Chapter 2 No Longer Chubby

• Crystal's pov
• I sat on the edge of my bed wearing only pants without a bra, staring blankly at the phone in my hand. It had rung several times, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer. My mother’s words circled in my head, sharp and unforgiving.
• "I told you when I noticed his character," she'd said, her voice cold but full of that stern motherly concern. "See what you've done to yourself now? You ignored all the signs. I warned you, but you didn’t listen. Look at where it’s brought you."
• I hadn’t responded. I couldn’t. I was too drained, too lost in my pain to argue with her. But now, sitting here in the silence, those words clung to me, digging deeper and deeper.
• I went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me, leaning my forehead against the mirror. The cold glass offered no comfort, only reflecting the emptiness I felt inside.
• "I wasn’t just someone in his life," I whispered, my voice cracking as I spoke to my reflection. "I was the one who made everything seem possible for him. My friends called him a loser, but I saw something different. I believed I could transform him completely."
• Tears spilled over, running down my cheeks as I tried to hold back the sobs. I felt small, broken, my heart heavy with all the love I had given and never had returned.
• I glanced at my body in the mirror and I was feeling helpless. My eyes traced over every inch, and my hands lifted to my chest, cupping my breasts. "I kept all of this for him..." I murmured. The weight of the sacrifices I had made was almost too much to bear. I had given him everything, every part of me, and it still wasn’t enough.
• Minutes passed in a blur. I was lost, caught up in my own thoughts, my pain. The droplets of water from my earlier shower had long dried on my skin by the time my phone rang again.
• I wrapped my towel around me, stepped out of the bathroom and sat down at my made up chair. I stared into the mirror in the room, taking in my reflection. My red, swollen eyes looked back at me, but even through the sadness, I could see myself — my chestnut hair, tumbling down my back in waves, and my skin still glowing. I had always taken care of myself, even for him.
• The phone rang again. I walked over to my bed and picked it up, seeing Ella’s name on the screen.
• "Hey, Ella," I answered, trying to sound cheerful, but I could hear the sadness in my own voice.
• "Crystal! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you like crazy. What’s going on?" Ella’s voice was full with concern.
• I hesitated, taking a deep breath. "I just... I need some time, Ella. Can we talk later?"
• "Something’s wrong. I can tell. I’m your best friend, Cryst… Talk to me."
• That was all it took. The walls I had built up started to crumble and my voice changed even worse as I said,
• "Tony cheated on me," I blurted out, my voice trembling. "After everything I did for him. I gave him everything... even kept myself for him, for our wedding night."
• Ella was silent for a moment before she gasped. "What? Are you serious? After all you did for him? You even helped him get that job!"
• "Yeah," I said bitterly. "That driving job. Turns out, he’s been seeing his boss’ daughter this whole time. I had no idea."
• "That’s such bullshit. I told you Tony is a loser. All he did was to take from you. Don't allow that to break you down unnecessarily. Cryst..! You need to come out of this. Get dressed, get out there, and show the world who you are. You don’t need him. As for me, leaving you was a win for you. I'm grateful you have already taken a few weeks off from work. Please come over.”
• I sighed. "Ella, it’s not about getting dressed or going out. It’s about who you are inside. That’s what matters."
• "I know, I know," she said softly, "but you’ve always been so strong, so sure of yourself. You’ll get through this. I promise. When you come to my city, we’ll make new memories. I've got something special planned when you come. Trust me, you’ll forget all about him."
• Her words brought a small smile to my face, though my heart still felt heavy. Ella had always been my rock, especially after Dad died. Moving in with her family had been the only thing that made life bearable back then. And now, it seemed like I needed that escape again.
• "Thanks, Ella. I’ll see you soon," I said, my voice soft but sincere.
• ********************************
• Author's pov
• Three days had passed after Crystal's breakup, and it was now 4PM on a Thursday afternoon. Ella, a twenty-four-year-old woman, stepped out of her room to find her father in the grand sitting room. Her father, Derek Whyte was a wealthy man in his mid-forties. Tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp features and a square jawline, he was the picture of confidence. His jet-black hair was touched with grey at the temples, only adding to his rugged appeal. His piercing blue eyes were focused on the TV, where a tennis match was being played, a glass of wine in one hand and his legs crossed casually.
