"There you go."

  She took it gingerly.

  "Thank you; it smells delicious."

  He nodded in mock pompousness.

  "I know." He could feel the warmth that radiated from her smile and it comforted him somewhat. "Let me just go grab some parmasean cheese to go along with it and anything you would like to drink."

  "I'll have some milk if you have it."

  "Not much of a red wine drinker? It would be a little more traditional."

  "No, I think I'll stay away from spirits tonight."

  "There's no shame in that. Hold on a sec." He walked back into the kitchen and began to fill their drink orders.

  Sara bent her legs and tucked them underneath herself as best as she could. It was a large chair with plenty of room but she was unaccustomed to having so much body that the task proved fairly difficult and she almost spilled her plate in the process.

  "Everything okay in there?"

  "Nothing escapes your ears does it?"

  "Not in my apartment."

  "I almost had a little accident, but I pulled myself out of the fire."

  "Then I forgive you." Benjamin came back in holding two glasses and a bowl of freshly grated cheese. "There you go. I know it's not the sushi I promised, but I think it will do for now."

  "It certainly will."

  He could feel her sarcastic nod and he laughed along with her as he sat down next to her on a nearby sofa.

  "So, how shall we while away the evening? Pleasant conversation? Or maybe a movie or some good old fashioned cable if you're not up for it?"

  "I think maybe we should just flip around the channels."

  "Fair enough," he picked up the remote that was next to him and handed it to her. "Here, I trust your judgment."

  She turned on the television and began to search through the options. Benjamin began to neatly wrap noodles around his fork and bring them to his mouth; meticulously eating all of the sauce and not spreading any errant pasta over his face. Sara smiled. She had been on more than a few dates where her escort had been foolish enough to order Italian food and was incapable of keeping it just in his mouth. Channel thirty popped up on the box and she left it on MTV.

  "How's this?"

  "It's cool. I'm just glad they're actually playing videos and not one of their silly shows."

  Sara began to eat, after applying a healthy dose of cheese over the top of her plate.

  "Benjamin, this is fantastic!"

  "The secret is brown sugar. I prefer my sauces to be a tad on the sweet side. Traditional spices do the rest."

  Both of them sat and enjoyed a quiet dinner; towards the end, Sara became increasingly pensive. She didn't normally have a problem with a silent interlude with a friend, but she was waiting for something that seemed increasingly less likely to occur. She picked up her glass and drank her pearly milk. She stared off into a corner as she set it down and sighed.

  "You're not going to ask me what happened are you?"

  "Nope, that's none of my business and I have no right to pry. I figure if you want to talk about it, you should be comfortable with starting."

  "I guess so. I don't really want to talk about it but I was expecting the question."

  "Then I'm all right with it."

  Sara smiled faintly and looked down. Benjamin cocked his head to one side with a concerned expression.

  "There's something else though, isn't there?"

  "Yeah, there is."

  "You don't have to talk about that either."

  "I want to, you deserve to know because you're my friend, but I'm scared."

  "Scared about what?"

  Sara was silent, she just shook her head in frustration. Benjamin wanted to comfort her but decided to stay where he was. After a few moments, she spoke again.

  "I don't think I can."

  "Sara, I don't want to force you into something you don't want to discuss. I just want you to know that you can trust me and confide in me with anything."

  Tears of gratitude began to well up in Sara's eyes and one of them dripped down her cheek. Her bottom lip trembled.

  "But this..." She waved a hand over her body.

  "Sara, you don't have to..."

  "You know this dizzy spells I've been having?"

  Benjamin sighed.

  "Yeah," he felt his throat constrict as a horrible thought passed through his mind. "Sara, you're okay aren't you? It's not some disease or anything?"

  "No," she laughed weakly. "They've been going on for the past couple of days. And everytime one of them happens..."

  "Yeah?"

  "I ... grow."

  Benjamin coughed and his brow furrowed.

  "You what?"

  "I grow. Taller, stronger ... bigger. My body has gotten longer and leaner and my ... uh ... well, my chest has grown too."

  "Sara, um..."

  "You don't believe me do you?"

  "I didn't say that."

  "No you think I'm lying don't you?" She had a smile on her face from the lunacy of the situation. "Ben?"

  "What is it Sara?"

  "Stand up and come here."

  Benjamin shook his head and slowly did as he was asked. He stood up and walked around the table to stand next to Sara's chair.

  "There, are you happy?"

  She was about his height even though she was sitting down. She bent over a bit and looked up at him.

  "Are you ready for a surprise?"

  "I guess so."

  Sara took her legs out from beneath her and stretched them out before getting to her feet. She watched as the top of Ben's head drifted down as she slowly rose higher and higher. He became charmingly impatient.

  "Well?"

  "Well what?"

  Benjamin flinched in shock, he cocked his head upwards towards the sound of her voice.

  "Sara?"

  "Yes?"

  He stood motionless for a second, then laughed.

  "You're standing on the chair, or the table aren't you?"

  "Nope. Feet firmly planted on the floor. See for yourself."

  Ben knelt down in skepticism. He reached forward, found her ankles, and blinked a few times as he felt her cute toes with his fingers. He tapped on her shin and got back up on his feet. He poked a finger forward and pressed into Sara's firm stomach. She giggled at his touch and startled him. His hand flew up and brushed against the firm curve of her ample right breast. He quickly withdrew it in embarrassment and backed up half of a step.

  "Now do you believe me?"

  "My god Sara! It really is happening to you." He stepped back forward and raised his hand up high. She took hold of it and brought it to her face. He had to extend it fairly far to reach her cheek. It was soft and warm and he recognized the high cheekbone and smooth texture.

  Sara closed her eyes and gently rubbed her face into his palm, breathing her warm breath over his fingers.

  "It really is you Sara!" He took back his hand and backed up again; Sara felt a sudden pang at his withdrawal.

  "Ben, don't..." She opened her eyes to see the familiar look of aversion on his face. She was about to start crying again when she felt her growing pains return.

  Benjamin's mind raced with thoughts and emotions. He heard Sara's last words trail off and she began to moan softly. The sound of material stretching filled his ears, he could hear stitching slowly give way as expanding flesh forced them apart. They began to pop as clothing tore. He heard Sara's breath come out in short bursts as her chest was constricted. Her skirt gave way, spliting completely with a drawn out tear. Sara gasped and he heard something soft hit the floor.

  And just as abruptly as it started, it stopped. Benjamin fidgeted nervously, he had never anything so erotic in all of his life.

  Sara looked back at him and saw the bewildered look on his face.

  "I'm sorry Ben. I ... I guess I should get going."

  Benjamin blinked, trying to understand her and quickly shook his head.

  "No!"

  Sara stopped.

  "Sara, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. I'm just shocked, that's all. Please don't go."

  "I don't want you to be uncomfortable. Besides, I'm tired and I think I should go home anyway."

  "Sara, please stay." He smiled and shook his head, "I don't think you should be going out dressed like that."

  She looked down at herself. Her sweater was totally wrapped around her expanded chest; the lower halves of her full breasts jutted out from beneath the hemline and the dress she had wrapped around her waist had torn away. Benjamin was even shorter to her now and he probably was about even with that hemline.

  "I can't do that to you."

  Benjamin just smiled.

  "Sara, come here." He walked into his hallway.

  Sara was left standing there bewildered and unsure of what to do.

  "Well? Come on."

  She followed him, peeking around corners to look out for imaginary fears. He was standing in his bedroom; Sara stooped over to walk through the doorway and was astonished at the sight before her.

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