Catfish

Liam’s head dropped to the pillow while his eyes stayed focus on the ceiling. It had been a long drive back to his hotel room and he spent the entire time thinking about Penny. He had kissed her. She had kissed him. It was everything that he thought it would be and more. It was perfect – just like Penny.

He knew that she still hadn’t completely forgiven him, and in reality, he knew he couldn’t ask her to. He had hurt her and it was going to take time for her to get over that, but he was just happy that he still had a chance.

She was heading back to her flat, while he stayed at a hotel with Nev and Max, but he would get to see her again the next day. The camera crew wanted to set up one more meeting for some extra shots and then they’d be on their way, leaving Liam alone to figure out what to do next.

It was incredibly terrifying to think about what would happen in the future, because he had no clue how to handle the situation they were in. He just knew that they needed time, but luckily, he was willing to wait forever for Penny to forgive him. She was all the he wanted.

Digging his head further into the pillow, Liam wrapped his hand more tightly around his phone, which he was clinging to his chest. He wanted to call Penny like he usually did, but he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to or even what he would say. It felt so different for some reason, and it made him nervous.

He brought his phone in the air, while he began his mental debate about whether or not to give her a call. If nothing else, he could at least text her. He always told her goodnight, and he didn’t want that day to be the exception just because they’d met for the first time.

While he stared at his phone, it began buzzing in his hand, while Penelope’s name flashed across the screen. He smiled, because he finally had a face to match to that name, and the face was more perfect than he imagined.

Taking a deep breath, Liam brought the phone to his ear. His heart pounded, because he was more nervous about talking to her now than he had ever been before. Had she changed her mind about still wanting to keep in touch? Was she going to yell at him?

“Hello?” he answered, his voice sounding more shaky than he’d expected. There was a pause, and he spoke again. “Penny?”

“Liam,” she whispered.

There was another pause and Liam took a deep breath.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I’m well. You?”

“Good. I’m just –”

“There was actually something I wanted to ask you,” she said, interrupting him.

Liam’s breathing hitched, while his heart beat began to race. Everything she said seemed to make him more nervous. He couldn’t take the uncertainty, and he was just dying to know.

“Of course. What is it?”

“I just –” Penelope paused, and he heard her take a deep breath on the other end. “I was wondering what you were doing tonight.”

“Just sitting at the hotel, I guess.”

“Do you think you could meet me?” she asked, taking another deep breath. “Without the cameras and everything.”

Liam could have sworn his heart stopped beating at that moment. He had no idea why she could possibly want to meet him, and there was no way he could ever say no.

“Of course,” he whispered. “When?”

“Half an hour? At the park?”

“That sounds great.”

“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

Before Liam could say anything else, Penny had hung up the phone. He pulled it slowly from his ear, as he stared up at the ceiling in a daze.

He couldn’t believe that she actually wanted to meet him, but more than that, he wondered if the meeting was going to be good or bad. Either way, he was just happy that he’d get another chance to see Penelope again, and he was going to make the most of it.