A very huge welcome to all my readers who's ready for the first chapter❤️

Happy Reading!

******

Althea

Even though life hadn't been easy for a 209.4 pounds, shy and clumsy plus size woman like me, I have never forget to breath. But now I can barely feel my lungs after he gave me that dreamy smile while approaching towards my direction.

I wanted to squeal so badly and shout in awe-ness but I restrained to not show the excitement in obvious.

"Althea" He called out my name, the way he made it rolled out of his tongue has always doubted my survivability.

"Damien." I replied back at him, my eyes raying on his handsome face.

My beautiful Damien.

"Happy birthday, princess!" He wished me and I nodded, blushes creeping out like an everyday routine at the pet name since our first time meeting.

Gosh, thank God I'm black. Otherwise, he would have know the aftermath he had on me.

"Just a nod?" He asked, eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Oh, urmm....thank you, Damien." I thanked him, tumbling a little on my feet while standing up from the stool.

Can this be any less awkward?

He jolt forward to catch me by my arms and immediately there was this bunch of shooting stars in my stomach.

"Still clumsy as ever." He teased with a short chuckle while assisting me to take my stand.

"Sorry." I mumbled under my breath but was enough for him to hear and he looked up at me.

"Stop apologizing and come here." The same arm that helped me to get a grip, had circled around my oversized waist and he lean into my side, hugging me for a brief of moment before pulling away. I don't want to sound like a creep but my body is generating in another newer level.

"We are way more than just a nod, princess." I stared at his blue ocean-like orbs in admiration, their depth all set to swallow me wholely.

"That's enough for now because everyone is already waiting for the birthday girl. So, come on already." We heard my brother, Atlas, scoffing from the entrance of the kitchen and I only looked away in embarrassment.

Although we aren't kissing or should I say, we never did kissed before, the thought of kissing Damien will forever lure me to core. It's not that I'm saving my first kiss or something and I had mine when I was merely sixteen on a truth or dare game among some group of friends in a camping trip, though I was the laughing stock at the end when the boy cringed to kiss my dark lips.

"Let's go, princess." He said, one of his hand lowering to the small of my back as he pulled me closer towards his side.

I bite down on my lower lips while bowing over to nod in shyness. Hoping to not make it awkward with him again.

We walked out to the backyard and saw our families yet friends gathered around. Still the absence of my mother sores my heart even though it had been five years. I took a deep breath in, hoping that she would be good on His hand while watching me from above.

Coming back to my party, preparation been made and everything is set for me to blow my candles. I was welcomed to stand in the middle of the table after greeting everyone and they all started singing me the 'Happy Birthday' song.

As the song came to an end, I heard my father's whisper. "Make a wish, sweetheart."

I smiled at him and nodded my head before closing my eyes, making a wish that I want to come true.

I wish Damien to be my forever.

I opened my eyes and blew out the candles. Hearing the people cheer with blasts of pops here and there, I looked onto the man who's in my wish and he gave me this earth shattering smile.

That smile could always make me weak.

"Eighteen and legal now, but you're still not allowed to drink nor date." Atlas came in between and I punched his arm, shaking my head.

"She's old enough to make her own choices, bro." Damien spoke up beside us and I blushed.

"Yeah, yeah." My brother shrugged him while plotting a remark and we skipped the night by cake cuttings.

The party ceased and everyone had went to their home, except Damien who stayed with us until we finished cleaning the backyard. My father called it a day afterwards so now it only leave us three alone on the living room.

I was in the middle of picking a good rom-com movie for us to watch as my brother and Damien went to grab some snacks from the kitchen. They came by shortly and Atlas tossed me a snack while selling on the other side of couch. Damien took his seat beside mine and I could barely feel any senses as I got hit by his masculine cologne.

"I wish Lia's here." Atlas said out of nowhere when the movie started.

"Me too." Damien added onto his statement.

"But she will be coming back in two days though so-"

"What!" It was Atlas's scream and I quickly covered my mouth at the words I blurted.

Oh, shit. That meant to be a secret I have been holding since last week and Amelia's going to kill me to spill it out once again.

Amelia, Atlas, Damien and I were close since small. We were inseparable even though with the age differences we had on each. Which makes Damien and my brother three years older than I am and Amelia's one year older than myself so that technically makes me the youngest among us. Amelia's the one who born with silver spoon so since before she's always on her way travelling abroad to complete her study courses. She's also the human social butterfly who's gifted with perfection and one of the popular kid in our highschool, though she only been there for two years.

"Is she really coming this Tuesday?" Damien asked me in surprise as well and I nodded slowly, eyeing him through my lashes.

"Great, now we can perfectly plan to prank her on the way back home." Atlas said while pumping his hand on air as if he won the lottery.

"You did the same last time and it didn't went well. So forget about the pranks and start planning on how to give her warm welcoming." It was my obvious warning for him but he snorted, showing me his annoying silly monkey face.

"She's right, man. I think this time we better listen to the birthday princess." Damien backed me up with a smirk while nudging his shoulder with mine and my heart hammered over my chest on the slightest touch we had.

I can't keep bottling my feelings anymore as it's getting intense day by day. I had just turned eighteen and I guess I'm old enough to legally be with him. Now all I have to do is to confess my feelings for him but the problem is, I'm afraid of the rejection.

He had or still has the fair share amount of girls, always ready to get his attention and most of them are perfect ten. Although he had never given them more than just a glance, they had never gave up.

