Catfished - COMPLETED

CHAPTER EIGHT

        Wrapped safely in Max's arms, Lucy's anxiety went from a 10 to a 9. She was freaking out. Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure Max could feel it. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. She held Max's hand in a death grip.
        Slowly the door opened and revealed..... her worst nightmare. Jeff stood in the doorway, looking scared. He was a short man with a shaggy beard. He looked unkempt. His shoulders were slumped and his back was slouched. Nev was speaking to him in calm tones. But Lucy couldn't comprehend what she was hearing. She spun around, unable to look at her supposed love. She pressed her face into Max's chest and he hugged her close to him.
          Max was reeling. He was furious at Jeff. How could he do this to her? But his chest also ached for Lucy. She must be so hurt. This was her worst fear.
        "Hey. There you go. That's not so hard. Just step down here and we'll have a chat," Nev coaxed Jeff back at the house. Jeff slowly made his way to Max and Lucy, keeping his head down. She still didn't look at him.
        "So you are Jordan, correct?" Nev asked to clarify things.
       Jeff nodded.
       Nev nodded back. "And obviously, you're not quite what you portrayed to Lucy."
        Again, Jeff nodded.
       Nev gave an exasperated sigh. "Okay. I am Nev. That," he pointed to Max, "is Max." Max raised his eyebrows. "This," Nev gestured to Lucy, " is Lucy." She peeked out at the man and slowly turned to fully face him. Her eyes were red and puffy. Trails of tears streaked her face. Her mouth was firmly set in a frown. "Who are you?" Nev asked the man standing before them.
        The man took a shaky breath and said, "My name is Jeff. The guy in the pictures is my half-brother."
        There was a brief pause. Silence settled. Then there was a soft murmur. "Why?" All eyes were on Lucy. That single word was all she could get out.
        "I'm sorry, Lucy," he mumbled.
        "You didn't answer her question," Nev pointed out.
        Jeff looked back at his shoes. "I didn't think it would go this far. I thought she would figure it out eventually," he tried to defend himself.
       "That's complete crap. You could have ended it at any time," Max chimed in.
       Lucy looked up at Max, who was still holding her. "Can I go to the car?" she mumbled.
       "Yeah. Can Nev go with you?" he asked her.
        She was already half-way to the car but she nodded yes.
       "Make sure she's okay," Max told Nev. Nev solemnly nodded and followed Lucy to the car.
       Once alone with Jeff, Max amped up the questions. "So you thought she would figure it out, huh? You didn't think her feelings could possibly cloud her judgement?" Max was incredulous. He had pulled his camera from his back pocket. He held it up, recording the confrontation.
      "It was nothing. Look. She caught feelings. I didn't. It's that simple," Jeff said coldly, crossing his arms in front of him.
    Max took a couple steps closer to Jeff. "You didn't catch feelings? That's what you're sticking with? I call bullcrap. Were you talking to that amazing woman that was just standing here? Because you can't avoid loving her a little."
     Jeff looked down at his shoes and said nothing.
     "That's what I thought. You're being a complete tool. Don't blame Lucy. She did nothing wrong. This is all on you. And tomorrow, we will probably want to meet up again. You'll have a chance to apologize. Really apologize. And answer some of her questions. You owe her that much. And we will discuss those nudes you solicited from her.... Maybe try not to be a d*ck tomorrow." With that, Max walked off and got into the back seat of the car.

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       As soon as Lucy made it to the car, she exploded into a fit of sobs. She couldn't hold them in. All the pain she felt, all of the betrayal, hit her like a bus. She had seen the man who lied to her for so long. The man she had grown to care about. The one she dreamed about. He was nothing like he had portrayed. The goofy, care-free guy that she talked to was an insecure, scared little man. Everything she had told him in confidence was told to a stranger. Everything he had told her in confidence was a lie. She had been duped.
      Nev got in the seat next to her. Lucy was doubled over in her seat, head between her knees. Nev let her cry, silently rubbing her back. After awhile, he had to say something. "Hey. It's alright. It's alright. Breathe," he instructed her. Lucy took deep breaths. They sat in silence until Max joined them.
      Max jumped into the back seat. "Little piece of.."
      "Hey!" Nev interrupted him. "We don't know his story yet. Every Catfish has a story."
      Max saw Lucy still crying. "God! Lucy!"
       "We should get out of here," Nev told him. Everyone buckled up quickly. Nev maneuvered the car out of Jeff's driveway.
      "Lucy. What would make this better?" Max asked.
      Lucy didn't answer. She shook her head, unable to talk, still doubled over.
      "I have an idea," Max announced. He looked at Nev in the mirror. "Let's go somewhere cool, forget about why we're here, and drown our senses in the sights!"
      Nev smiled. "There we go! I know just the spot."

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Hey, all! So it was Jeff. Ick! Where are they going to take Lucy's mind off everything?Can't wait to hear his story and see how everyone reacts! Keep on reading, voting, and commenting! 😁😃