Page 15 of The Puck Secret

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Her response makes me laugh, and I feel my mom glance over her shoulder at me, but I can’t help but stare at the image of the lake on my phone. Grim is sitting on a deck with her feet up on the rail, holding up a giant mug of coffee in front of her phone. I can see the long length of her toned legs, and her perfectly manicured toes, as she shows off my running spot to me. The lake is huge so there is no way I could work out which house is hers from the image and she knows it. I tap out a quick reply and hit send.

Nova: Glad to see you finally admit that you think I’m sexy. It’s about time you got the memo!

Grim: The only memo I got was about how huge your ego is!!!

Nova: You’ll be glad to know it’s not the only huge thing about me ??

Grim: ?? That was douchey even for you!

I snort at that, and again feel my mom’s eyes watching me as she starts serving up our breakfast. I quickly grab us both some juice and sit back down to tap out another reply.

Nova: And yet still you like me, sounds like the problem is with you.

Grim: I’ll be sure to tell my therapist about it!

She always makes jokes about her therapy, and I can’t help but find it endearing at how she casually jokes about herself. Dark humor and all that, but still I tease her.

Nova: You should fire your therapist and come and see me instead, I bet I could work out your problems real good, loosen up those muscles.

Grim: It’s okay I have Harold for that!

Harold? Who the fuck is Harold? Jealousy curls inside of me which I know is ridiculous, I don’t even know what this girl looks like, but still I feel like she is mine.

Nova: Harold sounds like an asshole. Where does he live? I’d like to meet him, you know for complete non-jealousy related murder

I toss the phone on the table just as my mom brings my breakfast over and I take it gratefully. “Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome baby.” She slides into the seat facing me, eyes still on me as she adds, “So who’s the girl?”

“Girl?” I ask, acting confused. “What girl?” Just as I say that, my phone lights up again on the table in between us, and she smirks as I shove a mouthful of pancakes into my mouth.

Reaching out to pick up my phone and read the message was a mistake.

Grim: Harold lives with me

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I choke on my pancake as I take in the long, sleek, blue dildo now filling up my screen. My mom looks at me and I slam down my phone so quick I’m not sure how I don’t break the fucking screen. I swear my cheeks are burning as she eyes me with amusement, and I do the only thing I can do in that moment, I purge my secret to my mom.

“I don’t know who she is. It was a wrong number text that turned into getting to know each other without names, and now it’s been a couple of weeks and we text everyday,” I say the words without taking a single breath, and by the time I am done she is still staring at me, smirking.

“Oh how mysterious, is she pretty?” Her eyes are sparkling with interest and I don’t think before I respond, “Her tits are.”

She promptly hits me with a kitchen towel. “Manners at the table, Nova. Jesus, I taught you better than that.” I hold up my hands in mock surrender, but I can still see the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Sorry! I just haven’t seen her face, we agreed to this whole anonymity thing and just started talking. I didn’t expect it to go past that first night, but I guess we just hit it off.” I try to explain it all in a way that sounds causal, but it sounds like bullshit even to my own ears. I have come to look forward to those messages from Grim everyday.

“Oh, so you like her,” my mom squeals. “My baby is growing up and falling in love!” She starts to get all misty-eyed and I have to burst her bubble quickly before she gets too carried away.

“Woah woah, no falling in love, just friends, calm down.” How crazy does she think I am? I’m not gonna fall in love with someone I don’t even know.

She just picks up her glass and takes a sip of her juice as she mutters, “If you say so.”

We continue on with our breakfast, but when my phone lights up again she smirks at me, and moves to take her now empty plate to the sink.

Grim: Don’t tell me the way to get rid of you all along has been to scare you away with Harold!

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