My Plus-size Love

Chapter 12

Before I knew it, 4 pm had rolled around and I heard my phone go off with a message from Angela letting me know that she was on her way. I still hadn’t decided on an outfit that I wanted to wear. As each minute passed, while I was looking through my closet more, I wanted to call Derek and cancel the date for tonight. I wanted to meet him, but I just couldn’t get over how sudden this all seemed. When we exchanged our last words on the phone last night, it seemed like we were going to follow through with the two-week timeframe. I am excited that he seems as into me as I seem into him, but it is still strange.

I sighed but decided to pick a cute little jumpsuit that was a nice burnt orange and was thick enough to keep me warm but not so thick that I looked like I was wearing some long johns. I paired it with some dark brown thigh-high boots that I somehow was lucky enough to find to fit my fat thighs. They had to be extra wide. I found them when I was thrifting downtown last year, and they have now become my go-to shoes. I was just slipping on the left shoe when I heard my door open again.

“Hello? Where you at?” I don’t know why she even had to ask; she is here almost as much as I am. All she had to do was go and look for me. I could feel myself rolling my eyes.

“I am in my room. What do you think of my outfit?” I saw her walking up to the door frame and eyeing me up and down.

“It’s cute, not really something that I would want to wear on a first date, but it is totally you.” I scoffed at her and looked myself up and down again in the floor-length mirror. I thought it was cute and perfect. It was impossible to wear anything that looked good but was still warm.

“Oh yeah, and what would you wear?” I asked her in a challenging voice. She strutted over to my closet and started to thumb through my clothes. With every swipe of the hanger, I could feel her irritation rise.

“You need to go shopping; I can’t find anything worth wearing on a first date in your closet. I swear if I had known it was this bad, I would have left work early so I could help you go shopping and find something that has more appeal than this.” She motioned at my whole closet.

“I happen to think that my clothes look nice.”

“Well, your clothes are lacking to show off any of your good assets.”

“I don’t have any good assets.” If looks could kill, then I would have been dead on the ground with the glare she just shot my way.

“If I hear you make one more comment like that tonight I am going to be hit on the head. You need confidence tonight, not feeling down about yourself. You know how much I hate it when you are always dogging on yourself like that. You are so damn beautiful, and I wish I had half the ass that you do. I ought to just knock you upside the head now. I swear.” She trailed off with a grumble. I should have kept my mouth shut. I can’t help myself; it always has a way of slipping out. Hard to deny what is true.

“Okay. I will try my best to stay positive and not feel absolutely horrible about the way that I look. That is why you are here though. That way I can use you as a booster and help me look better.” She sighed and went back to looking at my clothes.

“Ah, this would look much better than that jumpsuit, plus it looks like it will hug in all the right places.” She held up a dress that I had almost completely forgotten about.

“That is the dress that I wore to my sister’s wedding a few years ago. I doubt it even fits anymore.”

“Well, try it on and see how it fits. I think it will fit perfectly.” I grabbed the dress and started to take off my jumpsuit. I pulled it on and looked at myself in the mirror.

“See, oh my god, it looks perfect! Isn’t that so much better?” I am not going to lie, it does look really nice and form-fitting, but the wrinkles still managed to hide all of the flabby bits that I don’t like to show. Now I remember why I bought it for Dawn’s wedding.

“Okay, it is not that bad, but I don’t know how warm it is going to be if I wear this dress. It is freezing outside.”

“You are toeing the line here and not being hit, I swear!” I laughed at her but went and picked out a pair of heels to match my outfit.

“Now on to the fun part, how do you want your makeup to be done?” She asked me with more excitement in her eyes. She was asking me, but I feel like I already know how she wants to do it. She is so transparent, I swear.

“However you want to do it, Angela.”

“Oh good, I was hoping you were going to say that.” It felt like years before she finally got done prepping my face and doing my makeup. When I looked in the mirror again, I almost wanted to cry. If I could look like this every day, I probably wouldn’t have as hard a time as finding a man as I do.

“I look beautiful, thank you so much, Angela. I don’t know what I would do without you. I owe you dinner sometime and a movie.” I reached over to her and hugged her.

“Anytime, what are best friends for?” I giggled and took out my phone so I could message Derek.

C- Do you think you could send me the address of the restaurant?

D- Yeah, I will send you a pin drop. When you come in, just say that you are there to see me and tell them I am waiting for you in the back. They will know where to send you. I can’t wait to see you.

C- Me too, I am about to head out right now.

D- Text me if you need any help finding the place or if anything happens.

C- I will do that. I can text you as soon as I park.

I looked up from my phone to find Angela staring at me with a big grin on her face. I smiled meekly at her but blushed a little bit because I didn’t even notice that she was watching me while I was texting.

“Well, I think my work here is done. Please call me after you are done.”

“You know I will! Thank you again, there is no way I could make myself look this good on my own.” I gave her another hug before she went out the door. I sighed as I shut the door behind me and locked it. I turned around just as Angela was pulling out and gave her a quick wave and a half-smile. I climbed into my car and started the twenty-minute drive to the restaurant.

I parked and nervously walked towards the entrance to the restaurant with my heart racing. I walked into the door and was greeted by a hostess; this restaurant was nicer than any place I had ever eaten at before. I made a mental note to tell Derek to thank his friend for letting us eat there.

“I am here to meet my friend Derek, he told me to tell you that he was in the back.” The hostess got huge eyes and looked me up and down. I don’t know what she is so shocked about but her appearance quickly changed.

“Of course, right this way.” She guided me through two dining rooms, one much nicer than the other, before she stopped in front of a grand-looking door with intricate designs on the front that had beautiful gold accents.

“The private room is just beyond these doors, now that you are here your waiter will be back in a minute to take your order.” I nodded and thanked her before she walked off. I took a deep breath and, with a shaky hand, I slowly opened the door. What I saw before my eyes took my breath away. This can't be happening. I swear this isn't real.

“Derek Hyland!?”