• Ella approached him and waited for his attention. After a moment, she spoke, "Dad, my driving license will be ready tomorrow. I thought it would be today."
• "Okay," he replied, still focused on the TV.
• "Crystal’s coming today," she added, hoping to catch his interest.
• "Okay," Derek nodded, waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t, he looked up briefly and asked, "Are you traveling to her place and spending the night?"
• Ella raised her voice slightly, "Dad? I’m talking about Crystal, my best friend. She’s coming from another city, and she’ll be at the airport in an hour."
• At last, Derek gave her his full attention. "What do you need me to do?" he asked.
• "Could you take me to the airport to pick her up? Please! Her boyfriend just broke her heart, and she really needs me right now."
• "Crystal?" Derek furrowed, trying to remember. "I feel like I’ve heard that name before."
• "Dad... my best friend from high school. You taught her how to swim, and she stayed with us for a bit after her dad passed away."
• "Oh, Crystal! The chubby one. How’s she doing now?" he asked, with a casual shrug.
• "She’s fine."
• "She must be overweight by now. Maybe that’s why her boyfriend left her," Derek mused, his eyes meeting Ella's.
• "Dad…?” She hated that reTony and added, “Dad, things have changed. You wouldn't believe her transformation. You have made me forget what I wanted to say. She’ll be staying with us for a few weeks.”
• "I’m fine with that," Derek said, nodding.
• "Thanks, Dad!" Ella beamed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. As she turned to leave, she hesitated and spun back around.
• "Dad, when are you and Mum going to sort things out? Every time I mention her, it’s like you forget she’s the woman you married," Ella gestured to their wedding photo on the wall. "What’s going on? Why won’t either of you tell me the truth?"
• "Has your mum said anything?" he asked, his expression turning serious.
• "No, but she says she doesn’t understand you anymore."
• "Ella, I haven’t changed. She’s the one who refused to move into this house."
• "What’s really happening?" she demanded, stamping her foot before storming out.
• Derek sat quietly, his mind briefly wandering to his strained relationship with Chloe. He was a successful businessman dealing in fine jewellery, but no amount of wealth could fix his troubled marriage. Ella had tried hard to mend the rift between her parents, but the gap only seemed to grow.
• An hour later, Ella sat in the passenger seat of her father’s car as they headed to the airport to pick up Crystal. She’d just received a message that Crystal’s flight had landed. Derek waited by the car while Ella went inside the terminal, her phone glued to her ear. A few minutes later, she appeared with Crystal by her side.
• "Where’s your car?" Crystal asked after they embraced.
• "I couldn’t drive today. My license is being renewed. My dad brought me," Ella explained, pointing towards Derek. They both walked over, Ella dragging Crystal’s suitcase behind her. As they approached, their smiles were wide and genuine, their friendship as strong as ever.
• From the moment Crystal spotted Derek, her heart raced, and a flutter stirred in her stomach. "I used to have the biggest crush on him at sixteen," she thought to herself. "I thought it would fade, but seeing him now... it’s all rushing back."
• As they neared, Crystal greeted him warmly.
• "Crystal?" Derek blinked in surprise, his eyes quickly scanning her figure in the fitted red dress that showed off her curves. This was the same girl he had known years ago, but now she was a stunning young woman.
• "Yes, Dad. This is Crystal," Ella chimed in, noticing the look of recognition on her father’s face.
• "You’ve changed," Derek said, his gaze lingering a little too long as he admired her transformation. His eyes flickered over her waist before settling on her feet. He grinned. "So many things have changed about you."
• "Dad, she was only sixteen back then," Ella reminded him, while Crystal blushed and gave a soft laugh.
• "Mother Nature has been kind to you. I wouldn’t have recognised you if we met elsewhere," Derek complimented, locking eyes with her for a brief moment before Ella cleared her throat to break the tension.
• "Shall we head home, Dad?" she suggested. "There’s plenty of time to catch up. Crystal will be with us for a few weeks."
• Ella loaded Crystal’s luggage into the car, then turned to her friend. "Crystal, you must be exhausted. Let’s sit in the back so you can relax on the way home."
• As they got into the car, Crystal’s eyes drifted back to Derek in the rearview mirror. A rush of emotions she couldn’t control came over her. All she needed to do was to close her eyes, leaning back into the seat. "What if these feelings lead to something more?" she wondered silently.