Chapter 5

On the day of the mixer, I slept in until noon.

My phone already had over 99 unread messages.

The group chat was busy discussing the seating arrangements for tonight.

Someone had intentionally posted a photo of a heavy-duty, reinforced chair.

"We should save this one for Chloe. Normal chairs might not hold up."

"So thoughtful. You deserve an award for being the MVP."

Zach was also in the chat.

"She's not coming, guys. Don't bother."

Serena: "Guys, don't talk about Chloe like that. What if she actually shows up? Promise me we won't laugh at her."

The more she tried to "defend" me, the harder they laughed.

I didn't say anything and just went to get ready.

Maddie showed up at my house at 2:00 PM, carrying two massive makeup cases.

"Today, I'm giving you a makeup look that will absolutely destroy men's souls!"

After curling my hair, she pulled a black slip dress from my closet.

The cut of the dress was extremely simple, hugging my waist tightly and showing off my delicate collarbones and shoulders.

When I walked out in it, Maddie literally stared at me for half a minute.

Then, she clutched her heart.

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"If I were a guy, I'd gladly go to jail for you today."

I laughed at her antics.

But she grabbed me and spun me around, looking more and more excited.

"Serena's sweet, innocent girl look works when she's alone."

"But standing next to you? She'll look like she's just a background extra."

"Be nice."

"I'm just being objective."

At 5:00 PM, someone suddenly posted a video of the party venue.

In the center of the table sat a large white cake.

Written on it in red frosting was: Welcome, 220-lbs Girlfriend!

Harsh laughter echoed in the background of the video.

A guy with a buzzcut yelled at the camera: "Chloe! If you don't show up soon, we're going to do the couple's challenges for you!"

Zach was sitting on the couch. He glanced at the camera and smirked.

"I told you, she doesn't have the guts."

"She didn't even dare to FaceTime me before. You really expect her to show up in person?"

Serena gave him a playful shove. "Don't talk about Chloe like that."

I closed the video.

Maddie snatched her car keys, furious.

"Let's go. If I don't slap their faces raw today, my name isn't Maddie."

Just as we headed out, my phone buzzed with a friend request.

The message read: Ethan.

I accepted, and Ethan messaged me almost immediately.

"I'm sorry. This whole thing started because of a game I was in. I'll handle it."

"Do you need me to pick you up?"

Staring at his apology, I felt a sudden warmth toward him.

"No need, I'm already on my way."

"Also, I'll cooperate with the challenges tonight."

The screen showed Typing... for a long time.

Finally, he sent.

"Don't force yourself."

Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of the hotel.

Maddie wanted to come up with me, but her mom called with an urgent emergency.

Before leaving, she grabbed my hand.

"Call me the second anything goes wrong. If anyone tries to mess with you, I'll drag them on the university forums tonight."

I nodded and got out of the car.

As I walked through the lobby, the guy at the front desk stared at me.

Even as I stepped into the elevator, I could still feel his eyes on me through the glass doors.

The private room was at the very end of the third floor.

I walked down the hallway in my heels. Even through the heavy doors, I could hear the laughter inside.

"It's six o'clock. She really didn't show."

"Zach, that's an easy grand in your pocket."

"I told you, with her size, she'd probably need an oxygen tank just to walk to the lobby."

"Ethan isn't here either. Did he run away too?"

Then came Zach's casual, mocking voice.

"I told her not to come."

"People like her can only live in fantasy land online. Showing up in person is just a public execution."

Serena chimed in with a sweet laugh.

"Chloe probably didn't mean to lie."

"Maybe she just really wanted to feel loved."

Another burst of laughter erupted in the room.

I stood outside the door and slowly raised my hand.

Just then, a deep voice sounded behind me.

"Chloe?"

I turned around.

Under the dim hallway lights stood a tall guy in a black button-down shirt. His features were sharp, cold, and incredibly handsome.

When he saw me, his face filled with visible shock.

"Are you..."

I smiled at him.

"Ethan?"

Inside the room, someone had started a countdown.

"Last ten seconds. If she's not here, the bet is closed."

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

Ethan was still staring at me.

I turned back around, gripped the doorknob, and just as the countdown was about to hit zero, I gently pushed the door open.