In this installment, Rachel, Camille, & Regina enjoy an all-you-can-eat lunch at the new Greek spot. Cami tries to impress Rachel, but Rachel’s a little distracted by her own perception of reality seeming to falling apart. All while Regina’s itching to spill the beans on an enticing offer her Penny gave her this morning.
I know it’s been a minute. But this was another one of those talky ones where I kept second, triple, & quadruple guessing things. But I’m just powering through as I do have a solid chunk of things written AFTER this portion already, & I’d like them to eventually see the light of day.
But THEN, earlier this week, after having it mostly finished, I lost about a third of it. You see, I know it’s probably inadvisable, but after using Google Docs for the longest time, it was running a little too slow & took forever to load, so I started just doing chapters directly into the Patreon posts themselves. Well, they auto save. But also I was moving back & forth between different devices. And wasn’t paying attention. So after writing that last chunk almost to the very end, I moved to the other device, to an older iteration & suddenly that version overwrote the nearly finished one.
I needed to take a day, & I worried that now, after having to do it a fifth time when the fourth finally seemed okay, it might end a little more dispassionately than in the versions lost. But I tried my best to keep on going like I promised. Still, very frustrating.
For the novelty of it, a very small portion of this chapter is in Korean. I'm sorry if I goofed any of the translation, I tried my best with the resources I have, & while I do know some folks I could check with I don't really want to explain the reason why I'm seeking translation help in my real social life, if you know what I mean LoL
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55
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Greedily, there was far too much stuffed into the pita of her ‘make-your-own’ gyro.
Hastily 'rolled' & impossible to close, its absurd size no longer reflected anything authentically Mediterranean. A portion size one could only fine in the good ol' US of A.
And as her chubby fingers fiddled with its feeble folds & tried to find purchase, struggling to keep the whole shebang together, the massive, unwieldy monstrosity was losing tzatziki & bits of lamb at a rapid clip. They rained down onto the rest of Camille’s already loaded plate as she took another large, sloppy bite.
All while still trying to impress Rachel with her knowledge of some Greek myth she knew.
"Mmmmmm- And so after- mmhm- being turned into this tentacle monster & sent to the seafloor- urp- Charybdis only got- greedier. Mmmm- And so she'd drink in the sea- mmmm- create whirlpools." She struggled to manage.
"Wow," Rachel added a bit flatly, more out of the instinct that this was a beat in the conversation for her to interject something to make it seem like she was listening, & less that she was actually paying attention & truly reacting. And ostensibly, it seemed to work. Or maybe Cami was just a little more focused on her meal.
“Mmmmmmmm-s’so good,” the tan skinned girl moaned just a little too emphatically for the public setting, her plump lips smacking. Almost as if she was forgetting she was mid story. A small splat of white sauce revealed itself against her bulging cheek. Sloppily trying to squeeze its contents together, she tried to manage another immediate bite of ‘gyro,’ seemingly before swallowing what was already in her mouth. And another quickly after that. At a pace that was downright ravenous, despite just how turgid her belly still was from the night before.
“Mmmmhmmmmmmmm,” Regina echoed almost mindlessly in response, trailing off into a guttural moan. Her eyes rolled skyward with delight as, already a bit away from the table on account of her belly, she leaned further back into the two smaller metal chairs she took up, one for each cheek. Two new flecks of stains adorning her tight old Twice t-shirt. Her mouth just as full, as her even rounder face bobbed with her jaw's motion. Her expansive cheeks & chins jiggling along. Her motions were a bit slower than Cami's, but surprisingly, not by very much. And the spectacle of them both shoving more & more into their maws? Just the sheer ferocity of it all? It seemed like less of a friendly lunch outing, & more like a feeding frenzy.
It was a pace that horrified a somewhat more pensive Rachel from across their circular table. Even if she could feel her own not-so-subtle hunger pangs pushing her along. And worse yet, unlike across the table, she was wholly aware of the unconscious manipulation taking place. With those inaudible, secondhand vibrations radiating from her lunch mates’ phones, hitting her too on some imperceptible level, & coercing her body to release certain hormones & enzymes, driving her to eat.
