Chapter 1

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled as I held a picture of Takeru Ishida, TK. I've had a crush on him ever since he helped me on the swings when we were five. I was at the park trying to get myself on the swing and here comes TK to my rescue. It was the first time I've ever talked to another boy my age, and I was completely drawn into him. In the seventh grade, we were lab partners for an assignment in science. I was pouring the ingredients into the beaker and dropped it all over me as soon as he touched my hand to help me. It was so embarrassing, but he gave me the warmest smile I had ever seen. And now, here I stand, in my bedroom, ready to tell him how I feel.

"Kari! We're going to be late! Hurry up!" I immediately came back to reality as soon as I heard my brother yell from downstairs.

I quickly gathered up my towel and the needed necessities for the beach. Practically the whole school I go to was going to be there since summer had just started. Including the sophomore class, which meant TK was going to be there so I double checked that I didn't miss anything. I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly felt insecure about my outfit. I was wearing shorts and tank top... a tank top that showed all the outlines of the fat on my stomach. The shorts I wore weren't too flattering on my legs either. I quickly put on a t-shirt and capri pants. Smiling, I felt a little more confident.

"Hey, Tai sent me up here to get you," I turned to see Sora Takenouchi, my brother's girlfriend, roll her eyes outside the frame of my bedroom door. Sora was beautiful, tan, tall, and perfectly fit. She's kind of like my role model. Sometimes, I still wonder why someone so hot as her could fall for my idiot brother. She was a junior, and one of the popular girls, too, so it was a plus for me to be seen around her. "He gets so impatient."

"You got that right," I laughed as we started to walk downstairs. "You think he's had his breakfast yet?"

"He probably didn't get enough," she winked at me.

"Geez, Kar, you sure know how to take your time." Tai rolled his eyes impatiently as he took Sora by her waist.

"Shut up, asshole." I remarked sticking my tongue out. Tai and I usually get along pretty well, but we always have our moments.

The minute we arrived at the beach, I started looking for TK. I spotted him playing with a football with some of his friends. My heart began to flutter as soon as I laid my eyes on him. I began to walk towards him hearing a few laughs from some of the sophomore class as I walked by. I didn't care though, I was used to it, but more importantly, I wanted to talk to TK. I tapped him on the shoulder and smiled when he turned around.

"Hey, TK, I uhh... wanted to tell you something." I stuttered.

"Carrie, right?" he smirked.

I frowned. "No, it's Kari. I, umm.. needed to tell you something..." I said hoping to recollect my words. He motioned for me to continue, and I heard some of his friends groan behind him. I guess I was interrupting their play. "Well I was wondering if we could, you know... hang out sometime?" When he just stood there silent, I continued. "L-like a movie or -"

"Look, Carrie, Kari... I'm sorry, but you're just..." he looked at me up and down like he was disgusted or something. I felt tears forming in my eyes, and I tried so hard to push them back. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Sure! Right..." I began to step back to walk away, but to make matters worse, someone tripped me causing me to fall flat on my face. The world stopped around me as I heard laughter and people pointing at me. Even TK was joining in. I quickly got up and ran as fast as I could where no one could find me.

"Look! Fatso's actually running!" I heard someone yell as the laughter got louder.

That was me in the beginning of the summer. Fat, insecure, heartbroken, a nobody in other people's eyes. Never in my life have I felt so ashamed of... myself. How could I have done that? Walk right up to the most popular boy of the sophomore class, and ask him out? He was hot, blond and blue eyed... and I wasn't. I had an average body shape, but in today's society I was just simply fat. Because I didn't look like the rest of the "beautiful" people at school, I was nobody. I didn't have a special body, special hair, special makeup, special anything. My high grades, intelligence, kindness, caring nature was always looked down on and no one cared about those features. I didn't try to fit in with the rest of the world so of course I had no chance with TK.

Then I realized the problem wasn't me.

I wasn't going to waste tears and pain on TK; I was going to make him want me. I was going to make him realize that he was the problem.

Now three months later, a whole summer to change myself, and school starting, I was finally going to make it happen.

I looked at myself in the mirror for a second time before heading off to school. My hair was shorter, framing my beautiful, heart-shaped face. I had makeup on, but just enough to still look natural. I wore bold earrings that matched the necklace that rested on my chest which highlighted my collarbone which finally showed after I lost a bunch of weight. I wore an intricate designed summer dress that fit my torso and flowed down a few inches above my knees. No longer did I feel insecure about my body because I had the best one. Curves in all the right places, and tan too. Smiling, I felt satisfied.

I walked downstairs, said my goodbyes to my parents, and walked out the front door to my brother's car feeling confident.

This year is going to be different, and boy was I right.

From the moment I stepped on the school campus, I already felt a different atmosphere.

"Ready, little sis?" Tai smirked as he held Sora's hand. I nodded in return.

Walking into the school building felt like I was in one of those TV shows when the camera shifts to the popular girls and the wind is in their hair and they're walking with a dramatic entrance. It felt great. All eyes were on me, and it wasn't the disgusted stares I used to get before my change. It felt different and I liked it. All around me I could see jaws drop from boys who used to pick on me, and lifted eyebrows from girls who used to tease me for being so different. Well not anymore, bitch.

Tai and Sora walked off to their friends and I went to my locker.

"Kari?" I turned around and smiled when I saw my best friend Yolei. I gave her a hug. "You looks so... amazing!"

"Don't I?" I laughed as I spun in a circle.

"Now I know why you never hung out with me over the summer," she said as she pointed her finger at me. "You were too busy looking like this!"

"I just couldn't keep living that way you know? All the crap I got from other people..." I started to remember everything I had to go through.

"Hey," Yolei took me by the shoulders and made me look into her eyes. It was a trick she did to get me to forget everything else. It always worked. "I still love you no matter what, okay?"

I smiled and felt comforted. "I know. And I'm so sorry we didn't do anything over vacation!" I said returning my cheery self.

"Well you owe me then!" she said. Now that I fully focused my attention on her, Yolei changed too. She didn't have those huge glasses she always wore, she was wearing contacts. I never noticed how beautiful her eyes were, and honestly, I felt so mesmerized. Her hair wasn't pulled back anymore either. She got bangs that rested on the left side of her face. Her outfit wasn't baggy and loose, it actually fitted her body shape. I was surprised to actually see her curves come out. She looked at me in a funny way. "What? Something on my face?"

"Uhh... yeah!" I exclaimed looking her up and down. "You look sexy! And here I thought I was the only one with the dramatic change, when you look so amazing!"

"Aw, thank you hun!" she smiled. "I couldn't let you have all the fun."

We both laughed and started to walk to our first class, which we conveniently had together. She started talking about her to trip to Hawaii and how she met the most gorgeous older boy she's ever seen in her life. Don't get me wrong, I was totally listening, but then I saw him, TK. I felt myself stop to a halt and Yolei questioned me, but I ignored it. At that moment all my attention was on TK. He was by his locker talking to his circle of friends, when he turned to look at me. He must have really noticed me because his eyes were moving from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Oh yeah, he was totally checking me out and this was my time to shine.

I ran my hands through my hair and slowly walked pass him swaying my hips. At the corner of my eye I saw his jaw drop, and I smiled.

Oh yeah. Payback's a bitch, baby.

So there you have it! :) The first chapter of Payback. I know it's a short chapter, but it will develop. R&R! Until next time,

Cocoaa