Chapter 1: Introduction
The college campus buzzed with life. Laughter and lively chatter floated in the air. I navigated my way around sunburnt lawns overrun with students lounging on open quilts. Trees swayed and lent their shade to greet students in shorts and sunglasses, books lying disregarded beside them.
I gingerly balanced my books in one hand and dabbed the sweat off my brow with the back of the other hand. This body of mine produced a never-ending supply of heat these days.
I was a distant witness, as I transformed from my old lanky self into a towering, broad-shouldered "growth freak", as Markus teasingly referred to my newfound state.
As I stood a good head taller than most others, I couldn't help but feel self-conscious, especially during uncomfortable moments when my biceps and lats seemed to uncontrollably expand. It was both disconcerting and embarrassing.
With great effort, I controlled my breathing, hoping it would ease the unholy growth of mass on my form.
Rounding the corner of the campus library, I spotted Marcus sprawled out on a sunny patch of grass. Unabashed in his love for comic books, Marcus absorbed the material in his hands without noticing me.
"Mark?" I brushed the final syllable of his name against his ear, leaving a slight whisper.
Markus jerked and glanced up, wearing suspicion in his eyes.
When he met my gaze, it morphed into relief. He glanced me up and down, lingering on the not-so-subtle signs of my transformation.
"Geez, Aaron. I thought you were some predator stalking a human for a minute there. You're really something." He shook his head, amusement alight in his eyes. "And by something, I mean you're transforming into a giant, muscular hunk that has girls swooning over you.
Not that it's an issue or anything." Markus gained eye contact with me, trying vainly to suppress his grin.
"It's not funny, Mark. I just want to get back to being normal again. I'm not used to all this attention. It's just—"
My complaint was cut short by a shrill scream that suddenly pierced the air. It was a familiar, high-pitched sound that felt like nails on a chalkboard. Instinctively, my head snapped toward the noise.
Just a few yards away, a familiar face was frozen in a wide-eyed expression.
Brittany. Mythical beauty. Heartbreaker.
Her sorority sisters clustered around, utterly captivated by her theatrics. It wasn't the first time she'd caused a scene like this, garnering unparalleled attention on campus.
My eyes narrowed, and I felt the unusual volume of my voice fill the space between us when I said, "Not this again."
I glanced at my best friend in disbelief.
Markus was a natural charmer. In contrast to my awkward, reserved self, he welcomed encountering large crowds. He knew how to keep the room entertained while being true to his character, and women adored him.
Although it pained me to admit, I could learn a lot from him. His arsenal of pick-up lines and witty remarks elicited irresistible grins from unknowing victims. But, Markus didn't have to deal with the consequences of uncontrollable lumps of muscle exploding across his frame.
The very thought of that would dampen even the most adventurous swing of his confidence.
"You know I could think of worse things, right? Like, getting hit by a bus or something?" Markus offered nonchalantly, casually flipping a page of his comic book.
"Yeah, well I'm glad you and everyone else see it that way." The sarcasm in my voice was as thinly veiled as cling wrap around a sumo wrestler.
Markus smirked but quickly put on a more somber expression.
"Hey, it's going to be okay. I promise."
Heaving a deep sigh, I looked away from the spectacle unfolding on the lawn. Every time Brittany set foot on campus, I couldn't escape the awkwardness and embarrassment that plagued me.
Lost in morose thought, I was abruptly brought back to reality when Markus slapped my shoulder with a resounding whack.
"Ow, what the hell?
!" My hand flew to the stinging spot on my shoulder.
Markus chuckled, eyes alight with impish delight. "Sorry! I couldn't resist." He held up an apologetic hand, palm facing me.
I began to rub my shoulder, shaking my head in feigned disapproval. But before I could utter another word, the sun disappeared behind a gathering blanket of clouds, the heat dissipating in its wake.
"We should get going. It looks like it's about to rain," Markus observed, snapping the comic book shut and jumping to his feet.
He stuffed it into his backpack, unphased by the potential storm brewing on the horizon.
As we began to walk side by side toward our next class, I couldn't help but feel oddly unbalanced. I had grown so much, every step I took sent a jolt of muscle tension echoing up my legs, and my clothing was beginning to seriously constrict my movements.
The sky grew darker as we navigated the campus landscape, and the leaves on the trees swirled about us, as the wind picked up.