Chapter 3: Girlfriend

Time passed and the two had gotten to know each other pretty well. It wasn't uncommon for them to talk when they ran into each other at school and Dawn thought that her life was finally looking up. She looked forward to coming to school every day so she could see him and say hi. She longed for the evenings so she could chat with him on ICX. They talked about their day to day life and secrets. She felt like she could fly when they were together. She always kept the conversations light and happy since she didn't want to make him upset or scare him off. Then one day, they were chatting about a school project, when Matt suddenly asked "Dawn, I know we've gotten pretty close so I wanted to ask if you... Would be my girlfriend?" Dawns heart beat out of her chest and she thought she would faint. Her head swam and she tried to push back the lightheaded feeling. Could it be a dream? She hurriedly replied with "Yes! I've had a crush on you for the longest time. If you're sure, I would love to!" Things went harmoniously for weeks. They would pass little love letters in the halls and hold hands on their way to classes. Lunch together was always Dawn's favorite part of the day. She was happier than she had ever been in her life. She never wanted these happy times to end. They had been dating for a few months and Dawn had let her guard down more and more with Matt. It felt like he was her life raft. One morning Dawn was really worried about Jen because her dad had been arrested for drug possession. She didn't want to tell anyone Jen's business and betray her trust but she was so worried she couldn't help but be glum. As she and Matt went through the lunch line she grabbed an extra slice of cake for comfort. Matt quickly grabbed the slice and put it on his plate instead. "You should really watch what you're eating there Dawn. Don't you think that's a bit excessive? You don't want to be fatter do you?" Dawn tried to hide her embarrassment and quietly replied, "I'm sorry, I'll watch what I eat more. I didn't realize I had gained weight." Matt laughed, "Well you're the only one! I'm surprised you still fit into your clothes silly girl." Dawn's face was burning. She knew she wasn't slim to begin with so she didn't think Matt minded a plus size girl. It seemed she was being naive. She didn't eat half of the things on her tray at lunch and decided that she was definitely going on a serious diet.