Player's Guide to Catfishing (PLAYBOOK #1)

CHAPTER 10: It’s wise, to always know thy enemy.

LIAM

All nondates are supposed to be bad, right? If so then I’m nailing this one.

“John B is on his way.” I say when Odessa returns from the bathroom.

She’s holding her coat, shirt, and boots in her hands. I try not to look but her curly wet hair is down and soaking her vest so the outline of her perky boobs and hard n*****s are on display.

She’s becoming paler as water drips from her hair, down her neck to her collarbone but damnit doesn’t she still look beautiful.

“Okay.” She puts her things on the chair between us.

“I hope you don’t mind but I ordered you some nachos and a light beer. The coffee is to warm you up,” I sip my own.

“Thank you,” she wraps her hands around the mug and blows off the steam. It’s the way she likes it, 2 spoons of sugar and a lot of milk.

“Look Vecker I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay Liam,” she sips. “You can’t control the weather.”

I follow a droplet down her neck to her chest and do my best to keep my heart beat regular but it actually feels like she can hear it too.

The springy curls of her hair look ink black, wet and so does her long eyelashes. With her pale, creamy skin, the pink lips of her mouth and the blue on her eyes are practically shining.

Being drenched suits her very much but I hate that she’s cold.

“Do you want to order something else?”

She answers me by a head shake.

I had to take off my t-shirt and jacket, so I’m shirtless. In semi wet joggers that I dried in the bathroom and I’m also barefoot. I get why she’s avoiding eye contact but it’s still making me nervous.

The okays are not helping either, the real Odessa doesn’t look like the submissive type.

“But I—”

“You promised me dinner and I’m getting nachos, beer and coffee.” She lifts her cup, “there’s no use crying over spilled milk,” she decides. “Now distract me from this hell.”

It’s still pouring out and the restaurant is running on a generator because there’s no power due to the thunderstorm. But I wouldn’t blame her if she was referring to this date as the hell.

“Okay.” I rub my hands and give it a thought. “Fun fact, I have a tattoo of Minnie Mouse on my ass.”

Her double lidded eyes widen before she breaks into a fit of laughter. Its dorky, a little loud and very adorable.

“Oh God,” she tries to control it but it just makes me laugh. “You’re being totally serious aren’t you?”

I nod.

“It’s a small one of her kissing my cheek and it was dare.” I bite my lip to stop laughing but we just laugh harder.

I don’t have the heart to tell her it’s as big as her thumb and is due to fade out soon. It’s the only semi-permanent tattoo I have.

“Not what I expected but it worked. I am officially distracted,” she sips her drink.

I tip my invisible hat, glad I was able to complete the task.

“Enough about me,” and my ass tattoo. “Tell me about you, Odessa Vecker.” I try to say her name and almost succeed. “Tell me everything.”

“What’s there to know?” Her long fingers tap the side of her mug. “You already know everything about me remember?” She’s tense now.

I’ve noticed Odessa likes moving the attention away from anyone but her. She does it with her friends, probably with her brother too and she’s doing it now.

But a girl like her is not an insipid wallflower.

It doesn’t matter how hard she will try to blend, the attention will always find her, her beauty alone guarantees it.

“I doubt I know everything.” I support my face with my hand and stare into her eyes.

I did learn a lot about her when I was catfish hunting but I still want to hear more, nothing beats the direct source.

“Tell me, why music? I know you’re crazy smart so why not pre-med or pre-law, with your GPA you could be anything really.”

She’s been on the dean list since she started here and for a music major, she takes hardcore classes.

What? I did my research.

“The same reason you play basketball.” I raise a quizzical brow. “Because I’m good at it,” she shrugs.

“First of all I’m not just good at basketball,” I make a face like she insulted me. “I’m freaking amazing.” I boast making her roll her eyes playfully.

“And secondly, it’s my life.” I lock eye contact. “Is music your life Odie?”

“It’s my breath.” She doesn’t miss a beat. “I’m good at a lot of things but music comes easy and I like easy.”

“Deep.”

“I’m an aspiring musician and composer. Deep is my thang,” she fights a smile while I let mine through.

Vecker comes off as this hot, ice queen but then she smiles and you literally want to smile with her.

We continue to talk and I learn more than I knew before over shared platter of nachos, burritos, and beer.

