Page 18 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

Buy the dress in a size too small. It will give you a reason to work harder. Put on some makeup. Maybe people will focus on your face rather than your weight. Don't eat that piece of pie. Grab some carrots.

I was running now, trying to run from the pain. I didn't even know where I was going, but I couldn't stop. I didn't want to.

I remembered all the diets I tried and all the meals I skipped. I counted calories and chugged water all the time. I worked out and picked my meals accordingly, but I was still big. I was never small enough for him. I never would be.

My foot hit the ground at the wrong angle, and my body gave out. I slammed hard into the ground at the edge of a bridge and went down.

I cried out, trying to catch myself, but I was a second too late. I felt the gravel bit into my hands and my knees. My foot pulsed in pain, and I cried.

I cried for letting myself fall so far. I cried for the years I put into a person that didn't care about me. I cried for everything I tried so hard to be that I knew I would never get.

I wasn't aware of how long I cried or how long it took me to pull myself back up. The music was still playing in my ear when I pulled myself up and looked over the bridge. I stared at the town, taking it in with the sun peeking over the horizon.

A new day.

I remembered April's favorite advice. Tomorrow is a new day, which means another day to be better.

Anytime we had a rough situation, she would always say: Maybe tomorrow will have something better to offer you than what today did.

I wiped my eyes and leaned onto the bridge. I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes.

I was done with Brad. I had given him so much of my time already. He wasn't worth it, and he had proven that to me over and over again. I needed to do what was right for me, and that was moving on.

I opened my eyes, turned around, and started running back to the house. I felt a little lighter as I moved, as if I had left a heavy part of me on the bridge.

I returned to the house and went straight for the shower. I didn't exactly have plans for the day, but I knew I should stop at Cayden's place and thank him for bringing me dinner. Since April wasn't there, he had told me when he’d be around, so I wasn’t alone, and it was comforting to know.

I headed over to Cayden's place and up to his apartment. Once at his door, I knocked and waited a moment.

"Door's unlocked," Cayden yelled.

I opened the door and stepped inside. I always found Cayden's apartment comfortable. While Cayden didn't decorate the space with many things, I felt safe as soon as I entered.

I found Cayden pulling on his shoes, and he stood up, taking me in. I suddenly felt hot, my mind traveling back to last night and how his gaze raked over me.

He, however, looked unfazed by anything. "Hey, what brings you here?"

I quickly shook my head. "I came to thank you for dinner last night. You didn't have to do that."

He shrugged. "I figured I should stop by and see how you were doing since April left."

"She will be back in a couple of days."

He nodded, pulling himself up, but my eyes caught onto some bright red and green fabric sitting on the chair right behind him.

"What is that?" I asked, pointing.

Cayden looked down and scowled. "That would be my elf outfit for the Christmas festival."

I couldn't help the smirk that pulled at my lips. "I'm sorry, did you say elf outfit? Did I hear that correctly?"

He nodded. "You did."

I smirked suddenly, trying to imagine him in an elf outfit. "Does this include ears and pointy shoes?"

He crossed his arms. "If that was all you needed, I was on my way to work."

"Oh, come on! This is pretty funny." I felt a chuckle build up. "God, please tell me there are some ears and pointy shoes."

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