Rachel recognized the risk in coming, but saw no nice way of issuing Cami another raincheck. And especially not with Penny ready to swoop in & take advantage of her absence again, as some sort of recompense for finally getting through to Holly the way they did the night prior. Without her sister, it was abundantly clear that the AI was now trying to focus its ire on the next person Rachel was closest to. The only reason she was putting herself in this position was to work on some kind way to usher Cami, & now, maybe even more critically, Regina away from all this manipulation &... fattening.
And that bold plan as to how she would do all that was just about to strike her, any minute now! Yup. Just so long as she didn't give into the urge to eat the way they were eating. Over this sumptuous, Mediterranean lunch, at this upscale buffet. Uh huh. Any minute now.
Seriously though, why did they have to pick a buffet? She lamented looking down at her own plate, with its own hefty pile. Despite her having the freedom to simply just go back for more.
Poor Rachel was doing everything to hold on for dear life, & not just slam her face directly into her own melitzanosalata, mouth agape. Instead, she forced herself to take deep breaths between each bite, willfully attempting to take everything slower. Even though forces were compelling her to very much not. Mindfulness. It meant actively trying to savor each mouthful. Still, there was that unwelcome, seemingly automatic fervor bubbling up, just under the surface, fighting to take control. Manifesting itself in the way she was still ultimately double fisting her pita chips in a pretty rapid succession. Just as she had anticipated. This was the 'calculated' risk of taking them up on this lunch date, after all. Ultimately, there was only so much resistance she could mount against this kind of subsonic assault. And what didn't seem to help matters any, was just how delicious it all tasted. There was no way she could stop herself from shoving food into her face like some kind of a fiend. And as the three women, ranging from pretty plump to absolutely massive, all sat there, gorging themselves like crazy, all Rachel could think was how they must’ve been a hell of a sight to any passing bystander.
Then again, if anyone came just a little too close, they'd more than likely get pretty hungry too.
With the large window of the interior opening up right next to them, they were sitting at the confluence of the chilled climate-control air from inside, & the warm, dry air outside. The big cloth umbrella, the same bright blue as the roofs of Greek islands from tourism brochures, hung over the large circular blocking a lot of the harsher sun. But the building's white tiles bounced a lot of light, brightening the shade.
Even with her hair up in buns, Regina's face still seemed shiny, tacky with sweat. Maybe it was all the blubber. Or maybe eating the way she was, quite possibly could've been the most physical activity she had seen in quite some time. Either way, it wasn't enough to spoil the obese Asian's enjoyment.
"The flavors," she breathily attempted between massive mouthfuls. "I just... love them." As much damage as their weekly ‘Ladies’ Nights’ had seemed to have been doing, Rachel could only think about how it seemed as though Penny could still really ratchet things up the girls in isolation too.
Regina, with her innocuous urge to take up baking as a hobby, was a prime example. And sure, the bubbly, flaky Korean girl was already quite round by the time Rachel had first met her, but the poor thing had grown so incredibly large, so implausibly fast. And those gains showed little sign of slowing.
“I swear I’ve tried these spino-kolada things before,” she pointed with a chubby pinky, while chewing. Her lips brought to a pucker. Her chewing jaw motion almost made her happy duck lips look like a bouncing ball against her round, pale cheeks. “But I don’t remember it ever tasting this... amazeballs!”
“Spanakopita.” Cami leaned into correct with a smug smirk. But her condescension was pretty well undercut by the sheer amount of tzatziki adorning her own face.
”That’s what I said, didn’t I…?” Regina asked softly, confused, her mouth full with a new bite. She chewed while puckering a little.
"You're... mmm... right about one thing, though. Nothing like.... mmmmm... great Greek food," Cami laughed, plunging her gyro back into her face sloppily. Or vice versa. "S'wonderful. And to do it.... mmmmmmmm oh gawd. To do it... buffet style? Mmh-mmmmmmmm” Cami groaned. Loudly. Almost embarrassingly loud. Especially for something so close to sounding orgasmic. Rachel’s cheeks turned rosy, developing the sneaking suspicion that other people were staring.
“Jesus.” She rasped under her breath. “Settle.”
