Bethany
By Hamlet



Bethany Ngwabo known as the Nigerian Blackazon the third of the Mean Girls
along with Lorri and Jackie, smiled as She gazed into Her bedroom�mirror;
She liked what She saw. Although it had taken the 17year-old school Girl the
entire summer holidays to get Her body to look this way, when She stared at
Her reflection there was only one thought in Her mind, it was worth every
minute of it. Bethany proudly flexed Her awesome 17inch biceps and, as She did
so, all the sweat, pain and hardship She had to endure during the last three
months vanished. After three long, hard months of rigorous weightlifting and
and intensive martial arts training, at Shanana Bootcamp Bethany succeeded in
losing�some 80 pounds and turned much of the rest of Her weight into
muscle.She was now a powerfully built,230 pound female."Call me 'fatso' will
you," She said to Herself as She continued to admire Her new body in the
mirror,"well, we'll see about that."

Bethany glanced over at the clock, 7:30 a.m.-time to get dressed and prepare
for Her first day back at school after summer holidays . She was starting Her
senior year now and, after enduring two years of constant teasing from some of
the other pupils, Bethany vowed that this year would be different - this year
She would deal with them on Her terms. She put on Her clothes and tied Her
long, beautiful black braided hair back into a ponytail. As Bethany left Her
house and began the 30 minute walk to Sarah Bommell school in Stratford She
attended, She reflected on the dramatic changes She had undergone over the
summer.

She had just come back from summer camp would run through the entire summer
holidays and consisted of very strict physical workouts with professional
trainers designed to strengthen the girl's bodies,lectures on women's
empowerment as well as personal psychological guidance for each participant.
It would not be easy and certainly not fun but She felt that for the girls who
succeeded in completeing the entire course, it would forever alter their
perception of themselves and thus change their lives.

The next three months were the most difficult of Bethany's life...

After a short break for breakfast the girls would clean their rooms and the
surrounding area before heading off to the weight room for a two hour work-out
with Jody Finsson who was also a world class Norselandic weight lifter.
Bethany, who had never in Her life touched a bar bell took to weightlifting
like a fish to water; She just couldn't get enough of it.

After their weightlifting session the girls showered and then attended a
series of lectures by Dr Shannona Leifsdottir or other experts on a variety of
subjects; all relating to women and how they could take control of events in
their lives rather than let those events take control of them. This was
followed by lunch and a short period of relaxation. Then in the early
afternoon it began all over again with the exercises.

Instead of weight training in the afternoon however,they received three hours
of intensive martial arts lessons from Ruthe Valkeros , a Norselandic fifth
degree black belt in karate Gym Kata and a Ph.D. in women's studies. After a
light dinner the girls were given a choice,back to the weight room ormore
martial arts until nine p.m. They then met with Shannona and Her staff and
discussed how they felt they had improved themselves that day. At ten o'clock
sharp they all went to sleep; until five the following morning when it began
all over again.

Day after day, week after week; the same schedule. Intensive as it was, only
two of the twenty girls dropped out.As the weeks went by, Bethany (along with
all of the other girls that toughed it out) began to notice a dramatic change
was taking place; both in Her body and in Her perception of Herself. Not only
was She losing weight - dropping from 310 pounds to 280 in the first two weeks
alone - but She was becoming stronger...much stronger! Four hours a day in the
weight room was making Her lose fat and develop muscle and, as She grew
stronger (and thinner) Bethany began to feel much better about Herself. No
longer did She think of Herself as a big, fat girl. Bethany was beginning to
feel like a big,*strong* girl.

"You're making tremendous progress Bethany," Shannona told Her in one of their
private meetings (which She conducted with all the girls from time to
time),"I'm very proud of you. You've lost over 50 pounds so far and Jody says
your lifts are improving at a rate far faster than She ever expected. How do
you feel about yourself now?"

"Fantastic Shannona! Totally fantastic! I never thought I'd feel this way
about My body. It's so...so beautiful; and there's still a month to go."

"It's good to hear you say that Bethany. You and the other girls have
completely justified my program. I think I'm going to make this an annual
event.Remember, if believe you can or can't accomplish something, you're
usually right."

In the remaining month Bethany literally threw Herself into both weightlifting
and martial arts with a vengence. A week before the camp ended, She bench
pressed 300 pounds and, on the second to last day, She shattered a brick with
Her fist. In the three months at Shannon's camp, Bethany not only lost 80
pounds, but completely transformed Herself from an extremely overweight girl
lacking any self-confidence, into a strong, powerful woman, literally beaming
with pride.

"Hey Bethany, wait up!"

A familiar voice brought Bethany's thoughts back to the present. "Why hello
Stephen," She said with a pleasant smile,"long time no see." Stephen lived one
block away from Her and was the only boy She ever considered to be Her friend.
In the more than ten years that She had known him, Steve had never said�one
disparaging word to Her; not about Her weight or anything else. In fact,
although they weren't actually going steady, he was the only boy She had ever
dated; the only one She felt comfortable being around. He even tried to stick
up for Her once when the school yard thug was teasing Her; an event which cost
him a black eye and a bloody nose. Of all the people Bethany knew, Steve
seemed to be the only one who could see beyond Her obesity and into what She
was like inside.

"Where have you been all summer long Bethany? I tried calling a few times but
your parents said you'd be away until right before school starts. I wondered
where..." As soon as he caught up to Her Steve stopped talking in mid-sentence
and just stared up (Steve was a lightly built five feet-nine inches tall and
weighed around 170 pounds to Bethany's six feet even and 230 pounds)."Bethany,
what happened to you?"

