Page 2 of Worth Loving You

“How, what?”

“How can you be twenty-six years old and you ain’t never been in love or even liked someone a whole lot?”

Because I was ugly, fat, worthless and no one would ever want me?

“I just have never had time for that. When you’ve been on your own since you were sixteen, you have more important things to worry about than sex—”

She choked on a gasp, sitting all the way up. “Chastity Lou! Are you tellin’ me you ain’t even never had sex before?”

My lids rounded, shame burning my cheeks. Opening and closing my mouth, I was stammering, but no coherent words came out. “I…I-I-I…”

“Oh good Lord, you’re a virgin?”

“I…I-I-I…What does this matter? We aren’t talking about me, we’re talking about you sleeping with a married man.”

Sighing, her shoulders slumped forward, her bottom lip puckering. Laying down once more, she rested her cheek on my stomach, curling into a ball.

“I just love him so much. I dunno what to do. He keeps sayin’ he gonna leave her. I want to believe him, but…”

“It’s been months, honey,” I whispered, combing my fingers through her thin, blonde hair.

She was everything I wasn’t. She was slim, flawless, beautiful with straight blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and naturally tanned skin. A perfect hourglass figure and small perky tits that would never need the support of a bra, had men and women fawning over her, begging for attention. At five foot six, she was tiny and dainty, with a little bit of ditz included. A damsel in distress, men flocked to rescue her all the time.

I, on the other hand, was five foot ten, eighty pounds overweight, pale skin with freckles, dark brown eyes, shoulder length, dark brown hair, and tits that were so big, even though it was bedtime, I was still wearing a sports bra to support their weight.

“I know.” Groaning, she flipped to her other side to gaze at me in the dimness. “I wish I was strong like you.”

I did a doubletake, craning my neck to ogle her, shrieking, “Me? How the hell am I strong?”

“You been on your own since you was sixteen. You ain’t never relied on no man. You don’t give a flip what people think of you. You put your mind to somethin’, and it happens.”

She turned her profile to me and closed her eyelids. “I ain’t never been alone. I got my first boyfriend at fourteen, and ain’t been alone since. When I first moved to Chicago, Momma and Daddy would have helped me pay for a place on my own, but could you imagine?” she whispered, batting her lashes rapidly.

Chuckling, my rounded body had her bouncing. “You know how many spare keys I have in my purse because you keep losing yours and getting locked out? And we literally live over your job.”

“Right?” she shrieked, her drawl shrilly. “No way, Chazz. I’d fall apart livin’ on my own.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here, even if you are a bit flakey.”

She giggled and slapped at me. “And you’re a snarky old witch.”

I burst out laughing, shaking so hard, she sat up. Patting her knee, I contained myself and said, “One of these days, honey, you’re going to have to stand on your own.”

“I know.” Sighing, her shoulders sagged, her neck arching as her face tipped upward again. “He’s just so dang sexy, Chazzy. The things that man does to me, good Lord. He’s why I go to church every Sunday, cuz I feel guilty callin’ out his name more than God’s.”

Snickering, I folded an arm beneath my head. “I dunno. I hear ‘Oh, God,’ just about as much as ‘Gary’ coming out of that room.”

She blushed and slapped at me. “Chastity Lou,” she wheezed.

“He’s not worth it.”

“Hm.” She scooted to the end of the mattress and stood. “When you decide to find yaself a man, if he got himself a thingalang like Gary, tell me what you would and would not be willin’ to put up with.”

“No man and no dick is worth my self-respect and dignity.”

She pouted, her hands on her tiny hips. “My mind tells me you’re right. My heart ain’t listenin’.”

“You’re not listening with your heart, honey. That’s all pussy talking.”