his button up. He still could handle a boat load of alcohol and poured back the drinks faster than anyone else, causing his cheeks and nose to grow rosy. He seemed to be enjoying himself; a real glutton for life. He gobbled up the food, the drinks, the good company. He belched proudly and celebrated the extra room he found in his gut for more food. He seemed fat and happy.

Colby was the smallest of the group, but was considered a big guy in nearly any other social circle. He often boasted of his days as a college athlete, yet most people assumed he played rugby considering his build. His ass remained his defining feature. It was pert as ever yet larger in circumference, wobbling with every step under pants that could barely close. The two globular cheeks were supported by incredibly stout thighs that remained touching at all times and filled every seat that he found. His midsection had grown as well, folding into a generous overhang that appeared softer than his rump. Despite hitting the gym regularly, every year he found an additional fifteen or so pounds on the scale. A hunger had developed in him that he had given up trying to vanquish.

His partners didn’t help either. For about four years Colby had been part of a devoted throuple consisting of a bear closer to Nick’s proportions and an amorous twink who loved keeping his men well-fed. Recently, even the twink was growing soft from the lifestyle he and his loves led. None of the roommates were surprised by Colby’s non-traditional love life and he could even detect an iota of envy from each of the guys. He couldn’t blame them. Who wouldn’t want to be doted on by two growing boys?

By the end of dinner every plate was cleared and every man was comfortably swollen. Each one had sweat on their brows and pant buttons digging into their underbellies. Fifteen years ago this meal pushed them over the edge. Now, they were ready to seek desert elsewhere. They slowly raised themselves from the table with grunts and sighs and waddled into the hotel. The pack of overstuffed middle aged men attracted many stares as they made their way to the frozen yogurt shop.

After each one loaded up a bucket of frozen yogurt with endless toppings, they raised their cups.

“To spring break forever!” Nick exclaimed.

“Spring break forever!” They chanted in unison.