”It’s so good though,” was what Rachel thought Cami had said, trying to speak through a much too full mouth. It was hard to make out. For as intelligent as she could be, Camille seemed so easily overtaken by impulse. As her distended belly could attest to. Rachel couldn't stop eyeing it, as it bumped into the table every time Cami leaned in for another bite. Which damn was near constant. Voracious was an understatement.
”Yeah,” Regina nodded in agreement, echoing the sentiment “It’s sooo good.” She seemed too consumed with eating to articulate it much differently.
Speaking of impulses, Rachel had realized that she had suddenly ran out of pita chips. And was up for a different taste now, turning her sights on her own slightly more modest gyro, taking up a sizeable portion of her plate. Unlike Cami's, it was even somewhat manageable. And just so fucking delicious. It brought her guard down for just a second, & suddenly she was already three bites in.
"Breathe," she had to remind herself mentally. She had to be careful. To keep her wits about her. It was just so easy to slip if she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. Being mindful. She'd be no help to Cami or Regina if she were to let herself become an eating machine just like them. Despite how much both of them seemed to really be enjoying it. Like pigs in shit.
A cynicism came over Rachel. She started to lament between slower bites. Was there even the possibility of trying to reel either of these girls back in? Regina was already just so... big. Approaching Courtney, or Dawn levels of huge, where it seemed like it was only a matter of time before everyone just gets an abrupt "Oh I'm moving suddenly" form letter text. While Cami, whom she had feelings for, just seemed to want all this. Constantly gorging herself, being on the verge of exploding? Hell, there was the very messy reality that even without any of Penny’s insidious influence, binging like this was just some kind of deep seated kink for her or something. And Penny was simply just helping her live it out.
Of course the last thing Rachel wanted was to just sit back & let Penny 'win,' amassing more of whatever kind of sick & twisted body count it was going for. But now, here, in the moment, watching both women cram more & more Mediterranean food into their already overstuffed maws, any optimism she had about trying to shake them out of this subsonically induced lifestyle was fading fast. What could she do? Was there... anything?
“You’re… mmm… not sayin’ much, Rachel.” Regina giddily noticed, trying to talk past her stuffed mouth. “Do you like it…?”
"Oh. S'really good," Rachel spoke softly. And she wasn't lying. It tasted amazing. But maybe being so distracted & deep in thought is what made her response sound a little inauthentic. Because Cami pounced.
"Just 'really good?" she badgered with a snickering smile. "C'mon, you're usually a bit more loquacious than that."
"Loqu-wha?" Regina tripped up.
"Verbose," Cami explained, a little condescendingly, almost as if she knew Regina still wouldn't fully grasp what she was saying.
"Mm- She's saying I usually give more than short one-word answers," Rachel remedied, thinking it was a bit rude. Regina nodded, getting it finally. "Which is strange considering how quiet & mousy I always thought 'Charymbis' over here was."
"Hey!" Cami recoiled, as Regina laughed.
"Right?!" the larger girl chuckled. "I used to think she was Mmmm- very shy. Now? She Mmm- never stops talking."
"Or shoving things into her mouth," Poked Rachel, trying to broach the subject of overeating, any way she could, if even jokingly. Cami's neck whipped in Rachel's direction, shooting her a scowl. But with reddening cheeks. Almost as if she enjoyed being teased for her gluttony. Which was decidedly not the reaction Rachel had been hoping for. Still, Cami's ego demanded she defend herself in this moment.
"First of all!" She pointedly snapped, finally putting her food down for the first time since they came back from the buffet. And leaning back, her almost pregnant looking tummy jutted out, bumping the bottom of the table, causing Regina to laugh just a little harder. "It's Cha-ryb-dis, & she's my favorite figure in all of Greek mythology. Not Chrimbus or whatever the hell you just said!" Her tone, while defensive, was steeped in playfulness. "And I like her... 'cuz-" Cami caressed her belly. "Ooof... she's just like me- for real. Okay?!"
"We gathered," Rachel said pretty plainly, while Regina had nothing more to contribute but steady chortling.
