Fourteen year-old Claire is desperate to be accepted. All her girlfriends have boyfriends, but she seems to be unloveable. Her mother notices her too much, her father too little, and her younger sister keeps achieving. She loses weight, expecting to be admired, but earns isolation instead. Will she ever fit in?

The Beaded Belt

My hand trembles as I pull the crystal covered satin off Mum’s belt rack. Mum wore the beaded evening belt before she married Dad. For years she has bragged how the stupid thing still fits. Sure, she can just squeeze it around her flab, but I can step out of it. I’m much slimmer than she was, despite being the same height.

“Italian? Italian? Why do we always have to have Italian?” Chelsea said, as her mother pushed her out to the car.

“That’s what you wanted.”

“Well, what did you give me to choose between? Oily Thai or stodgy, cheesy Mexican. Just because you like to pile on the calories doesn’t mean everyone else does.”

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