Stepbrother Catfish: The Complete Series by Izzy Sweet Read Free Book Online

meet?
     
    AJ : Meet me at Angilos, at 1.
     
    Of course, he wants to meet there of all places. It’s 9:30 right now. I still have plenty of time to decide if I really want to meet him. For now, I’ll just let him believe I intend to. I can always stand him up, give him a little taste of his own medicine.
     
    Me : You’ll never bother me again and you’ll delete all of my pictures?
     
    AJ : Meet me at Angilos at 1 and I’ll never bother you again afterwards.
     
    Me : If I don’t meet you, you’re going to post the pictures on the internet?
     
    AJ : I’ll post them on your wall, on your feed, in your yearbook. I’ll tweet them and I’ll even pin them.
     
    Me : Fine.
     
    You win for now.
     
    Me : I’ll be there.
     
    What choice do I have?

Chapter Ten
     
     
    I’m all dolled up. I spent the past three hours getting ready for my lunch with Andrew. Focusing on primping kept me occupied and kept me from freaking myself out. Seriously.
    I spent an hour on my hair, washing it and setting it with curls. My hair now flows around my face in soft bouncy waves. I pulled out and dusted off the manicure set my mom bought me for Christmas. My ten fingers and toes are now painted an eye-catching ruby red.
    On the outside I look fabulous, on the inside I’m a complete mess.
    I spent another hour slathering makeup on my face. I’m wearing base, highlighter, bronzer, blush, and powder. It’s probably all too much, especially in the bright light of day, but I agreed to meet him. I didn’t agree to look good doing it.
    I have a full-length mirror hanging on my bedroom door. I take one last long look at the girl reflected in it. Her eyes are lined in black and powdered with dark smoky shadow. She looks hardened and unimpressed with the vision before her.
    You can’t tell she’s been crying for the past twenty-four hours. You can’t tell her heart has been broken. Or maybe you can.
    Her dress is tight, hugging the curves and swells of her voluptuous body. A body she usually keeps hidden in baggy clothing. The dress is too short as well. It’s a little blue dress I wore once to a dance in high school. It’s not my first choice and I barely fit in it, but it will have to do. I wore my black dress the night I met Andrew. That dress is getting burned the next chance I get.
    I hail a cab to take me to the restaurant. I know better than to ride the bus dressed like this. The trip is all too quick. The buildings pass in a blur, I barely see them. When I first wanted to meet AJ, time seemed to move so slowly. Now that I’m dreading facing Andrew, time feels as if it’s moving too fast. I blink and minutes are flying past.
    The next thing I know I’m standing outside of Angilos, hesitating and having second thoughts before going in. He’s in there, I can feel it. He’s waiting for me. I’m afraid he wants something more from me, something I don’t want to give. None of this feels right. It’s so fishy… ugh, I don’t think he can catfish me again.
    This is crazy, what am I doing? People pass me on the sidewalk. A man dressed in a chicken suit looks back at me as if I’m the weird one. I’m just standing here, in the middle of the sidewalk, talking to myself. I’m staring at the door of the restaurant. The restaurant doesn’t even look like it's open.
    I glimpse my reflection in the glass of the window. The way I’m dressed, it has hooker written all over it. I better go in before the chicken gets any ideas.
    My fingers wrap around the cold metal handle of the door and for a brief moment I hope it’s locked. I hope the place is closed and I don’t have to go through with this. I pull and the door opens. I have no choice but to go on in.
    The aromas of freshly baked bread, tomatoes, and spices hit my nose.  The last time I was here, AJ, I mean Andrew, stood me up. Maybe, hopefully, he did it again.
    With the sun coming in through the floor to ceiling glass windows, today the restaurant is brightly lit. I look