Chapter 1: Catfish, Lies, and a Dinner Date

My roommate secretly used my photos for her online dating profile. Then, when her online boyfriend started getting suspicious, she begged me to meet him in person. Like that was ever going to end well.

Honestly, I couldn’t help but snort. “Sure, I’ll help you out.” My voice was dripping with amusement and disbelief. Like, was this really my life?

The next day, I showed up arm-in-arm with my dream guy, standing there all sweet in front of her.

“Let me introduce you—this is my boyfriend.” I beamed, just to twist the knife a little. Oh, the irony.

And just like that, my roommate burst into tears.

“Baby, I’m your girlfriend!” she wailed, her voice breaking into a high, jagged sob. Honestly, if drama was an Olympic sport, Mallory would be a gold medalist.

I just pressed my lips together and smiled at my boyfriend, catching his confused look. Like, what else was I supposed to do?

“My roommate loves role-playing. Yesterday she was Neymar’s little wifey.” I shrugged, giving him a look like, what can you do? (For the record, Mallory’s obsessed with every soccer star she’s ever seen.) It’s always something with her.

“Kelsey, just help me this once, please, I’m begging you.” There was a beat of silence as her words hung in the air, desperate and whiny.

Mallory clung to my hand and shook it back and forth. Her voice was so syrupy it could drip.

I yanked my hand away, cold as ice.

“No can do. You should’ve thought of this before you used my photos to catfish someone.” Honestly, the nerve.

Just thinking about it pissed me off.

My roommate is a real piece of work.

She’s not much to look at, and she’s a slob. But somehow, she always has one boyfriend after another...

Bags, watches, sweet talk—you name it.

I used to wonder how she pulled it off. Well, today I finally got my answer.

Turns out, she was using my photos. My photos!

“Kelsey, I’ve been talking to this guy for a year. I really, really like him, but he’s starting to get suspicious.”

“Just meet him for me, just this once, and I won’t bother you again.”

Oh, I know what that really means: after I meet him, I’m supposed to disappear... you’ll keep using my face for free meals, free drinks, and his feelings.

I was so mad, I just had to laugh.

Where did I find this lunatic? Only an idiot would help her—

Wait a second—she said she really likes this guy?

I couldn’t help but grin.

“Fine, I’ll help you.” I said it before I could change my mind.

Mallory let out a sigh so big, I thought she’d deflate.

“Thank you, Kelsey.” She sounded like she’d just dodged a firing squad. I just rolled my eyes.

I nodded, feeling pretty good. Then I went back to sorting my clothes in the closet.

After a while, I noticed Mallory was still standing there. I glanced over—yep, pure jealousy and resentment.

She was really something.

She begged and pleaded, but now that I agreed, she was upset again. Typical.

“Anything else, Mallory?”

Mallory snapped out of it and ducked her head.

“Uh... nothing, nothing. Just wanted to go over some things for tomorrow...” She trailed off, fidgeting.

The next day, I left the house looking sharp. Sharp enough to cut glass.

I’d put on my best jeans and a tailored blazer, hair curled just right, a swipe of red lipstick for confidence. The kind of look that says, ‘I’m here to win.’

Before I left, Mallory stared at me, all hesitation and worry.

“Kelsey, it’s just a meal, you don’t need to dress up so much...” She sounded almost nervous, which made me smile inside.

I just smiled. If she was worried, well, she should be.

At the restaurant, I realized I was fifteen minutes early. Figures. I played on my phone.

I scrolled through Instagram, checked a few memes. Tried not to psych myself out. My heart was racing, but I kept my cool.

Before long, I heard a pleasant male voice above me.

“Are you Vivi?”

I looked up, and wow. My heart skipped a beat.

Damn, he’s so handsome!

Crisp, fitted suit. Short hair, clean lines. And a face that could stop traffic.

But what really got me was his natural, cool vibe—almost monk-like. Totally my type.

I nodded, probably a little too eagerly.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

Ryan Carter sat down. I didn’t hesitate—I pulled out my phone.

“Baby, I had to reinstall Messenger. Let’s add each other again.”

As soon as I said it, Ryan choked on his water.

He coughed. “What did you call me?” He looked at me, startled. I could feel my cheeks burning.

“Baby. That’s what I usually call you. What’s wrong?” I cringed inside but kept my face straight.

Mallory told me yesterday—they always call each other ‘baby.’ No way I was blowing my cover.

It took a lot for me to say it out loud.

Ryan gave me a strange look and picked up his phone, probably texting someone.

A moment later, he looked up and flashed a warm, easy smile.

“I’ll add you, baby.”

