A Reason To Live | ✔️

Chapter Four

True to his word, Zander called me at noon to tell me he was outside my building and now we are currently in one of the nicest dress shops I have ever been in looking for a dress with a very tiny and big-chested woman.

"So what dress size are you?" She asks, eyeing me up and down, I can see the look of disgust on her face at my weight.

"Oh, um," I bit my bottom lip at the question, not really wanting to answer. I sigh, "a 12." I finally answer, my heart racing like crazy in my chest.

"The dress is for an important charity event so we are looking for a very nice dress," Zander speaks up beside me causing my face to flush at the realization that he just heard my dress size. I know I'm not that heavy but having him hear my size makes me feel gross.

"Okay, I'm sure we can find something," the woman says before turning around, I follow her while she grabs a few dresses, all of them look horrible on the rack, while Zander walks off somewhere else. "Let's try these on and go from there."

She hands me the 4 dresses before showing me the fitting rooms. I sigh as I step inside and look at the dresses. This must be some kind of joke, none of these dresses even look that nice.

I quickly change into the first one and walk out of the dressing room. The dress is an olive green color with thick straps and a lace overlay.

Zander is on his phone as I step out and look at myself in the large mirror, feeling hideous and thoroughly embarrassed. "Do they all look like that?" My eyes meet Zander's in the mirror and a frown falls on my face even more. "Go change we're going somewhere else."

There's a look on Zander's face that I have only seen when he's furious at someone, I quickly walk back into my dressing room and change back into my pants and hoodie.

I find Zander at the front of the store, the furious face he had a few moments ago is gone but the pit in my stomach is still there. I usually avoid shopping for the exact thing that happened inside the store. People treat you differently based on your size, like somehow because my size is in the double digits I am less of a person. It's just so much easier to shop online, I don't have to face anyone and can try items on in the comfort of my own home.

I follow him outside of the store and into his car. I bit on my bottom lip and I wring my hands together in my lap. "Are you okay?" I can hear the concern on Zander's face and I force back to tears that want to escape.

"Fine," I say, shrugging my shoulders as I clear my throat.

"Freya," I can hear it in his voice that he doesn't believe so I turn and look at him.

"Look, it's no big deal. It happens a lot, I'm used to it. You should just take someone else."

There's a frown on his face at my words but I look away and out the window of the car.

A few seconds later the car starts up and pulls away from the curb and a single tear escapes from my eyes and falls down my cheek.

Zander finally pulls the car over 30 minutes later and he gets out. When I look up I realize we are not in front of my building but in front of yet another dress store. The door opens and Zander holds out his hand. I frown at him but grab his outstretched hand anyway, getting out of the car.

"Zander, I'm not sure -"

"Just trust me okay?" He says interrupting me. I sigh as he pulls me into the building.

"Zander!" Someone all but yells from inside the store.

"Maria!" Zander says happily as he lets go of my hand and hugs the older woman. "Thank you for making time for me."

"Well. When I got your text a little while ago, I could not say no." Her hazel eyes look over to me before looking back at him, "this is her?" She asks him. Zander gives her a quick nod, "she is beautiful." She turns away from Zander and grabs my hand, "I have just the dress for you." She starts pulling me away and I look back at Zander, nerves flowing through me. He gives me a reassuring look before I turn away and follow Maria.

I'm pulled into a large back room and Maria stops and looks at me, "do you like sequins, lace, satin?" She asks me.

"I'm not picky," I answer softly. She nods and then disappears for a few minutes before returning with a few different options.

"If you don't like these, I can get you something else but I think these will go best with your figure." I nod at her words as I eye the dresses, they are all so beautiful. "Oh and." She pauses as I turn to look at her, "let's not show Zander, hm? He should only see you in the dress later tonight, yes?"

"Okay," I say with a nod of my head before looking back towards the gowns Maria gave me, unsure which beautiful gown to try on first.

After lots of help and advice from Maria, I walk out of the store with my favorite dress covered in a black garment bag to hide it from Zander as well as undergarments and shoes. I'm not too sure why Maria insisted on the under items but over the course of my time with her, I grew to trust her.

Zander insisted on paying for every item since this is a last-minute expense, and when Maria told him the total for everything I almost passed out. I tried to talk him out of it, to at least let me pay for some of the items but Zander wasn't having any of it, claiming the expense won't hurt his bank account as it will mine.

Zander pulls up to my building and jumps out of the car after putting the car in park. The door opens and I quickly step out of the car while Zander grabs my items from the back seat. "Ok Freya, someone will be here later to do your hair and makeup and then I'll pick you up at 6:30."

"Zander, I can do my own hair and makeup," I say as I grab the bags from him.

"Freya, I dropped this on you last minute, the least I can do is fund the evening."

I huff at his words and say nothing, knowing it won't matter anyway. "I'll see you in a few hours." He stands in front of me a second before he walks around his car.

"Thank you," I say before he opens his door.

Zander's blue eyes look up at me and he smiles, "you're welcome, Freya."

I turn around and head inside my building, nervous for tonight.