The Catfish

Chapter 5:

     I woke up in the morning after a long restless night of making my dreaded decision, I got dressed and did my makeup. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* Oh great new messages I wonder who it could be. I pick up my phone and see 3 different messages on my phone from Justin and Gabe. 

*Home Screen* 

Gabe: Rose! 

Gabe: ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I want to meet up! 

Justin: Good morning Beautiful, do you think we could meet up this morning there is.... 

I better answer these messages before Gabe blows up my phone throughout the whole day.

Rose: Hi Gabe

Gabe: Finally you answer your phone, I want to meet up with you. Let's meet up at the Cafe today and I'll explain everything to you. 

Rose: I don't know Gabe, you've said that so many times and you never meet up with me and I always get stood up. 

Gabe: I promise Rose! I love you so much I want to see you and hold you. 

Rose: I have to think about it. Goodbye, Gabe.

Gabe: Ok... Take as much time as you need. 

*Switches to Justin's messages* 

Justin: Good morning Beautiful, do you think we meet up this morning there is something really important I have to tell you. 

Rose: Good morning Handsome, what did you want to tell me?

Justin: I'd rather tell you in person if that is okay? 

Rose: Yea of course, where would you want to meet?

Justin: How about the first place we met? The cafe? I think it would make it more special. 

Rose: Awe that is so sweet, do you mind if I think on it for a little? 

Justin: Yea, of course, take as long as you need sweetheart. 

Rose: Okay

This is when I realize that the world is telling me that my choice needs to made now or never. Either I meet up with Gabe, who could easily stand me up like all the other times or actually meet up with me and explain to me why he has been avoiding me for so long. Or I could meet up with Justin and find out what this important thing he needs to tell me is, but what if it is going to be something like he found someone that he likes or he has a girlfriend that would crush me. Why is this decision so hard to make? I mean Gabe has hurt me so many times and Justin has been there for me for so long and even if he did find someone I would be happy for him. I go back to my phone and look back and forth between the two names and finally decide who I am going to meet up with. 

Rose: Hey, I decided that I want to meet up with you. How about the cafe at 12:30? 

{Mystery}: Ok, I'll see you then. I can't wait.

Rose: Yea me neither. 

I pick out one of my outfits that suits me the most and apply my makeup and finish brushing through my hair, through all of my raging nerves I finally get the courage to walk out my front door to the cafe. As I walk along the sidewalk fidgeting with my fingertips, trying to keep myself calm. I picked who I wanted and now I have to wait to see what the results are going to be because there is no going back now. As I walk up to the cafe I find an empty table and the waiter walks up to me and asks me for my order I simply ask for an iced french vanilla coffee. The waiter nods his head and walks away, I check my phone to see if I have gotten any messages, but nothing. It was only 12:25, so he should be here soon right? I see a shadow appear on the ground below me and I slowly look up and see the waiter, he looks at me with a bright yet confused look on his face and sets down my coffee I give him the money and thank him as he walks away. I'm getting way too worked up over this I should just calm my nerves, I take a sip of my coffee. From behind me, my vision is soon darkened by hands covering my face and I hear, "Hey SweetHeart, I'm glad you could make it." I grab his hands and push them down, I get up and look behind me and see Justin standing there with a smile on his face, I tightly pulled him in for a hug and felt myself fill with the happiness of love. 

     We sit down and he stares at me, I start to blush and start a conversation, "So what was soooo important that you had to tell me huh?" I giggle and look up at him, I'm surprised to see that he is also blushing. He scratches the back of his neck and replies, "Oh um, hehe well I wanted to talk to you about two things actually..." I then feel a sense of nervousness fill back up into my body and my face begins to burn. "What do you mean?" I say with a crack in my voice that I desperately tried to hide, but of course, he notices it. "Well, I wanted to tell you one before the other to make sure that there are no secrets between us. It's about Gabe and me." I felt my heart sink into my stomach, did Gabe tell him to stop seeing me? And I didn't know there were secrets between us, have I been blind this entire time? I realize that I have been silent for too long and reply, "Okay, well let's hear it then." He takes in a deep breath and begins, "I and Gabe have been friends for so long and I didn't want it to end up like this, the day I met up with you I didn't mean to fall for you the way I did. I was just supposed to tell you how sorry Gabe was and how in love he was with you. The truth is he is not who he says he is, I did not know this until just a few days ago he confessed that he was not using his actual photos and he was "catfishing" you. I was so angry with him because I felt such a deep connection with you and all I wanted to do was protect you from people who would lie to you. So, that is the truth and if you don't want to hear what else I have to say then that's okay I completely understand." I was taken aback by what I just heard, the guy that I fell in love with when I was 16 had been lying to me for years and never tried to confess the truth to me. But also, why would Justin even tell me this? We could have continued our lives without having this conversation and he would have never risked his relationship with me. That's so loyal and sweet, I know that sounds crazy but I've been lied to so many times throughout my life and to have someone who is willing to tell me truth even if it would risk something special is eye changing. "Go on, I want to hear what else you have to say, but before you do I want to say that I am so thankful that you would risk what we have because you wanted to tell me the truth, that makes me feel so special." He smiles at me and looks away for a second then returns his face to mine, "Rose, I'm in love with you." My heart returned to my chest and practically tried to jump into his arms when hearing him say that. "I'm in love with you too." He laughed out with joy and jumped up from his seat and embraced me into a loving hug. I hugged him back and released him from my grib and put my hands on his face and pulled his lips to mine and kissed him. It felt like time had stopped in its tracks and let us have this moment to ourselves.