ROMEO (book 1)

69. DELILAH

Date night is always something I fantasised about when I was a kid.

Now I have Romeo and he goes all out for date night. He was working in the morning, I went downstairs to find a table full of lilies and a card.

Pick you up at 7, better be wearing that dress.

I smile, then walk around the coffee table and my feet kick off a box.

I lift up the black box wrapped up.

I sit on the couch and pull the bow loose, then take the lid off.

Deep red silk.

I take the dress out and look at how beautiful it was. He has taste. I strip and try it on right away.

It didn't fit over my thighs without me having to wiggle and squeeze.

I take it off when that happens.

I leave it on the floor, jogging up the stairs and into the bathroom. I know it isn't healthy but wrapping my thighs makes me feel pretty, and it lets me fit into my clothes.

I wrap my thighs as tight as I could and walk back down the stairs. Arabella was holding the dress, she looked up at me and then her eyes drop to my thighs and she sighs a little.

I run straight back up the stairs.

That's so embarassaing.

I crawl behind Romeo's clothes in the closet. I like it there. When I'm alone I sit here because it's peaceful and gives me security. No one can hurt me if i'm hidden, they can't approach me either.

"Delilah, come on. Let's talk."

I close my eyes.

Her voice just keeps getting louder and then she pulls the clothes and looks at me. "You didn't undo the zip." She looks at me.

I stay silent.

"Look, I'll show you." She holds her hand out.

Hesitantly, I grab her hand. She allows me the dignity to get changed first and then walks me down the stairs. She zips the side of the dress, "It wouldn't have went over anyone's thighs. Romeo got it custom made for you, he knows your sizes. You just didn't undo the zip. You don't need to do all this." She points to my thighs.

"I'm sor-"

"Try it on again, without the saran wrap."

I shake my head no, "It doesn't matter if it fits if i'm still going to feel ugly in it." I sit on the couch, pulling my shirt over my knees.

"How long have you been doing this?" She sits on the couch. "Does Romeo know?"

"No. I stopped for a while but then this girl called me fat, and the dress didn't fit, and Romeo's pants fit me better and-"

"Romeo sized down, he was bulking but now he's focusing on muscle. So, he's sized down." She frowns.

"Arabella, I love you. I really do. But you don't understand." I choke on my words. "You've been naturally blessed with a body that just happens to fit into the standards and I haven't. You can eat what you want and never gain. I can't even eat without my stomach expanding."

"I bloat, so does Romeo."

"Not how much I do."

"When did these body images start?"

"Since Romeo slept with a stripper who looked nothing like me."

She frowns a little more, "Delilah... You and Kelly were the exact same size. That's why Romeo slept with her."