Catfish (excerpt)

“Hi Dave!”

Felicia saw the message on her screen. Her fingers leaped over to the keyboard and typed faster than a crook on the run.

“Hey Rachel. What’s up, babe?”

“Not much. I have a lot of homework. So the usual. Lol. How about you, baby?”

“Same. Lol.”

“Lol. Hey baby, I have something to tell you.”

Tell me?

“Yeah, what is it sweetie?”

“Promise you won’t get mad?”

“Promise.”

“Ok, here goes. Honey, I think I might be bi.”

Felicia held her breath. Her heart raced. She was shaking so badly it caused her long, blonde hair to quiver. Why was she getting so flustered? It was all a joke. Just something to do with Monica and Jessie. Making fun of the class nerd. Getting her to fall in love with someone she should know is way out of her league. Just planning to text her for one day only, and then leave her high and dry to sulk and cry all by herself. But Felicia knew it had become more than that. She started messaging her every week. Then, she started messaging her every day. Now, she was messaging her all the time. She was learning about Rachel. Seeing pictures of her dog, Spock, who was named after a character in Star Trek, a really cool but nerdy show she had Felicia, well Dave, watch. Finding out about the summer home where Rachel’s family used to go in Montauk, but had to sell since her mom lost her job. Being confided in when Rachel told her about the uncle who used to take her into his room, same as Felicia’s uncle did to her. Yes, this had become more to Felicia than just a game. But she was terrified to think of what it had become.

“Baby?”

Shoot. Felicia realized she must have been a thousand miles away.

“Yeah, sugar?”

“What do you think? Are you ok with this?”

Felicia looked at the screen. She responded.

“Of course baby! I love you no matter what!”

“Oh Dave! I love you too! No matter what!”

Felicia winced.

“Davy, I just want to let you know, you can tell me anything. Anything at all. And I’ll still love you. Always.”

Felicia stared at the screen. Her eyes welled up.

“Dave?”

“Yeah baby?”

“I got to go to my trumpet lesson but I’ll text you when I get back, ok?”

Felicia wiped her eyes.

“Ok, sweetie. No problem.”

“Hey, Dave? I love you!”

Felicia smiled.

“I love you too.”

Rachel logged off. Felicia stared at Rachel’s words. She admired them, soaking in their meaning like a flower soaks in the sun. If only those words were for her.

She logged off.