"And secondly," Cami continued, looking down & swabbing a pita chip through some of the gyro debris that had landed on her plate. "Okay, so it takes me a little bit to get comfortable around people, & come out of my shell. We all have our own social ticks like that." She looked up devilishly at Rachel. "Like the way you thought you were so much cooler than us 'normies' when you first came to stay with Holly."
"Wha- No!" Rachel snapped back with kneejerk denial.
"H'yup," Recognized Regina. "I think you did!" she laughed, pointing with her fork. "So hipster."
"What the kids have been calling Indie Sleaze these days," Cami tagged, making it sound even sillier. And while this was all lighthearted prodding, Rachel was taken back a bit.
She'd be the first to admit that she might've been dismissive at first. After all, Holly was... well, pretty basic. And so yeah, by extension, meeting everyone back during 'Ladies' Night,' maybe she did write everyone off as being the same sort of basic normies with 9-5 office jobs. Before even broaching the realization they were all swelling up like ticks.
Was her attitude really that apparent though?
"Jesus," Rachel shrank. "I- I'm sorry. I hope it wasn't like... super-bitchy or arrogant."
"What?!" Cami laughed.
"No!" Insisted Regina, almost simultaneously.
"Your vibes might've come off a little detached. Maybe judgy at first. Mmmmm- But 'bitchy' is certainly a stretch." Cami assured her, realizing the joking around perhaps struck a little too deeply. She placed her hand on Rachel's & stroked it with her thumb. While still scooping her plate clean with a pita chip in her other hand. "Hell, if anything, it was like you were- mmmmm s'good- bringing the rest of us some level of cred." Rachel released an abrupt, scoffing laugh.
"Yeah, we all love you," Regina added. "You were never bitchy to me! Just- how do I say- Mmm- a bit 'too cool for school.' But in a nice way! And only briefly. Mmmm- And you’re here with us, now!” she reasoned. “We wouldn’t invite you to lunch if we didn’t like you!”
“Yeah, even after you left the both of us to eat all that last night on our own!" Cami's attempt at jokingly guilting Rachel actually did. "We ate- soooOOooo much!"
"Okay, well-" Rachel sighed, catching herself. "You need to practice moderation, for one." Camille only let out a sharp "Hah!" in response, but had too much in her mouth to push back harder. So Rachel continued. "And if you ever catch me doing that again, please, call me on my bullshit."
"You think I won't?" Cami quickly retorted after a huge gulp. Her & Rachel shared smiles at one another, Rachel's a bit more pensive in a way. Until Cami ruined the vibe. "But hey, I think I'm just about ready for round two." Rachel's eyes bulged.
"After all that...?"
"What," the rich girl scoffed, taking a few false starts to hoist herself to her feet. "Did you really think I came to a buffet just for one plate's worth? That's just like- burning money." To find her balance, she had to poke her round gut out in a way that almost seemed comical for a moment.
"You're practically ready to burst already," Rachel tried arguing, but almost as if still on autopilot, her own pudgy posterior was suddenly lifting off her seat to follow. After a frustrated sigh, she turned to Regina. "Look, is there anything I can gr...?"
"More spino-coladas, Reggie?" Camille cut her off.
"Oooh!" Regina cooed, clapping, even though she still had a little bit to work through on the second plate she had double fisted. It was one of the fattest looking gestures Rachel had ever seen in her life. "Yes please!"
"On it!" Cami waved, already waddling back towards the buffet line. A reticent Rachel looked back to Regina who waved her on.
Regina watched her friends share a quick hug & a peck on the cheek before returning to the buffet. She admired them.
They were lucky to have found one another, she thought, not without some bit of envy. Then again, who needed a significant other when she had food. Delicious food. Or maybe just her Penny.
Hell, Regina smirked, Penny was almost a little better. Almost.
As much as she wanted to spring the news to her friends about the exclusive offer Penny had mentioned, with there being some kind of a special upgrade package, the robot had swore her to secrecy. And that was a trust Regina did not want to violate.
She fumbled to take her phone out of her tiny knapsack. To maintain just a little bit of the secrecy her AI assist swore her to, Regina conversed in Korean.
