More than Big Boned

9. Just So You Know, I Think You're Beautiful

A yawn escapes my mouth which, sadly, wakes me up. With the limited amount of strength I have, I flop my arm up to my bedside table and clutch my phone. I bring it to my face and see that I've slept in. It's 8:49 a.m. I groan and kick my covers off me with my feet. I sit up then fall back onto my bed. I close my eyes. When I open them, I check the time again. It's 8:56.

OK, I really should get moving.

I jump out of bed and stretch a little. Out the hallway and down the stairs. I jump past the last two stairs and land hard on the floor. On my way to the kitchen, I think whether I should have breakfast today or not. I won't have popcorn at the movies but I'll have something at lunch. OK, so I'll have breakfast.

I grab out what I need to make toast and start preparing. While the bread is toasting, I fill a cup with water and scull it down. Today, I'm allowing myself to eat more. I think I should eat whatever I want to on weekends and then on weekdays I just don't eat at all. I also should check if I've lost weight.

After yesterday, I want to wear the top and jeans that I bought to see Eddie. I'm conflicted, however, because I want to wear those clothes on Monday. There is such thing as a washing machine though. I pull on the clothes and head down to get breakfast.

I have the usual; two pieces of toast with butter and raspberry jam.

Before I know it, I've got everything in my car and it 9:46. I put the car in gear and drive to the movies.

When I arrive, finding a park proves fairly difficult. Within five minutes, I manage to find one and am walking towards the cinemas. I spot Eddie waiting outside, leaning against the wall of the cinema. He's wearing jeans and a plain black t-shirt. He has a leather jacket draped over one of his arms and his feet in leather boots are crossed at the ankles. He looks so relaxed. Too relaxed. He makes it look easy. His red hair is like a flame and his face is buried in his phone.

"Hey, you," he greets when I tap him on the shoulder. He switches off his phone and stuffs it in his back pocket.

"Hi," I grin, smiling up at him.

"You look great," he says, surveying me. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around my stomach and I pull my midriff down.

"Thanks," I say, despite my self-consciousness. I try to change the subject. "Did you come here on your motorbike?"

"Yeah, I did," he gives me a tiny smirk. "Lets head in."

We go inside and I order us a large popcorn. Eddie insists on buying me a drink and I let him. He gets himself one and we head inside cinema number two.

Inside, it's packed. Loads of people obviously want to see 'Love, Simon' today. We sit down in the back row and I sit up straight, making sure there are no fat rolls to be seen below my midriff. There's a comfortable silence that settles over us. Eddie is the one to break it, asking me if I'm excited about the movie.

"I am, actually," I nod, looking at Eddie sideways. "I've actually read the book. I don't really read that much, so, surprise!"

Eddie chuckles. "I read a fair bit but I haven't read the book to this movie. You'll have to tell me all the mistakes the producers made."

"Oh, I will. You can count on that," I laugh to myself. The curtains covering the screen spread apart and an ad fills the screen.