Chapter 1

"I'll only be gone for three months mom!" Fred said softly as he closed his last suitcase and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind his mother.

"I know, but I have this feeling that you'll like it there and won't come back." Lucy Marten said, trying to hold back her tears. Her only son was leaving for the first time in his -eighteen years- life and she'd tried to talk him out of it a lot but he was going to do what he wanted whether she approved to it or not, so she did, and right now he was carrying his things and heading for the door.

"Fred, take care of yourself."

"Mom," He started harshly and stopped to turn and look at her, "I'm not a child anymore, I'm old enough to take care of myself." And when he saw her tears he sighed and leaned down to kiss her cheeks, "mom please don't, okay? I've made up my mind."

"I know, I know," She murmured between sobs, "it's just that I'm gonna miss you so much."

Fred stepped away from his mother and opened the door, "I'll call you soon mom!" he shouted as he put his things in the cab's trunk and went to sit in the back seat. 'She'll never understand me' he thought as he watched from the window next to him. He was heading for San Francisco air port. From there he was supposed to take a flight to New York and from there he'd go into one of the programs that offer some kind of an extreme make-over. He was so determined to change the way he looked and was going to do anything —even go to that show- in order to have a better life.

Getting out of the car Fred paid the driver, got his bags out and hurried to catch his flight, which was supposed to leave at nine am. An hour later Fred was sitting in his seat next to a woman and her young daughter. He smiled to the child and she smiled back at him.

"Hi,"

"Hi." The small kid answered with a shy smile.

"I'm Fred, what's your name?" he asked in a way that made the girl turn fully in her seat, which didn't make her mother quite happy and she ordered her to sit properly.

Fred buckled his seat belt and rested his head back. As the plane took off he started reminding himself why he was doing this, 'because I don't want to be called "The big fat geek" anymore.' He thought dryly. Well he was going to change the way he looked but being smart was something he didn't want to change. 'They're probably right about me being fat, but geek? I'm way to smart to think that being bright is something I should be ashamed of.'

"Hey," he heard a small voice and turned his head to look at the young girl. He looked beside her and noticed that her mother was already asleep.

"Yeah," Fred answered smiling again.

"Jessica, my name is Jessica," she whispered and looked back at her mom, "my mom doesn't want me speaking to anyone I don't know." She continued.

"Well, she's probably right. You're young and kids shouldn't talk to any strangers." He agreed and saw how she rolled her eyes, rested her elbows on the arm of his chair and put her chin on it.

"I'm not a child you know, I'm eight."

"Well, I think you're still not supposed to speak to strangers."

"Oh, you don't look so old yourself."

"That's because I'm not, I'm eighteen." He answered and when the hostess offered him a drink he paused not quite sure whether to choose a diet coke or just go for it for the last time.

"I think you shouldn't drink these things," Jessica stated when he finally made up his mind and chose to take the diet coke.

"You think so, why?" He asked thinking that he knew well more than anyone that he wasn't supposed to drink these things.

"Mommy always says that they'll make me fat. But whenever I go stay with Daddy he let me drink whatever I want." She said and when she mentioned her father she giggled softly.

"I think your Mommy is right, people shouldn't really drink these things." Fred mumbled.

"May I ask you something Fred?"

Looking at her baby blue eyes and blond hair, he smiled "Go ahead."

Blushing a little she pointed at his belly, "What makes you so fat?"

"Ah, well I..."

"Jessica!" Jessica's mom's voice saved him from answering that embarrassing question. It also made Jessica turn silently in her seat and close her eyes.

Fred thought that situations like this were the reason why he so wanted to change. 'Oh, thank God the program isn't well known.' It was going to be seen on one of the local channels and he didn't care much about it. He cared about changing and since the show didn't contain any creepy operations and they were only going to make him stick to a certain diet and work out everyday and stuff like that he was happy to be one of the chosen people.