FAT and in Love

Chapter 20: Florida!

Lacie's POV

Oh my gosh. Arturo's and Kiera's admonishment keeps ringing over and over in my head. I know I should listen, but there is that carnal part of me that wants to hold out hope. Nope! Snap out of it Lacie.
On my drive back I feel bummed out. It sucks I didn't see Dominic since he left earlier. Oh well. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is my flight. I never thought about it or processed it til now. Good thing I'm already packed. I always make it habit to pack and live out of my suitcase almost a week before a big trip.
With all the stress traveling brings me, packing is not one of them. The main reason I am choosing to drive back home is to hang out with Sandy. I'm going to miss her.
When I arrive at home, Sandy is asleep on my couch and I can see that many different containers with goodies are packed. Aw. Just like Sandy to do something so thoughtful. To give her more rest, I put down all my belongings before taking a seat next to her on the couch. She stirs and opens her eyes.
"Hey. Finally geez."
We hug and smile.
"Tomorrow is the big day," she says sleepily.
"Hmm. I was thinking. If I get some downtime, we can skype and catch up on some shows together."
"Lacie, my bandwidth is garbage and I can't watch a movie with you and get crappy audio out of the speakers," Sandy says as she sits up with droopy eyes.
"Sandy, Skype now has the feature for you to listen to what the other person's computer is playing."
"Oh really?"
"Yes really," I reply laughing. "Besides, we wouldn't have to screenshare because we both have Netflix. We could count it down, and watch on our own screens silly."
Sandy smiles and gasps, "Oh that's right. Duh. I just woke up. Anyways, that's if you even get any downtime."
"I know."
There is silence for a while.
"Hey Sandy?"
"Yeah?"
"You wanna do a challenge with me?"
"What challenge. I'm not ingesting any cinnamon or stuff that can give me cancer."
I laugh at that and stand up to face her.
"I know I get busy, but I want to try to drink four bottles of water a day, and I figured it would be awesome to have someone to be accountable to."
"Ugh. I hate water."
"You know the Africans would strike you across the head if they hear you saying that. The ones that don't have water I mean. The ones that have to walk miles and miles to get it!" I yell out to her playfully as I make my way to the bathroom.
When I get there, I can hear Sandy's sassy replies. My mind is somewhere else as I stare in the mirror with my hands on the sink. I try to stare into my own soul which is actually quite impossible to do with your own reflection. Tomorrow is actually it. My life starts. This is good. If we're going to be walking everywhere, then I'll definitely shed the pounds. I feel hopeful. I... I'm choosing to feel hopeful. I don't want to think about my emotions for Dominic, I don't want to care what those bimbos think, I want to tune everything out, and focus on being successful. No one is going to cheat me out of or scare me away from that.

************

I can't believe I'm on the plane right now. Thank God I have a window seat. When I was boarding the plane I was so nervous because I thought that I was going to end up in one of those situations where they tell me to pay for an extra seat. Fortunately, although I am heavy, I'm not that big.

This plane seems to be privately owned or dedicated to Nick. The captain's voice sounds over the loudspeaker. He tells us in a congratulatory tone that we have made it to Florida, The Sunshine State. The way he says it makes it seem as though we did all the work. I silently thank God for keeping us all safe. I look around to my right and everyone cheering. Many of the people here are those I've not seen, but it makes me happy seeing them happy and relieved to be on the ground. As the plane shows down, I text mom and dad to let them know I got here safe. Only a few minutes later, they both text me saying how relieved they are and how they love me.
I'm sitting for a while. I might as well. I'm heavier and so while everyone is reaching overhead to get their stuff, I would just hold up progress being in the way.
When we all finally make it off the plane, and through the airport, there are several buses waiting for us.
Everyone from their respective departments are supposed to board together.
I see Art sitting in the back. He looks at me. I smile but my smile is kicked off my face when something shoves me hard into one of the seats. It was Wendy.
"Oh my bad. Someone pushed me into you," she said giggling. She rudely squeezed past me to sit next to Art, leaving me looking stupid because I was obviously going to sit there.
I take a deep breath and turn around and the next seat I have my eye on, another girl takes it. She stares up at me imperiously. I go for another seat and another girl puts her bag there. I hear Art yell out for them to quit, but it's too late because I find myself doing something I probably shouldn't do. I take the bag and shove it with immense force into her pigeon face.
"You want your bag to have its own seat bitch then make it fucking pay for it then! I'm still rubbing her nasty bag in her face until I feel hands pulling me off her.
"See she's an animal. This is why you guys were put at the back of the bus back then. There's a reason for everything."
"Well how about I put you UNDER the bus Wendy?!" I yell.
I've had enough.
"Lacie!" Yells Arturos.
He gives me a look as though he's disappointed in me or as if to say,
"What are you doing? This isn't you"

I make my way to the front of the bus with the intention to get off when I bump into someone. It's Nick.
"Dominic?" I say looking up at him.
"What are you doing on here? You're riding with me."
I smile inside when he says that. Who am I kidding? I have an actually large as life smile on my face, and like a good fluffy pillow, I direct it to the sleezebags in back of the bus. I flip my hair and begin to walk off.
"Why bother flipping that hair? It isn't yours!" I hear an insolent unknown female say.
"Yeah at least my breasts and ass are!" I yell out before the bus doors hiss shut. OHHH! In their faces! I feel so good. Kiera is in the black SUV that's parked nicely for us. I feel like a star. I can hear Just like Fire by Pink playing in my head as my confidence soars. Kiera sits in the middle seats with Iman and two other girls. Nick and Rodney sit in the front. I'm in the back by myself... just the way I like it.
With how colossal this SUV Cadillac is, for once I feel small in a vehicle, like I'm invisible. Kiera doesn't turn to acknowledge me, no one calls me; it's perfect. For once in a very long time, I can breathe without tension.

Reading your comments everyday made me nervous as well as encouraged. I am baffled at how many people have been showing their support for this story. Thank you so very much.  Lol enjoy kittens!