The large Girl smiled down at Her friend for a few moments without saying a
word. "Oh," She finally began as casually as She could,"did you notice
anything different about me Steve?"

"Different? You've completely changed. You've lost weight.
You're...you're...different. What happened to you?" (Bethany was wearing long
sleeves so Steve couldn't see Her 17inch biceps -She was saving those for the
right time - and Her equally impressive thighs and calves were hidden
underneath Her jeans).

"It's the new me, what do you think?"

"It's...you're...you look so...so different. What happened?"

"That's a long story. I'll tell you everything that happened to me this past
summer but, as you can see, we're approaching our school so it will have to
wait."For some reason Bethany felt an uncontrollable urge to lean over and
kiss Steve on the cheek, something She had never done before.

"What was that for?" he asked, surprised.

"I'll tell you later honey (She'd never called him that before either), but we
don't have the time right now. We'd better hurry or we'll be late for our
first class." Bethany took Steve by the hand and they crossed the street.

"Well, if it isn't the odd couple," they heard a sarcastic voice behind them
say as they entered the school yard. Without even turning around Bethany knew
the voice belonged to Itch, the head football player and Bethany's chief
antagonist. For years he had been a thorn in Bethany's side, always teasing
Her about Her size and even getting many of the other students to go along.
Bethany never really understood what made him antagonistic towards Her.

"Just ignore him Steve," Bethany said quietly," I'll deal with him later."

"What do you mean *deal* with Her?"

"Oh, I have an idea," She answered. She winked at Steve as they entered their
first class of the new school year.

Throughout that morning Bethany couldn't help but notice the stares She was
receiving from many of the other students as She walked through the halls.
Though they knew She was very large, there seemed to be something different
about Her. Something had changed but they couldn't quite put their finger on
what it was. Bethany knew what it was of course and it gave Her a very good
feeling inside; especially after one of the linesmen on the football team
accidentally bumped into Her head-on as he was rushing to his class -and was
knocked back several feet. "Topside, sorry about that Greg," She giggled at
the stunned boy.

Things seemed to be going very well for Her that day, until lunch time rolled
around.

"Just what in the hell makes you think you have the right to sit Here fatso,"
Itch said contemptuously when Bethany and Steve sat down at a table near where
the cheerleaders were eating," this is the area for attractive people."When he
said this, the other cheerleaders began to laugh. Steve started to get up but
Bethany reached over and gently grabbed his arm.

"It's O.K. honey, we have as much right to eat here as anybody else. The last
time I checked we were still living in a democracy." She gave Itch and his
friends a long, hard look; the kind of look that She'd never have had the
courage to give them three months before. "Itch, I think you and I are going
to have to have a serious *discussion* someday."

"Are you threatening me you Nigerian fatso?"

"Well, let's just say I'll be paying you a visit soon."

"Oh, I'm really scared now. Have you forgotten who my friend is? And what he
did to that nerdy friend of yours last year?"

Bethany looked over at Steve and calmly said,"No Ritch I haven't forgotten.
I'll be paying him a visit too."

"Bethany, what are you saying?" Steve asked.

She smiled at him and replied,"let's just say tHere have been a few changes in
me over the summer."

"Like what?"

"Like these for example." Bethany rose from Her seat and removed Her long
sleeve shirt, revealing, for the first time, Her massive arms. Her mid-rift
was also bare, showing Her washboard stomach for all to see. She then flexed
Her 17inch biceps. Staring down at the stunned cheerleaders, She smiled,"like
I said Ritch , I'll be paying you a visit soon; you and I have a score or two
to settle." Having finished their lunch, Bethany and Steve got up to leave.

"So, you've changed from being a fat tub of lard into a muscle-bound freak,"
Ritch called out after them,"big f-------g deal."

Bethany's only response was to point Her hand -shaped like a pistol - at Ritch
and Her friends and pretend to shoot. After they left the lunch room Bethany
turned to Her surprised friend and asked,"Well Steve, what do you think of the
new Me?"

"Bethany, you...your...awesome; totally awesome!"

Bethany smiled. She didn't care what anybody else though about Her new look,
but She was a bit apprehensive about what Steve's reaction would be. He'd been
Her only true friend during Her difficult years and the last thing She wanted
to do was to alienate him. His acceptance of Her now was all the approval that
She needed.

"But Bethany, do you really think it was wise to threaten Ritch like that? ."

"Yes Steve, I know. I also know what he did to you last year when you tried to
stick up for me. Well this year things are going to be different; that's a
promise. And as for Ritch , that pompous aresehole has gone out of Her way to
make My life miserable for the past two years and (SMACK! - Bethany punched
Her right fist hard into Her left palm; the sound reverberated throughout the
hallway when She did so) I think it's payback time..!'

They reached the gym where they'd have to part. Shannona and Her staff had
encouraged Bethany to try out for sports when the school year began, something
that She had never done before. So She decided to try out for the women's
basketball team (a six foot, 230 pound muscular girl might make a very
effective centre). If She was successful, then in the spring She could try Her
hand at track and field; most likely the shot put and/or the discus and
javelin throws.

"I don't know how long this trout will take Steve so please don't wait for me.
I'll stop by your house on my way home from school later this afternoon and we
can talk."

"O.K. Bethany and good luck with the trout."

For the second time that day, the large, powerful girl leaned over and kissed
him; only this time on the lips. "Thanks Steve," She said as She walked off.

"Thanks?For what?"

"For being My friend," Bethany said over Her shoulder as She entered the
women's gym.

End of part one

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