“So you’re from LA, specifically Beverly Hills. You were a surfer but liked basketball more. Oakwood was amongst the schools that recruited you and you almost didn’t go till you found out John B was going there.”

“That’s correct.” I wipe my mouth with a napkin. “He’s my best friend and I couldn’t see myself in college without him.”

“That’s sweet actually,” she empties her beer bottle.

“What about you? Did you meet America and Jessica in high school?”

They must be very close to be living together for over a year now. I know how hard it is living with your friends, I want to kill mine 24/7.

“Actually, I only had one friend in high school and he is at Brown with my brother.” The waiter brings us two more bottles and disposes the empties.

“I find that hard to believe. You look like popular girl material.” I’ve seen her high school graduation photos and she was babe.

Still is.

“Let’s see, 5’11. Curly haired brunette, twin, Russian and I look like this,” she gestures at her body and face. “Of course I was popular.”

Smartass.

“You admit you had more than one friend.” I pop open the beer.

“Popular means people knew of me but Cassie was my John B, the only one worth mentioning now.”

I can understand that.

Odessa tells me more about her friend Cassie/Chase and their high school adventures. I don’t understand why but I get a bit annoyed as the conversation continues so I change the subject.

“So who wears expensive boots to a non-date?” I bite a cheesy chip.

“Someone who was going be next to a 6ft 2, basketball player is who.” I have to laugh because she’s acting like she’s short.

“Says, the 5’11 Russian that could be a runway model.”

She rolls her eyes dismissively but her I see the way her cheeks turn pink as she blushes.

I don’t know if it’s the warm food or if it’s because our clothes are sort of dry now, but color has returned to her face. The beer has also made her more relaxed and the conversation is flowing.

“How do you know they’re expensive anyway?” She connects the bottle to her pink lips, “they could be 5$ boots.”

Yeah right. The fabric is still intact despite her walking in the rain for a long time. If they were 5$ boots, they would have fallen apart after she stepped into her 3rd puddle.

“I have a sister who’s obsessed with shoes.” I stay instead.

“Interesting,” her eyes stay on me as she sips her beer.

“What’s interesting is you. I never took you for the heels type of girl.” I’ve noticed she only wears them when she’s out but at school and work, she’s in flats.

“I wasn’t till I met Jessica. I needed to wear them for a performance so she taught me a trick and I just like that, I liked them.”

“And you were meant to wear them.” Her legs in heels look like they go on for miles.

“Not in the rain though.” She adds and we both laugh a little.

I’m glad we can joke about this night now.

“So a sister huh? Anymore more siblings you’re hiding?” All her attention is on me and I love it.

“I have a baby brother actually, 6.” The smile is automatic. “He was clearly a surprise for my parents who had him at 43.”

“Clearly,” she mirrors my tone.

“But he’s my kryptonite.” And I hate it. “That kid could shoot me in the foot and crash my car, which is my favorite thing by the way and I’d let him off scot-free, I love him so much.”

“And the tough jock façade drops,” she seems impressed.

“Smartass,” I’m impressed too.

Half an hour later, John B arrives with a change of clothes for us both and a tow truck for Jonathan’s car. Odessa is in my grey sweatpants, John B’s socks and slippers and Tommy’s Oakwood hoodie that expose how small she really is despite being tall.

“Tonight started off horrible.” We’re standing in front of her front door.

The ride home was filled with John B and I talking about nonsense. She sat in the back quietly, so I’m not sure how she feels now.

“But surprisingly, I had fun.” The smile that appears on my face is coy but I’m ecstatic inside. “Thank you for dinner and the dry clothes. I promise to return them.”

“Keep them.” I shake my head.

“Okay.” She plays with her fingers, clearly not sure what to do or say now which means the beer is wearing off.

John B is waiting by the driveway so I can’t really do much either except open my arms wide which alarms her for some reason.

“Give me a hug dummy.” I pull her in and after a second she hugs me back.

Her wet hair presses against my neck and the scent of flowers fills my nose. My chin is over her head so she fits perfectly in my arms even without the heels.

“Goodnight.” I let her go and walk away as she slips inside.

Tonight started off horrible but it ended great so I ‘coincidently’ run into her every day for 2weeks and she has lunch with me 3times on each week.

Truth is, I learned something the day after Valentines. Instead of being angry, I embraced it and after our none date those two weeks ago, I haven’t regretted it one bit.