Catfish

When Liam was met with the news that Nev and Max were meeting up with Penelope, he expected to feel a thousand emotions, with nervousness being the strongest. He wasn’t surprised to find that his pulse was pounding just as the thought, because the moment was coming so quickly and it was too late to turn back, not that he would if he could.

He wondered if Penelope would be angry for asking for Nev’s help without saying anything to her first. Surely, she would have been caught off guard, at the very least, and he hoped he wouldn’t lose her because of it. He couldn’t necessarily blame her for being angry with him, as he had went behind her back to set the whole thing up, but he hoped that she wouldn’t be. He couldn’t stand the thought of that.

With a sigh, Liam decided that he needed to talk to her – needed to her hear her voice – because they rarely went hours without speaking and he had been putting it off as long as he could. He knew he’d have to say something about Nev, as he couldn’t pretend it just didn’t happen, but he was dreading it. What would Penelope have to say about the situation? Would she cancel the meeting and block his number? Would she tell Liam she never wanted to speak to him again?

Bringing his phone from his pocket, Liam tapped his finger against Penelope’s contact, sending her name flashing across the screen as his phone dialed her up. He brought the phone to his ear and was immediately met with a breathy hello, as Penelope’s voice whispered against him. She didn’t sound angry, but she rarely did.

“Hello,” he responded, eyes closed and lips pursed. The two paused for a long moment, neither of them knowing what to say. They rarely had moments like that one, and the only thing Liam could think to do was apologize. He spoke, his apology short but sweet, “I’m sorry.”

Penelope’s breath hitched in her throat, the sound audible from the other end of the line, and she gave a long pause.

Liam braced himself for whatever sour words she was going to say to him. His eyes were shut more tightly, wrinkles forming at the corners. Penelope had never yelled at him before, and he thought that, no matter how much he prepared, he would never be ready for it.

“Don’t be sorry,” she whispered, her voice sweeter than he’d expected. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“I went behind your back. I shouldn’t have done that. I should’ve –”

“Liam, really,” Penelope interrupted, her voice nearly a chuckle. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Liam sighed, knowing that anything else he said would be pointless. He felt she deserved more of an apology than what he gave her, but she didn’t want anything more. She felt she didn’t need it.

“Are you –” Liam paused, running his fingers over his shaved head. His voice was shaky, but he couldn’t seem to settle it. “Are you nervous?”

“Of course.” Penelope chuckled, her smile radiating from the phone. “Are you?”

Liam was more nervous to meet Penelope than he’d been when he tried out for X-Factor. She was the girl of his dreams – the one he was constantly thinking about – and in the next few days every dream he had of her would become a reality, and he could finally find out exactly what she thought about him. He was dying to know that more than anything.

“I guess you could say that,” he laughed, a small finally falling to his face. He wanted her to keep talking, so he could keep hearing her sweet voice, because even though she was the thing making him so nervous, she was the only one that could calm him down.

“Can you believe it?” she asked, a hint of whimsy in her voice. “After all this time.”

Teeth nibbling at his bottom lip, a smile tugged at Liam’s cheeks, as he placed his head in his hand. After so much waiting. After so many lies. After all this time, Liam was finally going to meet the girl of his dreams.

He was finally going to get the chance to have her standing in front of him. He’d finally be able to feel her blonde hair beneath his fingers. He’s finally be able to tell her, face-to-face, exactly how he felt.

But first, in order to all of those things, he’d have to confess that he wasn’t a student. He’d have to see the shock on her face when she realized he was a rock star. He’d have to make her forgive him for all the lies he’d told.