CHAPTER 1: When something's too god to be true
2046 Words
ODESSA
I’m walking to my car after my shift when my phone pings with a message notification from blackbook.
After unlocking it, it shows I have 2messages from Liam Griffith. I don’t know why the name sounds familiar but it does.
I click and a picture of a tanned shirtless boy eating m&m’s fills my screen. I look closer and someone in black gloves is drilling the side of his torso.
Liam Griffith: I’m more of an m&m’s guy. How do you feel about nuts?
I’m confused on what he’s talking about till I see the message above his, which is from…me?
“What?!” I nearly drop my phone.
When did I message him? Why did I message him? I actually reload the message tab multiple times to check if it’s a glitch in the system but it’s not.
I look at the picture again and he has golden hair peeking from the black beanie on his head. Light grey eyes that resemble the ice blue found in Siberian Huskies and really long eyelashes.
He’s shirtless so his dark jeans and the band of his briefs are on display along with the tattoos on his arms, chest and 6pack abdomen.
I can’t see his full face because part of it, is covered by the packet of candy he’s holding up. But his sharp features shine through as he sticks his tongue out to show me the candy on it.
Who are you, Liam Griffith?
“Have a nice night Vecker.” Jessie (the other waiter) startles me as she walks to her boyfriend’s car.
“You too,” I push my phone into the pocket of my coat and open my car door.
I try to retrace how or why I sent Liam a message on the drive home and all fingers point to Jessica. She must be playing a joke on me.
I doubt even this ‘Liam Griffith’ person is really the real one because as I pass the school campus, I see a large picture of Liam Griffith holding a basketball on the side of a building.
Basketball Champion are the words under his name.
I knew he was familiar. His face is on several posters around school and I think he’s really big on the sport scene and girl scene.
I remember Jessica mentioning that he’s a notorious playboy and even has the playboy bunny tattoo on the side of his wrist.
“Jess texted.” America greets as I walk through the door. “She’s spending the night with that loser director so it’s just us for self-care night.”
“Okay. I’ll go change and wash my face.” I toss my keys on the bowl by the door and head upstairs.
It’s no coincidence Jessica is not home the night this Liam person decides to reply to my message. This must be her way of trying to end my dry spell.
I bet she even got her drama friends to create the profile and reply to me after she messaged the profile with mine or something like that. I know it sounds ridiculous but Jessica is really cunning and mischievous when she wants to be.
I wouldn’t put it past her to that.
After a quick shower, I change into grey sleeping shorts, a baggy old T-shirt and join America in the living room where she’s watching The Big Bang Theory.
We try to have self-care night, every 2nd week on Thursday to prepare our bodies and repair our skin from the alcohol we consume throughout the weekends but it’s really just an excuse to spend time together and gossip since we’re all so busy during the week.
“I’m doing the panda tonight.” She rips the Korean face mask open as I grab a slice of pizza.
“I’m feeling a little tigress.” I go through our pile.
We’re catching up and laughing when my phone pings again with a message from Liam. It’s been an hour since his last text, so I pick the phone up due to curiosity.
Liam Griffith: Living me on read?
Liam Griffith: I’m starting to think you didn’t mean to message me before.
Me: I didn’t. What do you want?
I don’t want to be curt but I don’t really care for catfishes.
Liam Griffith: Ouch but since you asked, I want an answer for my question. How do you feel about nuts?
Me: But you didn’t answer mine.
“Not really,” I whisper to myself.
Liam Griffith: I’d love to taste the rainbow.
I can’t help but smile a little.
“Who are you texting?” America’s voice brings me back. “Don’t tell me it’s a boy,” she teases.
“It is actually.” She doesn’t hide her surprise so I add “he’s funny.” I show her my screen but she takes the phone to assess for herself.
“Ouu, he’s a cutie.” She shows me the profile picture.
It’s a selfie of him smiling in a blue hoodie with a black snapback and headphones over his head.
“Not bad,” I agree.
I already stalked the profile and the real Liam Griffith is really attractive.
Bouncy, ear length blonde hair. Light grey narrow eyes and a sharp jawline, straight teeth with sharp canines and a body full of tattoos?
The man belongs in a magazine or a Guess billboard.
And even though he looks skinny, thanks to a few shirtless pictures on his page. I now know how ripped and toned he really is. I’m talking 6pack, defined arms and everything lean muscular.
“He looks familiar though,” she’s concentrating on certain picture.
“That’s because he is.” I’m painting clear nail polish to my freshly cut nails. “Look at the name on top.”
“Holy crap Griffith?!” America rises to her feet. “Odie, you are talking to thee Liam Griffith?” She’s back down again, “you lucky bitch.”
I laugh a little. America is not an envious person or someone who likes to show any negative emotion, so it’s always funny when she pouts.
