Gwen's POV

I wake up in the morning and sigh. The first day of summer. School's finally out. More free time to practice magic, save the universe and spend time with Ben . . . and spend more time with Kevin. My alarms is set to go off at 5:30am, and I like to keep it that way, though knowing I can switch it off and go back to sleep is definitely sensational. But, no. It may summer, but I'll always have time for my morning run.

I pull myself out of bed. The sun is just rising out my window and I change into a purple spaghetti-strap vest and black shorts. I pull on my already tied running sneakers and put my earphones in. this time, it isn't programmed to play French so I can study. I have my favorite music playlist on shuffle and start running with the songs blaring in my ears.

I run around the block countless times and by the time I finish, the sun is high in the blue, cloudless sky and I'm drenched in sweat. It was a good work-out. I would have to do this more often. As I ran back to my house, I saw Kevin's greed and black car parked in the driveway and he and Ben were sitting on the porch. I stopped in front of them and lean on my knees, catching my breath.

"What are you guys doing here so early?" I pant out.

"Where have you been?" Ben asks accusingly.

I sigh, standing up straight5. "I always go for a morning run. You know that."

"Yeah, but you don't always run until nine." Kevin stands and folds his hands on his muscular chest. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Nine. Had I really been running for so long? I started to feel an ache in my legs that wasn't there a second ago and realize they're right. I've been running for over three hours. That wasn't good.

"Or is this one of those girly things?" Ben continues. "Like trying to lose weight or something?"

I groan; my weight is fine. I don't run to lose weight. But the way Ben said that made my brow furrow. Did he think I needed to lose weight? To my utter embarrassment, my stomach growled loudly.

"Let's go to Mr. Smoothy," Kevin suggested, hearing my hunger. "Before you pass out."

I'm too hungry to turn down the offer so I just smile gratefully. "Just let me go change."

"Don't bother. We'll come right back once you're done eating."

"Can I at least fetch my purse?"

He snickers. "Please. I'm buying for you."

"Cool," Ben chirps, hopping into the backseat. "Thanks, bro."

"Hold on a minute," Kevin said. "I'm buying for Gwen."

"Come on," Ben whined.

"Fine, then you can start paying me compliments and making out with me and going on dates with me and—"

"Alright! I get your point!" Ben sighed. "Besides, you're so not my type."

We were still laughing when Kevin pulled into the parking lot and we all got out the car. We quieted down to a dull chuckle when we got to the front desk and the guy asked what we were having.

"A double banana and pickle smoothie with extra peanut-butter," Ben said quickly.

"Strawberry Blast," Kevin said, and then he turned to me. "Gwen?"

"I'll have a—" I stopped, remembering Ben's comment about losing weight. Maybe he's right. It had been a while since I bothered watching what I ate. And Mr. Smoothy wasn't known for its nutrition. "Actually, I'll pass. I'm not so hungry anymore." My stomach growled in protest and I blushed. "Not that hungry, anyway," I quickly covered up.

Ben sipped his smoothie and Kevin frowned. We walked over to one of the tables outside and I watched Ben slurp down the entire disgusting drink. Kevin sipped slowly, keeping his eyes on my face.

"You want some?" he asked, holding out his smoothie to me.

I shook my head. "I'll get something to eat at home. No need wasting money on a meal I probably wouldn't be able to stomach first thing in the morning anyway."

He shrugged and downed his own drink. "Let's get going," he said as he threw the empty cup in the trash. "Gwen's probably starving."

I'm about to protest but they're already walking to the car. As we drive I can sense something coming off Kevin. Disapproval, maybe? But I'm probably imagining it. They both follow me upstairs and into my bedroom. Ben lies across the bed and Kevin sits on the chair at the desk. I grab my usual uniform even though school was out—I was just so comfortable in it and I was able to fight in it—and I started walking to the bathroom.

"Give me ten minutes," I say.

I don't spend long in the shower; just long enough to wash the sweat out of my hair and skin. I throw my sweaty clothes into the hamper and dry myself with a towel. As I drop the towel to the floor, I catch myself in the mirror. It had been a while since I had the time to really just look at myself. To notice things. My life was far too busy for that, normally I just checked that I was decent and left to get started on one thing or the other.

But as I looked at my naked body, I noticed a few things I'd never noticed before. My eyes started at my feet and went up my legs. They were pale, because of the lack of sun reaching them—I was always in my stockings—and I decided I may need to tan soon. Maybe we could go to the beach. My eyes widened as they saw my thighs. They were huge! Well, maybe not huge, but bigger than I remember them being. They touched all the way to my knees. That definitely couldn't be healthy.

I gasped when I saw my stomach. I had a tiny pouch sticking out my lower abdomen. It was barely noticeable but it was still there. By boobs even looked bigger. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe I do need to lose some weight.

I throw on my clothes before I can see more and walk back to my room. The boys haven't changed their positions at all since I last saw them. I smiled as I combed my wet hair into a high ponytail and sat down on the bed. Ben sat up and Kevin swiveled in the chair to face us.

"What do you guys want to do today?" he asked.

"Actually, Julie wants to catch a movie with me at eleven," Ben says. "I should probably be over there now. . ."

"Go," I say. "Say hi for me."

He nods and disappears out the room. Kevin turns to me.

"What are we doing today, Gwen? Or are you ditching me too?"

I chuckle. "Anything." I think for a moment, hesitating, but then I groan. "Kevin, do you think I'm fat?"

His eyes widen. "Why would ask something like that?"

I shrug. "Just curious."

He shakes his head. "I don't think you're anything less than perfect, Gwen. Of course, I don't think you're fat." He sighs and stands up. "Let's get some food in you."

I bite my lip. "I'm not hungry actually."

He groans. "Gwen, if this is about what Ben said his morning about losing weight, you know he was just kidding, right? He would never mean it."

I nod. "I know Kevin, but I'm honestly not hungry. Besides, I want to go to the park."

"The park?" he asked. "It's so hot; I was thinking that maybe you'd want to go to the lake to swim or something."

And let you see my fat body in a bikini with my stomach hanging out? Fat—excuse the pun—chance of that happening.

"I want to go to the park," I insisted. "Please?"

He sighs. "Fine. We can go to the beach or something tomorrow, though, right?"

It wasn't very often that I hoped for rain. Not very often, but that didn't mean it didn't happen. Especially now.