Lolly walks past the rustling entrance gate, her arms loaded with an oversized tote packed with snacks and countless cans of energy drinks. Her swimsuit—once a perfect fit—now clings snugly to her chubby frame, especially around her notably rounded belly, which seems to have grown overnight.
"Guys, wait up! I brought enough drinks for everyone—well, almost everyone," she calls out, her cheeks flushed with excitement and just a hint of embarrassment.
Lolly glances down at herself, her fingers tracing the roundness of her stomach. She wonders how so much fizzy energy could have transformed her so quickly, but shrugs it off, the lure of the drinks too strong to resist.
"It’s just for summer," she murmurs, glancing at her reflection in her phone’s camera, "I’ll get back in shape when school starts… maybe."
Her friends beckon her with waves and cheers, "Jump in, Lolly!" The water looks inviting, but she hesitates, unsure if her new shape will make a splash—literally and figuratively.
"Okay, but you guys better make room!" Lolly laughs, her voice full of bravado, masking the flutter of nerves in her chest.
The sunlight glimmers off the ripples, and Lolly’s cheeks burn with both pride and self-consciousness. Her friends swim over, giggling and splashing, unfazed by her changed appearance.
"That was epic, Lolly! You’re like a cannonball champion," one friend teases, and Lolly grins, letting herself float on her back, energy drink can nestled on the pool’s edge.
She sips the last of her drink, feeling the fizzy energy swirl inside her. For the first time, she doesn’t mind her chubby new self; the laughter and joy around her make her forget about fitting into old swimsuits.
"You know, maybe I’ll just make cannonball jumps my new sport," she jokes, earning a round of applause from her friends.
She waves goodbye to her friends, promising to return with more energy drinks and even bigger splashes next time.
"See you tomorrow! And don’t forget—bring extra towels for my jumps," Lolly shouts, her laughter ringing out as she disappears down the path, a bright spot in the fading glow of summer.