“...” I tried not to show how weird this felt.

As soon as we added each other on Messenger, Mallory messaged me right on cue: “Kelsey, did he see you yet?”

I rolled my eyes: “Yeah, he did.”

“Good, you can leave now.” I could practically hear her snapping her fingers through the screen.

Too bad I didn’t see that last message until later.

“Try this—it’s the restaurant’s specialty.”

Ryan placed a plate of seared duck breast in front of me. His hand looked almost delicate holding the plate.

I put down my phone, forked a piece, and popped it in my mouth. Wow. My eyes lit up.

“Wow, that’s good.”

Ryan grinned. Suddenly, he asked,

“Baby, why does your voice sound different?”

This time, I choked.

Mallory’s voice is soft and cutesy, totally at odds with her looks—the kind that could melt anyone.

Mine? Think Stevie Nicks.

“Cough, cough, uh... I’ve got a sore throat these days. It’s a little hoarse.”

Ryan nodded, buying it—or at least pretending to.

But my inner alarm bells were blaring.

The longer this dragged on, the more holes would show. I needed to end this fast.

“Baby, I—”

Before I could finish, I suddenly felt something wet on my back. Oh, come on.

I whipped around, surprised.

A woman bundled up in a mask and baseball cap stood behind me, empty cup in hand, pretending to panic.

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to! Let me help you clean up in the bathroom.”

It was Mallory—she’d actually followed us here. Unbelievable.

Before I could say anything, Ryan shot up and came over.

He shot Mallory a look, then bent down and asked,

“Baby, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just uncomfortable with the wet fabric sticking to me.” I squirmed, wishing I could crawl out of my own skin.

Ryan paused, thinking.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

He turned and left the restaurant.

After Ryan left, Mallory and I stared at each other in silence. The air felt frozen, thick with tension.

After a while, I broke the silence.

“Why are you here? I told you I’d help. Don’t you trust me?” I couldn’t help but sound sarcastic.

Mallory still held the cup, eyes darting with guilt under the brim of her hat.

“I... of course I trust you, I just... just...” She stammered, unable to explain. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Yeah, right. You’re just afraid I’ll steal Ryan.

But I still gave her an out.

“You’re worried I’ll blow your cover, right?”

She let out a sigh of relief. I almost laughed at how obvious she was.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Ryan will be back soon, so you should go.”

Mallory went quiet, staring at me. I stared right back, not blinking.

After a minute, she couldn’t hold it anymore.

“He’s already seen you, so why are you still here? Ryan is my boyfriend!”

She said it loud enough to draw everyone’s attention, and the curious stares were mortifying. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

My face went hot, then cold—I wanted to slap her.

She used my photos to scam people, and now she was acting like she had the right to complain!

I was about to give her a piece of my mind when a surprised male voice called from behind us:

“Vivi, is that you?!”

Mallory and I both turned.

A sunny, energetic guy was standing not far away.

White tracksuit, tall, wristbands—definitely a basketball fan.

Mallory blurted out,

“Yeah, that’s me.”

But the guy didn’t even glance at her. Instead, he grabbed my hand excitedly.

“Vivi, it’s really you! You look just like your photos.”

Well, what more did I need to hear?

Another victim of Mallory’s scams.

She really only picked handsome guys to trick!

I forced a laugh. “Ha, thanks. And you are...?”

A flicker of hurt crossed his eyes.

“You don’t remember me? I’m Tyler Evans—online name TyGuy. Remember when I used to help you rank up in games?”

Uh...

How was I supposed to answer?

Should I say the real star of the show was coming later?

If so, Tyler would probably call the cops!

Mallory stood there awkwardly, fists clenched tight, her mood written all over her face.

My mind spun through a hundred scenarios. Since I’d already claimed Ryan, what was one more?

So I flashed a bright smile.

“Of course I remember! You were so good at jungling, how could I forget?” (Jungling = a specific game role.)

“I played support. See, you really did forget.”

Me: “...”

After that, Tyler and I sat in awkward silence.

He was sad; I was embarrassed.

Suddenly, a man grabbed Tyler’s wrist, his tone unmistakably warning.

“Let go of her.”

Ryan was back.

I was in agony.

What was this mess? Everyone was here at once—I was about to have a heart attack!

Tyler, all fired up, shot back,

“Who are you?”

Ryan ignored him and looked at me.

“Baby, who is he?”

“Uh...”

He’s victim number two—how could I say that?

Not knowing what to say, I spotted the bag in Ryan’s hand and quickly changed the subject, pouting,

“It’s so uncomfortable with wet clothes sticking to me.”