“Yeah right. Don’t you think it’s too good to be true?” I blow air on my nails, “his profile has less than 10pictures but it says he’s a junior like us.”
“Maybe he’s not into social media,” she looks up from my phone.
Or because he is a catfish.
“I don’t know why you act like some heinous beast.” She’s still frowning as she adds, “your gorgeous, of course a hot guy like Liam would slide into your dms.”
I grab my phone, “I don’t know Mecca—”
“You have a banging body and though they’re B-cups only in a good bra, you have good rack Odie.”
I laugh again. I have the smallest boobs in the house and for some reason the girls feel bad about it but I like them because they suit my body. I can also wear any top I want which is an advantage in summer.
“I even think you’re out of his league.” She’s painting her nails a bright red color now.
“Me?” I point at my supposed ‘b-cups.’
“He might be totally gorgeous but you’re beautiful. Smart, talented and loaded. You’re the whole package babe, own it.” America smiles.
“But—”
“It’s just talking Odie. I say have fun because you have nothing to lose.” She interjects before I could talk.
Maybe she’s right. It is just talking so its harmless. I pick up my phone as she starts painting her toenails and go to the blackbook app.
Me: I’m allergic to peanuts actually.
Me: And was someone drilling your back in that picture?
Liam’s reply, though mine took over 10minutes is almost instant.
Liam Griffith: Noted and yes, I was getting a tattoo on the side of my torso.
Me: Really? That’s so cool actually.
Liam Griffith: Thanks. Do you have any?
Me: Just this.
I send a picture of the crown shaped birthmark behind my shoulder, that America helps take a picture of.
Liam Griffith: Sexy.
Liam Griffith: Wait, is it supposed to be a crown?
Me: Yeah. It’s my twin mark, lol.
Liam Griffith: Wait you’re a twin? *Shocked emoji*
Liam Griffith: Like there’s someone out there, that looks exactly like you?
Me: I wouldn’t say my brother looks like me but yeah, he’s my twin. He’s older by 6minutes but I’m an inch taller even though he’d never admit it.
Liam Griffith: s**t Odessa. You’re more interesting than I thought.
Me: Actually, everyone calls me Vecker or Odie since they can’t pronounce Odessa the Russian way.
Liam Griffith: You’re Russian too? *gasp emoji*
Me: Lived in Tomsk till I was 8. *cool emoji*.
Liam Griffith: Damn Vecker. I think you just became my new best friend.
I smile at my phone when I see his reply. I know I might be over sharing but I’m giving up what I assume is public knowledge of me.
I expect this catfish’s interest in me to fizzle out with time so I’m not worried.
LIAM
(3months later)
Odessa Vecker is literally my favorite person in the entire world and I mean that in the literal sense.
Its New Year’s Eve today and she’s in Montana with her family while I’m in Las Vegas with my friends. I spent Christmas with my family but flew in this morning to bring the year in with them.
But I admit it. I wish she was here with me.
Vecker and I have been talking since the day I replied to her dm. She tried to ghost me a few times but I’d send a shirtless selfie of me doing something stupid like eating d**k shaped pancakes.
Or me trying to eat Skittles and then making a face of which I know made her laugh.
I knew either my body or personality would win her over and it worked because she became my first female friend. I tried to have a few in high school but things would get complicated after we end up in bed together so the closest I’ve come are my mate’s girls, who I know are off limits.
Eventually we exchanged numbers after a month of back-to-back talking.
Blackbook was down for a day and I panicked. I knew she wouldn’t give it to me willingly since she’s more paranoid than anyone I know so I tricked her into it.
I asked her to call my cell once so I could find my phone and she did. Now we’re texting buddies with the occasional blackbook dms.
I’m more comfortable texting because someone could hack our accounts and leak our messages. BB is still a student created app with a few kinks that need to be ironed out.
Since we were strangers in the beginning, we came up with a few rules to protect each other from cybercrimes.
Another thing about her that got me. She doesn’t mind my rules and they included:
1) No asking each other for money or bank information.
2) No nudes or asking for nudes.
3) No screenshotting without permission.
Rule number 2 was obviously her idea and the 3rd was mine. I send more stupid photos to her than anyone else in my phone.
My roommates think she’s too good to be true because she hasn’t asked to meet up and only sends pictures of things around her that never include her face.
I have parts of her body like her shoulder where her birthmark is located. Her bare legs with her feet soaked in the sand from when she went to the beach with her housemates.
The closest I came to a selfie, was when she sent the top half of her face which showed her brows and closed eyes which she sent while studying and “in need of coffee”.
The rest are of books, coffee cups, train tickets and other things that were relevant to our conversations but I know deep down she’s real.
She has to be.
- Writer
