Plus Size with Extra Love [E.G.D]

Chapter Twenty

Roaring laughter and loud talking echoed through the hallway as I stood quietly next to my locker.

"Hey boo, where have you been?" Lola asked as she cheerfully walked up to my locker.

"Home, wallowing in my sadness," I mumbled and rested my head on the cool metal.

"What's wrong?" Lola asked in instant caring mode.

"I'm fine, just a little confused."

"About what?"

"You can't tell anyone," I sighed looking Lola in the eyes.

"I promise I won't."

"Over these past few weeks Ethan and I have grown closer, to where we've even kissed, but he's so closed off and wants us to stay hidden. I think he's embarrassed of me," I spoke honestly. I kept my voice down low, praying no one else heard.

Lola's face held so many emotions it seemed she didn't know how to feel.

"First off, why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

"I don't know. He didn't want me to tell anyone and I listened," I replied.

"If he's embarrassed of you then you need to kick him. He doesn't sound any better than Jeremy if he can't accept you for who you are."

The thing that sucks the most is I don't think Ethan can accept me. He wants me to be this peppy cheerleader who is perfect in every way, but I'm not. I'm a depressed girl who is too fat to even walk up a flight of steps without not being able to breathe. Ethan deserves a girl better than me.

"I feel like I'm not enough for him."

"Honey he's not enough for you. Be honest with yourself Dakota. Once you take away his nice body all you're really left with is his personality. If that's good then great, but if he's making you doubt yourself then kick him to the curb," Lola said. Her voice was calm and genuine and her eyes were filled with hope and sadness.

"I really like him."

"That shouldn't always be what keeps you and someone else together."

Her words hurt, but only because they were true. Lola always knew what to say which is why I loved having her around. Even though she never fully understood what I felt like, she knew what to tell me in the time of need.

Seeing Ethan in the hallway with his arm around Abby as if they were some pride couple, really tore me apart. I kept thinking of his lips pressed against mine. I could feel his arms wrapped around my body as he had them around her. I could hear Ethan's drunken voice telling me how much he was sorry, but none of that mattered because he didn't want it to.

"Hey D," a loud voice boomed down the hallway causing my attention to break from Ethan and Abby.

It caught Ethan's attention to. His eyes glared into his younger brothers figure as he approached me with open arms for a hug.

"Yes?" I questioned while wrapping one arm around his torso and looking up at him.

"Do you want to come over today? Ethan and Jarred got dates and I don't want to be in an empty house alone," Grayson explained.

Wow Ethan has a date...

My eyes looked up at Ethan who was still starring, but now his arm was off of Abby. His back rested against the lockers and his arms were crossed over his chest.

"Might as well," I muttered and turned back to Grayson.

"Alright I'll just drive us after school then."

Did I really want to go to the Dolan house hold if Ethan wasn't there? The answer is no. I only told Grayson I would because I knew it would make Ethan mad, plus I would be able to see Ethan for at least a little while before or after his date.

"Question, why are you focused on Ethan when Grayson clearly likes spending time with you?" Lola asked clearly stunned.

"He isn't Ethan," I responded seriously, "Plus we don't connect like Ethan and I do. Grayson's nice and sweet, but he's more like a brother to me."

My attention was back on Ethan, but he wasn't giving any attention to Abby. His body was turned towards his twin brother and he was in Grayson's face. He veins in his neck were bulging out as he quietly yelled at his brother.

"Is that because of you?" Lola quizzed.

"I honestly don't know."

"You might want to go defuse it Ethan's getting aggressive."

She was right. Ethan's hands pushed Grayson back and he stepped towards him. It looked as if Grayson was going to break and start throwing punches.

For some reason I walked towards Ethan and Grayson. Instead of me jumping between the two I placed my hand gently on Ethan's bicep causing him to stop his actions and look down at me.

Ethan's chest raised up and down aggressively as his eyes stared into mine. His shoulders dropped down, his breathing went back to normal, his eyes held pure sadness and guilt.

"What the hell man?" Grayson barked loudly as he waited for his brother to explain.

"Drop it," Ethan commanded and stormed off.

"What were you arguing about?"

"He said that he didn't want you at the house."

Ouch, looks like he really doesn't like you

I nodded my head slowly and went back to my locker and Lola. It's possible Ethan really didn't like me. It's possible he really only wanted someone he could fall back on, but never have to love.

"You ok?" Lola asked as if she heard what Grayson just said.

"I'm fine," I replied and headed off to my first period class.

Jeremy sat on the other side of the room like normal, he had his friends circled around him as if he was something to protect.

Right before the late bell rang in walked a boy I'd never seen before. His hair was brown and curly, but hid underneath a black beanie. His bottom lip was pierced with a black hoop on the right side. He wore a gray t shirt and a red and black flannel.

"No hats in school James," the teacher snapped once she looked up at the boy.

"Shit, my bad I'm sorry," he rambled out quickly and pulled his beanie off his head and ran his hand through his curly hair.

Throughout the class I couldn't keep my eyes off of James. He was clearly a shy type of guy, and kinda awkward. Whenever Jeremy or one of his friends tried talking to him he just shrugged them off like they were nothing.

My phone buzzed on my desk causing me to reach for it and see who texted me.

Jeremy❤️❤️: stop starring at him he's too good for you

My eyes shot up towards Jeremy to see him glaring at me with his phone in his hands. I put my phone back down and looked up at the board.

Once again my phone buzzed.

Jeremy❤️❤️: don't ignore me b*txh
Jeremy❤️❤️: James is way too good for you and so is that Dolan kid
Jeremy❤️❤️: you just want to get hurt