My Plus-size Love

Chapter 7

I woke up groaning. Two nights in a row I stayed up later than I ever do. It is nice having a love interest and all, but it was doing a number on my sleep schedule or lack thereof. I needed to start setting an alarm to go to sleep and to wake up. I miss being a teenager that could survive on 3 hours of sleep a night. Oh, the good old days.

I was sitting on my bed contemplating if I should just call out to work or not. It was going to be hard to stay focused on the tasks at hand. Plus, I really didn’t have much to do. I wish it was Friday and not Thursday. It took everything I had to get my lazy butt out of bed. I went to the mirror and gave up before I even started. Looks like it is a messy bun with lip-gloss and the nicest pair of black jeans and a T-shirt that I can pass off as a dress shirt kind of day. Thursdays are a curse to the week. Why do they even exist? It is so close to the weekend yet so far away.

I got to my car and started it up. It was a little chilly this morning, so I blasted the heat so it could get a little warmer before I took off. I pulled my phone out of my purse, thinking of how much better it would be if I could try and talk to Derek for a second this morning.

C- Good morning, let me tell you, this whole staying up late thing is starting to kill me. If I am not careful, I won’t be able to go to work tomorrow if I stay up late again tonight!

D- Good morning, Clarissa. Well, maybe you shouldn’t have messaged me so late. I was surprised at how fast he messageed me back.

C- I thought you said I could message or call anytime.

D- Well yeah, you can. It is your choice to stay up so late and text me!

C- Has anyone ever told you you are an ass?

D- Every single day.

C- At least someone is because you are.

D- LOL you aren’t the first person to tell me, and I am sure you are not going to be the last.

C- Hahaha, maybe that is why you are still single?

D- Now we are getting feisty, huh?

I laughed out loud after reading his message. I am glad we are starting to get past the awkward stage and jumping straight into the teasing stage. This is when it starts getting to the fun part.

C- I’m just kidding! I must go, for now. Unfortunately, I have to use both my hands and my eyes to drive.

D- Please do, with what you have told me so far about your clumsiness, you better. Or else I will turn the news on and see about a crash that happened on the Interstate.

C- Again, an ass.

D- LOL, you better get going before I make you late!

He was right there but it was so hard not to just sit there and talk to him the whole time. I looked at the clock in my car. Maybe if I speed just a little bit, I can stop and get myself something to eat and a nice super sweet coffee. I need the pick-me-up more than ever this morning.

I walked into work with a pastry bag and coffee in hand and went to my desk. I stopped and took out my pastry to leave behind and went towards Angela’s desk with both coffees and the pastry that was still left. I owed her for yesterday, so I grabbed something for her too.

“Good morning love!” I yelled a little too loud so that maybe I could make her jump. She didn’t even flinch, typical Angela. I scream when anybody even whispers behind my back without knowing and she acts as if she can’t be bothered. I wish every day that I could be more like her. It’s like that old saying, ‘you can wish in one hand and crap in the other, which one do you think will fill up faster?’ That is me 100 percent.

“Good morning, nice try, but I already saw you walking inside. You always try to do some dumb stuff like that. Why you choose to do it in the morning before I have my coffee is beyond me. It’s like asking for a death sentence.” I laughed at her and shook my head.

“You know you love me!’

“I do and that is why you aren’t dead yet.” I handed her the coffee, and she took it greedily from my hand.

“This is a thank you for the food from yesterday and for the late-night call. Sorry about that again.”

“No problem girl! How many times have I done the same thing to you? More times than I can count on two hands, that’s how many. It is the least I can do. That’s what friends are for. To help you figure out your insecurities and lead the path that steers away from self-doubt.”

“Hear, hear!” I told her while lifting my coffee up for cheers. She laughed and shook her head but met her cup with mine.

“Speaking of last night, you are never going to guess what I found out from Derek.”

“Oh, you talked to lover boy after you called me?”

“Yes, and I found out that he works in movies!”

“Like he is an actor?”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure he just does small parts though, because he almost seems ashamed to tell me more about it. He shies away from talking about it with me.”

“Clarissa, that is so cool. Has he been in any famous movies?”

“I don’t really know. We didn’t talk about it much, but I haven’t even been able to tell you the best part!” I paused so I could add the effect. She just looked more annoyed than interested. She hates it when I do stuff like that, but I can’t help myself.

“The best part being?” Maybe I paused a little too long. She asked it as if I didn’t even know what the best part was, myself.

“He is in the area because he is in the new movie that is being shot in Atlanta!”

“You mean the one with Derek Hyland in it!?”

“The very one! He confirmed it himself last night. He even told me that he is friends with Derek Hyland.”

“So, you’re going to get his autograph, right? If you do, please get one for me too. I would owe you a hundred breakfasts if you could make that happen for me.”

“It gets better than that, he said that I could meet him! Can you believe it? Me, getting to meet Derek Hyland, I could ask if you can come along too if you want!”

“Is that even a question? Of course, I want to! It is kind of strange that he is working with Derek Hyland and his name is Derek too. I wonder if he has a nickname when they are on set. It would seem like it would get confusing.”

“Maybe they go by last names?” I hadn’t thought of that, I would hate to work with someone who shared the same name as me. I would have to go by a nickname if I had. I tried to think of a nickname for Derek, but one wasn’t really coming to me.

“On that note, I asked my Derek what his last name was so I could find him on f*******:, and he said he didn’t have one. I didn’t even think there were still people who didn’t have a profile! Even older people who didn’t grow up with a computer or a phone have a Facebook.”

“It’s not that surprising. I went on a couple of dates with that one guy who didn’t have any social media presence either.” I looked at her and shook my head. She must be talking about that woke guy who wanted to act like he was better than everyone else because he wasn’t obsessed with sharing every detail of his life. No one said you had to share everything if you had a f*******: account. I hardly ever post but I love to see videos and look at what other people have going on in their lives. Back in the day, if someone moved away, that was it, unless they wanted to give you a call. Now we can all sit in the safety of our homes and stalk our exes and check on our long-lost friends. Call it what you may, but I love that it is all available at the touch of my fingers.

“That guy was a weirdo though, and you know it. That is why you only went on a couple of dates with him.”

“True, don’t think I didn’t notice you saying my Derek. You better get back to the desk before you get into trouble with the boss man again!” She gave me a side look, but I could see a smile playing on her lips. I didn’t even realize I had said my Derek out loud. It really does sound good the more I say it.

“Okay. See you at lunch?”

“Yeah, that sounds good, we should have Chinese.” I shook my head vigorously in agreement. I love having fried rice and crab ragoons.

When I got back to my desk, I got my phone out so I could send Derek a quick message before I tried to get some work done. I overheard that an incident had happened at work after I left, so I know that I am going to have a lot of paperwork to fill out. It is a good thing I didn’t try and call out. It would make for a horrible Friday if I had to do all this paperwork on top of the reports that I have to send out at the end of the week.

C- I just wanted to text you that I got to work safely. You don’t have to worry about the news reporting a crash. At least not one that I am responsible for.

D- Ha-ha, I am glad. I wish I could stay on the phone and chat, but I have to get back to work.

C- It’s okay, I understand. The theatre awaits!

D- You are such a dork! I can try and message you at lunch if you would like.

C- Only if you are not busy. I don’t want to keep you from work.

D- I can’t guarantee anything but I can try.

C- Okay, if not, then I will talk to you tonight. Have a good day, Derek.

D- You too, Clarissa. Try to stay out of trouble.

I whispered to myself that I would try. I don’t expect him to message me until he gets done with work. I can only imagine how busy they must be. I looked at my computer and sighed, I might as well get this paperwork over with.