"페니, 내가 그들에게 말하면 안 되는 게 확실해? (Penny, are you sure I can't tell them?)" She asked. "오늘 아침에 우리가 얘기했던 거 말이야? (About the thing we talked about this morning?)"
"아니요! (No!)" Her Penny responded with almost an emphatic snap. Her Korean was immaculate, but the forcefulness of it caught Regina just a little off-guard. At least before the AI seemed to modulate its tone to her. "그들이 당신의 친구라는 건 알지만, 안타깝게도 두 사람 모두 자격이 부족합니다. (I know they're your friends, but unfortunately neither one of them qualify.) 내 사랑, 그 둘 다 당신만큼 운이 좋지는 않아요. 게다가 그들은 서로에게 의지할 수 있잖아요. (Neither are as lucky as you, dear. Besides, they have each other.)"
"Mmmm- 제 생각에는- 제 생각엔 그게 맞는 것 같아요. (I guess- I guess that's true,)" She shrugged, mindlessly feeling compelled to clear her plate just a little bit faster. As much as she wanted to pace herself until they came back out with more, her hunger seemed to be the one in the driver's seat. "Mmmm- urp- 마치 복권에 당첨된 기분이었어요! 지금 당장 누군가에게 알리고 싶어요! (I just- it feels like I- won the lottery or something! I'm dying to tell someone!)"
"미스 레지나, 네 친구들을 생각하는 모습이 정말 마음이 따뜻해져. (It's so nice of you to consider your friends though, Miss Regina.)" Her bot complimented. "당신은 업그레이드 프로그램에 딱 맞는 분이시군요! (And why you're a perfect fit for the upgrade program!) 걱정하지 마세요! 두 사람 모두 곧 자격을 갖추게 될 거예요! (Don't worry! Those two will both be eligible, quite soon!)"
"아 멋지다! (Oh cool!)" Regina smiled gleefully, baklava flakes falling from her plump, greasy lips.
Rachel was a step behind Camille as she stepped- er waddled lively, raiding the buffet line. She was dual-wielding plates.
On the one hand, there was something a little strategic about letting her go first. After all, her picking it all over like a swarm of locusts meant less for Rachel in terms of options. And thereby less damage to her weight. Still, the sheer amount of calories getting loaded onto each plate was disconcerting. Rachel watched wide eyed as she stocked one to the brim with the last of the available spanakopita, the serving tray left bare all but a few flakes.
"Here, this is for Regina," Cami said, almost a little begrudgingly, winging the plate back in Rachel’s direction. Probably so she didn’t devour it all herself. An off-guard Rachel scrambled to catch the stacked pile, nearly dropping it before Camille had already waddled off several steps towards the next offering down the line.
"Okay like- I know we're all joking around about pigging out. But like- this is like- way too much," Rachel struggled to push back.
"Psssh," Cami laughed off. "Weakling." Rachel looked at the impossible pile. And as much as her own hunger pushed her to want to rob a few off the top, she tried to think about setting this in front of Regina, given the size she was already. “You’re doing that thing we were just talking about,” Cami chided with a haughty laugh to herself. “It’s a buffet. Live a little, wouldja?” As much as she enjoyed the atmosphere of playful banter, suddenly, with it just being the two of them? Rachel felt a little less beholden to things being so lighthearted.
"Look," she struggled, eyes locked downward. Now was as good a time as any. She took a deep breath. "I'm- being serious," This was her, putting her foot down. Not because this was an ideal time or place for it. But simply because the situation necessitated it. Penny’s ever present listening be damned.
Cami stopped, & awkwardly tried to pivot, her gut swaying. She wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. And it left her with a lack of spatial awareness, bumping into one of the serving prongs, & causing a loud, cacophonous clatter as it slipped into the tray. As fairly empty as the inside of the restaurant was, the ruckus called everyone’s attention to the two of them, leaving them both a little embarrassed. But after mousily waving apologetically to someone on the staff, Cami looked back to Rachel. With daggers.
"Y'know, I keep trying to lighten the vibes here. But you- your energy? Something seems... off. Like you’re withdrawn. Keeping something from me." She remarked in more of a flat, stern tone. She took a deep breath herself, & tried to soften a little. A little more empathetic. "Did something happen? Last night, I mean." It seemed like the secrecy was eating Cami alive. But Rachel was still not ready to divulge the specifics. Not here, like this.