Ryan knew I was dodging the question, but he still handed me the bag.

“Go change.”

“Okay, okay.”

I made my escape and shot Mallory a look: Come with me!

...

“How many people have you catfished with my photos?”

I can’t even eat out without running into one!

“I lost count.”

I almost died from holding my breath in the bathroom.

Lost count. What an answer.

I’ve had a simple love life until now, but thanks to her, suddenly I’m a player.

“You’re unbelievable!”

I couldn’t even look at her. Fuming, I ducked into a stall to change.

When I came out, Mallory eyed the logo on the clothes.

“Kelsey, that’s not a cheap brand.”

I straightened my collar and brushed her off with a “Mhm.”

Almost five figures—not cheap at all.

Then Mallory dropped a bombshell.

“You should Venmo me for that outfit. After all, Ryan is my boyfriend. It’s not right for him to buy things for another woman.”

I guess when someone’s pettiness hits a certain level, all you can do is laugh.

And that’s what I did.

I laughed so hard I nearly fell over, tears streaming down my face.

Mallory panicked.

“What are you laughing at?”

Wiping my eyes, I said, one word at a time,

“I’m laughing at how dumb you are.”

“Mallory, if you really think Ryan is your boyfriend, why don’t you go ask him to his face? See if he even knows you.”

“You’re a scammer—what right do you have to complain? You should be grateful I even agreed to help you. Don’t push it, or the one who ends up humiliated won’t be me.”

This was the first time I really tore into Mallory.

Before, even though she was ridiculous, I usually let it slide since we were roommates.

But this time, she crossed the line.

She made me meet her online boyfriend, then dumped water on me, and now she wanted me to pay for the clothes Ryan bought? Seriously?

Does she think the world revolves around her? I’m done.

Mallory’s face turned bright red, whether from anger or embarrassment, and she hung her head.

I ignored her and walked out.

...

Back at the table, Tyler was gone and Mallory hadn’t followed me.

Finally, I could enjoy dinner with a handsome guy.

“Baby, I’ll Venmo you for the clothes.”

It wasn’t a small amount, but since we’d just met, I couldn’t accept it in good conscience.

Ryan shook his head.

“It’s just clothes. You don’t need to—”

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

I looked up in confusion.

A man bundled up just like before stood behind Ryan, holding an empty cup.

“...”

This scene looked awfully familiar.

“Sorry, man, maybe you should go home and change.”

The guy’s tone wasn’t apologetic at all—in fact, he sounded like he was looking for trouble.

Yep, this felt even more familiar.

I quickly held Ryan back, and asked sincerely,

“Be honest, are you really the one I’ve been chatting with online? Not your friend or roommate or something?”

Ryan froze, then laughed.

“Of course it’s me. Why do you ask?”

“Wait... you’re not?”

I shot back quickly,

“No, no, just asking. Just asking.”

The guy, feeling ignored, got annoyed.

“Hey, how much for the clothes? I’ll pay you!”

He slapped a card on the table.

My heart skipped a beat.

Ryan sneered.

“Forget the clothes. But you wasted my date—can you pay for that?”

“Stop showing off!”

“What, did I hit a nerve?”

Seeing things getting heated, I quickly interrupted.

“Baby, let me go with you to buy new clothes.”

I tried to pull Ryan away, but he held my hand.

“It’s snowing outside. Don’t go out. I’ve got clothes in the car.”

Even better.

As Ryan walked away, my mood dropped.

“Tyler, what the hell are you doing?”

The man jumped.

“You recognized me even with all this on?”

At first, I didn’t. But when he slapped his card on the table, I saw the familiar wristband...

Damn, I thought Ryan was catfishing too. Scared me!

“Why’d you dump water on him?”

Tyler plopped down across from me.

“You just messaged me on Messenger, complaining that your mom set you up on a blind date and now the guy won’t let you leave. I came to rescue you!”

Figures—Mallory again!

Seeing how clueless he was, I blurted out the truth.

“Tyler, actually... that Messenger wasn’t me.”

...

When Ryan came back, I was still thinking about the way Tyler looked when he left—head down, eyes red, like his world had collapsed.

He was still mumbling, “So raising a cat together was a lie?”

Damn!

It wasn’t even my fault, but I still felt guilty as hell.

Ryan noticed I was upset and didn’t press.

After dinner, he drove me home.

At that moment, I wanted to shout for joy.

That rollercoaster of a dinner was finally over.

Never doing this again—way too stressful!

I entered my password and opened the door.

The apartment was pitch-black and silent, like no one was home.

Weird.

Mallory wasn’t back?