More than Big Boned

12. Today Is Date Night Day

Today is Date Night Day. Tonight will be Date Night Night. Today is also Life Skills Performance Day. I'm sitting in homeroom, half freaking out. I opened my laptop up a few minutes ago and have been practising my speech since, mumbling so only I can hear myself. I read on the task sheet that we have to read out one bit of our assignment to the whole class. I'm reading out my experiences. The bell rings and I'm suddenly nervous as hell. I'll be fine when I get up the front; I always am.

Bailey sidles up to me on the way to our Life Skills class. I look at him. He looks different. Maybe it's because he's combed and slicked his brown hair back. My mind drifts to Eddie and what he'd look like with his hair slicked back.

"So," Bailey starts. "Excited for this speech?"

I make a face. "Not really? OK, I kind of am, but I'm a bit nervous."

"Hey," Bailey places a hand on my back and I shift uncomfortably, sure that he can feel the fat underneath my shirt. "I'll be right beside you. Don't be nervous. You'll be great."

I smile, ducking my head, and look up at Bailey through my eyelashes. His smile lights up his whole face. This gets me thinking about Eddie again and how contagious his smile is.

Bailey and I sit at the back of Miss Finch's classroom and wait for her to walk into the room.

"So, about yesterday," Bailey turns to me and raises an eyebrow.

"What about yesterday?" I ask, even though I know exactly what he's talking about.

"I'm sorry that Bianca did that to you. I did overhear her and Abby and Paris talking about it. It was really cruel. I should've warned you," Bailey looks so torn up.

"It's alright. It wouldn't have stopped my shirt from getting ripped anyway. Bianca would've made sure of it. Even if that means having to rip it herself," I roll my eyes.

Bailey stares into my eyes and I can't help but feel light-headed. Just then, Miss Finch walks in, ruining the little moment we were having. We turn away from each other slowly and face the front.

"Good morning, people," greets Miss Finch. "Let's get started on these presentations, shall we? We'll have Newt and Samantha up first, please."

Bailey 'whoops' for Newt and he smirks when he's up the front of the classroom. Their presentation mainly focusses on how society is changing the way we see everyone and how we should dress for our body type.

When they're finished, the next group goes up. When Bailey and I are called, I grab my laptop and nervously shuffle to the front of the room. Bailey joins me a second later.

"Hi, everyone," Bailey says. Obviously, he's going first. Thanks for consulting me. Although I should've talked to Bailey as well. Anyway. "I'm going to be talking about my experience with body image and how society influences our thoughts.

"So, I haven't had too problems with being criticised for looking a certain way and that's because I took the 'right' way. I have a strong body; I'm not fat, I'm not thin, I'm how society says young men should look. I remember being a thin, wiry boy and seeing that many male idols were all fit and muscular and had six packs and big biceps. I thought, you know, I've got to look like that to be accepted. So I started working out every day and eventually I got to this stage. The 'perfect' stage.

"So, yes. I've had my problems with body image but I'm so over that. Everyone should be over that."

Bailey looks around and smiles, nodding his head to some of his friends.