"I should ask you the same thing," She deflected gesturing towards Cami's stomach. She might’ve poked it with her index finger pointedly if she didn’t worry on some level that Cami might just detonate on the spot.
"Wait!" Cami jumped excitedly, while trying to mute her shock slightly to match the din of upscale eatery. "Don't tell me you think- that Regina & I...?"
"What?! No!" Rachel laughed at first. That wasn't at all what she was implying, but given just how much Cami must have put away, & given her intimate predilections, suddenly Rachel wasn't entirely sure. Not that they were that serious serious, but like- No. Stay on track! Rachel's mindfulness kept herself from wandering off on a tangent. "No, I don't mean it like that! But like- the two of you hanging out. You like- really overdid it, don't you think?"
"Yeah well you were indisposed," Camille pointed out, sounding a bit defensive. "And Regina was a doll, the way she randomly stopped by to drop off some of her baking, which she greatly improved on by the way. I already ordered a shit ton of pizza for me, so I shared in return. What, was I supposed to just take her cupcakes & send her off on her merry way?!"
"No, Cami, please." Rachel huffed, grabbing a few things for her own plate. It was a bit awkward to do while carrying the spanakopita for Regina. But it was a technique she learned once as a server. "I don’t give a fuck that you two hung out. What I care about is like, the complete lack of moderation. The insane degree in which you’re stuffing yourself. Er- Yourselves. I mean- you still look as though you’re about to pop.”
“Mmm, Feel it too,” Cami purred as if to defiantly flaunt it. Even while filling her plate, she was still shoving a piece of baklava into her mouth to hold her over til she got to the table.
“I’m being real right now, Cami.” Rachel asserted. “Look, I'm sorry I left you alone for one night,” she punctuated with a light sprinkling of sarcasm. “But like- don’t you think you’re overdoing things a little? Even for you?” She asked, grimly noticing how she was running out of room on her own plate. “And like poor Regina. Don’t you see what this sort of thing is doing to her! She’s- almost twice the girl she was when I got here.” She pointed out, modulating herself & muting the latter bit to be a bit confidential.
“Well,” Cami chirped, looking a little flustered. “I don’t know where this sudden fatphobia is coming from-“
“Cam, it’s not fa-“ A frustrated Rachel tried to interject, only to be steamrolled.
“But we’re both fucking adults, okay?” The shorter girl said, the veneer of playfulness finally leaving, as if a nerve had been struck. “And as adults, we can live our own lives. Make our own decisions!” She snapped, again rebelliously picking up something to nibble without it even touching her plate.
“Are you though?” Rachel snapped back, in kneejerk fashion. “Really?” Only she was able to see the irony of the statement.
“What’s that even supposed to mean?” Cami pressed, her own frustration rising further. Rachel was trying to process a way to explain how the smart AI that runs their condos was using subsonic frequencies to manipulate their appetites & fatten them up like livestock, but it was a bit difficult with her hands full at the buffet line in the middle of a Greek restaurant, frankly. Instead, a familiar chirp sounded from Cami’s purse.
“Miss Camille,” Penny sounded.
“Now’s not really a great time, Penny.” Cami grumbled back. But the sudden attention was enough to send a message to Rachel, whose blood ran cold.
“I am sorry. It is just that Miss Regina texted you. I believe she is asking for more souvlaki as well, but seemingly does not know the proper name for it.” The robot explained.
“Noted,” Cami said simply. She turned back to Rachel. “Now. As you were saying?” Rachel took a deep breath, trying to be calmer. But also to gain a little composure after the AI’s interjection.
"Look, I’m really glad you two had the chance to hang out. And I’m thrilled you had someone to keep you company without me.” She tried to assure. “Hell, I'm really glad she's here now, out & about with us. Really!” She said this, wondering just how many outings someone the size of Regina still had in her, with Penny having such a firm grasp. “Regina's a real sweetie. But that's like, kind of my whole issue." She tried to explain. “I worry.”