I always doubted of why he had to push away all of them, finally concluding that he might have his own dream girl checklist, which only double my fear more. Because you see, I'm not an ideal dream girl.

I'm not a size 6 with either narrow waist or well-rounded hips. I'm an exact opposite, falls under size 16 with thick waistline and wide hips. Comparing to the ideal girls, the only similar thing that I'm proud of is my hourglass figure although I'm twice their size.

I had always suffered with inferiority complex just because of my figure and to be honest, whenever Amelia's around, the inferiority would only gets dozen because she's the ideal girls for any men's dream. When I said that she's a perfect ten, it wasn't only because of how she socialize but also on how she looks.

"Well, no more the birthday princess as it has been the next day right now." Atlas chuckled while pointing us the clock and it's already been half past twelve in the night.

I grabbed on the throw pillow near me and swing it over my brother with a huff.

"Don't worry, you're still a princess to me." Damien said, making me to blush and it's wonderful of how he had a full control of my emotions.

Then, we continued watching the movie in silence and I ended up sleeping on the middle of the movie. It's not like it's boring or something, I just couldn't stay awake if it's pass my sleeping time.

*****

I tossed and turned on the slight movement over my side. With a groan, I hugged the warmest pillow and all I heard was a soft chuckle.

"Thea, I need to go to the washroom."

Damien?

He sounded too close and I opened my eyes slowly only to find myself clinging over him. I shot right up with a gasp and he smiled.

"Didn't mean to wake you, princess. I just need to take a leak." He let know while standing up and he left to the washroom.

I looked around and it was four in the morning. Atlas wasn't in the living area as I assumed that he would have left to bed. In fact it was just the two of us in the sofa and I think I kind of made Damien to stay over since I had fallen asleep on him.

Oh, poor Damien.

Just as I finished my thought, Damien appeared with a smile.

"So since you're awake, I think it's better if you go to bed and I will too. This sofa is pretty uncomfortable. I had no idea how could you fall asleep that fast while sitting like that." He chuckled while taking his wallet, phone and car keys.

"I'm used to it actually and it wasn't that uncomfortable after all." I told him as I stood up to bid him farewell.

"Whatever you say, princess." He winked and waved me goodbye before leaving.

I smiled to myself after that and I couldn't really sleep as Damien was all over my head to keep me hooked.

*****

Amelia's coming in today and my brother offered to ride us there to the airport. Damien couldn't be able to join us today because he had an urgent work to catch up and so, it was only me with Atlas. It was 10.27 in the morning and her flight will be landing in another three minutes as she messaged me. We had to leave by now or else she would be mad that we were late to pick her up and I have no idea what's taking my brother so late to get out of his room already.

"She will be landing soon. Are you still prepping yourself? Be a man and get out already!" I yelled at him while banging on his door for the third time now.

"Just a minute. I'm almost done!" He shouted and I had it. He had been saying the same for the past 30 minutes now.

"It's been 30 minutes of your one minute, you idiot. I'm coming in now and you better be-" I swung the door open with a force and I was taken aback at what I saw.

He was all dressed but he was folding a clothe banner which went across his room. But that didn't shocked me, it was the words written on the banner as, 'Welcome back, my love'

"Is this for Amelia?" I asked him with still the shocking expression and he scratched the back of his neck while nodding. "My love?" I read it out and he began panicking.

"W-Well, it's not what it looks like. Okay?"

I gasped realizing the truth. "Your in love with her."

He sighed while sitting on the bed in defeat as he went silent.

"Excuse me, we don't have all day." I demanded, having my hands on each side of my waist now.

He begin saying, "I am and I....understand if you are mad at me. This might be awful for you to take in and this isn't how I wanted you to know."

"What! Are you kidding me?" I screeched while walking up to him. "This is amazing. Like, Amelia's the nicest person I knew and you both will make a great couple. Wait, have you talked to her about this?"

He smiled big upon my reaction. "Yes, I did."

"Oh my God, for real? And what does she says?" I was thrilled to hear it.

"Actually, Thea, we have been....dating for four years now." He said with a nervous smile.

"What?! No way. And you dare to keep this a secret....from me?" I yelled, slapping his shoulder and he winced in pain.

"It happened, okay? I was into her since high school. We went to prom together on my last year and we kissed. I realized she has the same feelings towards me so we patched up but decided to keep it a secret because we didn't knew how to share this to you guys. You know, we have been best friends since small and it would be awkward if you two saw us doing romantic stuffs....I guess?" He rambled like an idiot and I only wanted to punch him on the face.

"That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard and you guys are stupid to think that way. But wait, so Damien have no idea about this either?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Four years and this is how I'm getting to know, wow!" I whined and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm sorry and I understand if your mad at me-" He repeated and I cut him off.

"Of course I'm mad, you jackass. But now we had to hurry because she will be waiting for us at the airport. Fold them in quickly!" I told him off and he agreed as I helped him to fold it either. We then left the house right away.

He told me he had planned to show it off when he take her to their special place later tonight and even though I was mad at them to keep this hidden, I could never describe my happiness for them.

It was quite unexpected at first but I will really bless them as they would make a perfect duo. I always knew that Atlas had a sweet spot for her, despite his miniature pranks or teasing but I never knew they would have mutual feelings.

I can't wait to get the details from Amelia on our girls night sooner and I can't wait to see her reaction as well when she gets to know that I found out about them.