The Meal Plan

Chapter 12

Hi Folks,

Thank you so much for your awesome support on my book so far. You guys motivate my lazy ass to keep writing :) I love you all..

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On a happy note, The Meal Plan has received more than 100 votes and 5000 reads. I know that it's not a huge number, but, for a first time writer, it's nothing less than awesome.

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Sharanya Mullassery © 2012-2013

All Rights Reserved

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Brides operate under the assumption that their weddings will be the most magical gathering. How else can they justify devoting 18 months of their lives to planning a 4-hour event? And they also believe that the air on their special day will be so infused with pixie dust that their single friends are certain to fall prey to love at first sight.

It was Sofi's wedding day and I was having a congregation of butterflies in my stomach. I dreaded going to the wedding because I knew I was going to be the only single girl there. One of the things that troubled my mind was the place where I was supposed to sit at the table. Even if one was the type of person who danced all night long, the people who you sat next to were very important. And, whether we like to admit it or not, the place at the table was given by the social status and importance that one had in the life of the new couple.

My mom gushed with pride when I wore my brand new wine gown. My weight loss was evident in it and mom kept gibbering with happiness. She couldn't stop telling me how pretty I was. For the first time in my life, mom was proud of the way I looked. I wore my red wine gown with maroon platform heels and a chunky gold bracelet. The gown emphasized my good curves and hid everything I didn't want the world to see. I looked... nice.

Sofi had planned a simple summer wedding at Marriot's Courtyard. I decided to see her before the wedding ceremony. On my way to the bride's dressing room, I noticed that one of the bridesmaids was having trouble fitting into her dress. She was not fat; her dress was probably a size smaller. Few bridesmaids were helping the poor girl to zip up her dress. I felt pity for her. It was one of the things I experienced as I grew bigger-not being able to get into my old clothes. I wondered where Mia was. She was one of the bridesmaids and she was nowhere to be seen.

"NEVE... You look AMAZING!!! You lost weight and you have a waist!" An excited Sofi squealed.

"Thank you, Sofi. That almost rhymed. You look beautiful" I said, shyly.

The struggling bridesmaid heard Sofi's squeal and turned around to look at me with a horror-filled face. She scanned me from top to bottom and her face turned murderous. Then it clicked! The struggling bridesmaid was none other than Mia!

"Wow" I breathed

"Yeah, when we measured for bridesmaids' dress, she was a size zero. Then all of a sudden she started gaining weight. Her dress was altered twice already and it still does not fit her. You didn't jinx her, did you?" Sofi whispered.

***

The wedding was beautiful. It wasn't as bad as I dreaded. Sofi, being the best person she was, did a great thing: She put me at the table with all the groom's guy friends from high school-they didn't know anyone else at the wedding. So, I had my pick of dance partners, and they kept bringing me drinks and hors d'oeuvres. I felt like Scarlett O'Hara in the barbecue scene in Gone with the Wind!

"I know that it's none of my business but why are those two eyeballing you?" The extremely handsome Spaniard sitting next to me, over whom I was desperately trying not to drool, asked.

I followed his gaze and saw that Sean and Mia looked really angry. Mia had somehow zipped up the dress. Although she had gained weight, she wasn't fat. She looked curvy and different from the girl I knew. However, wearing the wrong sized dress gave her a small pouch, which she tried to hide with her bouquet. Sean looked angry at everything.

"Friends of yours?" Mister Dreamy asked me, again.

"Uhh. Y-Yea. That was my ex and his girlfriend. We're very close" I stuttered.

Dreamy chuckled. He had bright brown eyes, tanned skin and a dashing smile. One weave of his golden brown hair fell softly across his temple, making him irresistibly sexy and vaguely familiar.

"Do I know you? You look familiar" I asked, trying not to stare too hard at his beautiful hair.

"I thought I was famous... until now. I'm Alexander Delgado. You can call me Alex" He introduced himself.

Alexander Delgado was one of the hottest men in the planet. He was an alpha model and a famous biker. I was so engrossed in the wedding that I didn't notice how people were taking his pictures or asking for his autograph or how women were batting their eyelashes at him or how men looked up at him with a mixture of admiration and envy. I felt like a fool.

"Alexander Delgado? I know who you are. I feel like a complete idiot for not recognizing you" I blushed.

"Don't worry. It was nice for a change. Tell me more about you. What's the deal with the eye balling douche?"

"What makes you think that he's a douche?"

"The way you looked at him- all hurt and angry" He winked.

I sighed and gave him a smaller version of the story but I skipped the part where I was starving myself.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. You are going to be ok" He squeezed my hand, gently.

"Thanks, Alex" I smiled at him.