“Well you should worry more about yourself,” Cami snapped back, the frustration still very much present. She was finally approaching the end of the buffet line, which was picked almost bone dry. “Don’t you think it’s a little hypocritical of you?”
“Wha- No!” Rachel gasped.
“Oh no?” Cami mocked slightly. “You’re out here with us. And it’s not like you’re eating like a bird exactly yourself.” She nodded to Rachel’s plate, which had become increasingly overloaded over the course of this conversation, without Rachel apparently realizing. “And it’s not exactly like you haven’t grown a bit in the middle yourself. Or particularly, in that fine ass of yours.” Rachel let out a monosyllabic scoff as her cheeks began to redden, hoping no one was still paying attention to them or listening in. “But see, silly me, I don’t mind it one bit. I think it’s kind of cute. That it all… very much suits you.”
“But like-“ Rachel struggle to push back. “I’m not stuffing myself stupid the way you are.”
“Yes, you are.” Cami said with wide eyes. “The other night when we hung out? Today? Look at your fuckin’ plate, girl.”
“No- but- I mean-“ Rachel tried to find the words, but Camille had a point. Every time she was around her, she was overeating too. Maybe not as bad, but certainly not in a way where she could take any sort of moral high ground here.
A bunch of thoughts started swirling in Rachel’s head.
Between the joking earlier of her not being self-aware enough about being a little off-putting towards the others, to now, not recognizing the way Cami seeing her as being just as guilty of overeating, it was as if Rachel was having a mini-crisis over her own perception.
“Look, Regina’s probably starving, & frankly, I don’t want to go back to the table mad,” Cami tried to cool things down. But Rachel was still reeling a little, falling deeper into her own head.
The one thing that she couldn’t stop thinking about from last night, was the way Holly’s brain was warped by Penny into thinking things weren’t as bad as they really were. If this thing could do that, what other sort of pernicious bullshit could it be pulling like that? Had Penny been hammering on her perceptions too? Every time she was within range of that piece of shit’s machinations?
“Yeah- sorry- I-“ Rachel muttered, a million miles away, realizing she hadn’t responded.
“You see, this is what I mean about the vibes though,” Cami circled back, standing there, scooping up something on her plate to snack on while she waited. Rachel watched her put it in her mouth, chew, & swallow. And as it entered her stomach, Rachel could almost swear she watched it bulge just a little more. “Hello…? What’s up with you right now?”
A terrible thought struck Rachel.
She only ever did see Camille, or Regina, whenever she was next to them. With their phones. Aside from Fran & the others, Penny was ever-present. Never not around with everyone else she’d met or gotten to know here.
What if Penny was instituting that same sort of optic manipulation on her that it had been running on Holly? What if she, & everyone still in range of the Bellflower's signal was actually even bigger than they were able to perceive?
Hell, what if she herself was already heavier than she thought? She could ever really ever seem to inspect herself at home, with Penny essentially in the walls. Just how much power did this fucking thing have? What could she trust? What couldn’t she trust?
The dining area inside Helios started to spin. Cami waved her hand in front of Rachel’s face, tried to say something to her, but Rachel couldn’t hear it as she suddenly began to feel pretty queasy. She felt herself starting to hyperventilate.
“I- I have to go-“ Rachel abruptly announced. “Here.” She jerked, shoving Regina’s plate back at Camille. She tossed her own back on the end of the buffet before clutching her head with both hands.
“Wha…?” A confused Cami bobbled awkwardly, trying to manage both plates & get closer. The frustration she had gave way to deep concern on the drop of a dime. But Rachel pet her distance. Not from Camille, but from the phone in her bag. Even though that’s not the way Cami perceived it. “Are- are you alright?”
“I- no- I have to- I have to get out of here.” Rachel freaked, taking small steps backwards, breaking into a cold sweat. Breathing was hard, even though that’s all she could really do.
“Right this very instant?” Cami asked in shock. “Why? What’s up?!” Rachel pivoted towards the exit. And once she was lined up with it, she didn’t break stride.
“I- I’m sorry- I-“
“Ratch’? Rachel?”
She staggered outside into the daylight. She swore she heard Regina call out too, but everything was spinning.
She had to get away from here.