Player's Guide To Catfishing (PLAYBOOK #1)

CHAPTER 13: Friend or Foe?

"What? You couldn't get me so you went after my housemat—" enough!

I blink to find my hand disconnecting from Liam's face as the echo of the slap travels around the quiet room and someone gasps. (I'm still not sure if it's me or not)

"How dare you?!" I hiss.

The truth was bound to come out sooner or later, I knew that. I'm not stupid. I knew I hurt him too but I was trying make up for it—I let him sleep in my freaking bed for Christ sake. (Which by the way no man had ever slept in.)

So for him to do this...like this... is so...

"You're a bastard Liam!" I grab my bag on the chair and head for the door.

"Shit—Vecker." He reaches for me but I jerk his hands away.

"Don't touch me!"

He clearly doesn't understand that I am not for whatever he is trying to do. Slapping him was the calm reaction—and leaving is the best choice.

"Please just—"

"How could you?" I push hair off my face and look around again.

Everyone is still watching. (Of course they are.) We are the freak show that the entire school will hear about soon, they were just lucky enough to see it courtside.

God, this is so stupid...and humiliating and—so fucking stupid.

"Screw this," I throw my bag over shoulder and storm out of the store.

"Vecker wait!" Liam shouts behind me. "Odessa!" I feel his hand as my body suddenly turns to face him.

Don't cry Odessa, don't you dare cry.

"I didn't mean—I didn't mean to..." He stammers, the anger from earlier gone. "I swear I wasn't trying to—"

"Let go of me Liam." My eyes are on the hand wrapped around my wrist.

I'm giving him 3seconds before I bite it off.

"Just hear me out okay?" He raises his hands. "You were the catfish—you—the real person was the one all along and you lied to me so—"

"You thought let me befriend her and embarrass her?" I shake my head, "who even does that shit?"

Like what sick, low budget, poorly written movie has my life turned into? I'm getting humiliated at dessert stores now... like WTF?

"That's not what I was trying to do." He pleads, "things just got out of hand okay? I was mad and you were..." I'm already walking away.

To think, I actually believed Liam and I were friends. But it's clear now that he wanted to get his revenge and expose me.

Fucking pig.

"You lied to me Vecker!" I stop. "You looked me dead in the eye and told me it wasn't you...Who does that shit huh?"

"Someone who was wrong," I face him.

I'm not prideful. I am man enough to admit what I did was messed up. The guilt alone was eating me but I also paid the price, his little fans stalking me and all.

"I was overwhelmed at the time. I didn't expect to meet you that day—or ever if I'm being honest...but Liam I was going to tell you the truth."

"Yeah right." He scoffs.

"I realized late how far it had gotten okay?" I point an accusing finger at him.

I am not letting him make me feel bad after his stunt.

"I was going do this nice, ridiculous and over the top apology but then you started the catfish hunt and you showed up to my house..." where I stupidly let you in my private space.

"...somehow we became friends and then you said you didn't even care about the catfish mess." Which was a clear lie. "Because you had me—the original."

And like a fool, I believed him.

"So I thought..." I bite my lip to stop the tears pricking my eyelids. "...do over because I didn't mean to lie or hurt you."

"Vecker—"

"But it was all a lie," and that's okay.

What's not okay is stunts.

What's not okay is silly high school games and—

"No, it wasn't Vecker!"

"Really? Then when did you find out?" I am getting even angrier. "Is it the reason you wanted to hang out? Because you found out the truth?"

"Vecker—"

"Is it?" I step forward.

"Yes." He's barely audible but I hear him and all I can... say is

Oh God.

I already knew it but having it confirmed makes it hurt so much more. Now I know that everything after Valentine's Day was a lie.

The nondate.

The lunches.

The advice.

Everything.

"Well congratulations Liam Griffith," I slow clap. "You caught the big bad catfish," I stop.

"Vecker..." he steps forward but I move back.

"Man, you're so good because you really had me fooled there." I shake my head in disbelief.

I trusted him blindly and in the end, I'm the one that got played. I got hackled for no reason, had different people take my pictures for no reason and all I want to do now—is cry because...

"You got your revenge playboy." I'm walking with my backside facing front, "hope it was worth it." I turn and he still calls my name.

By the time I reach my car across the road, I'm wiping tears from my cheeks as my phone lights up with notifications and calls. I already know what's coming for me.

I'm about to be crucified.