Chapter 2

The next morning, Leah bombarded me with private messages.

‘So it really is you dating the guy Maya likes?’

I ignored her.

But Leah kept messaging me anyway.

‘You used to be so quiet and well-behaved. When did you start stealing other people’s pictures and catfishing men? Seriously, have you no shame?’

‘Let me make one thing clear. Maya likes Julian, so you two are never going to work out.’

‘Back in high school, Maya was the beautiful swan and you were the bloated pig. You seriously think you can compete with her?’

‘What if Julian’s traumatized after meeting you? He might have nightmares about your three-hundred-pound body crushing him to death. Do you really want that on your conscience?’

I stared at the screen.

Memories from high school came rushing back.

Leah had always loved joining Maya in humiliating me.

Whenever I ran past her during gym, she would clutch her chest dramatically.

“Oh my God, I thought she was going to run into me! At her size, she’d break every bone in my body!”

The entire class would burst out laughing.

Even the gym teacher laughed along.

Once, when I went to buy a school uniform, the clerk warned me that even their largest size might not fit.

Leah had doubled over laughing.

“Everyone, look! Hazel’s about to burst right out of her uniform! How does a person even get that big?”

Back then, I hadn’t known how to defend myself.

All I could do was keep my head down and endure their laughter.

But things were different now.

Since Leah was so convinced I’d stolen someone else’s photo to catfish Julian, the look on her face tonight was bound to be priceless.

I typed a short reply.

‘Then make sure you get a good look tonight.’

That afternoon, I went to the salon for my hair and makeup appointment.

As the stylist curled my hair, she kept glancing at me in the mirror.

“You’re naturally gorgeous. You don’t usually wear much makeup, do you?”

I smiled.

She chose a long black dress for me.

The sleek cut hugged my waist perfectly.

When I returned to the dorm, my roommate Nora Miller was eating an apple while reading a research paper.

The moment she looked up, the apple slipped from her hand and hit the floor.

She sucked in a sharp breath.

“Hazel, who are you planning to kill dressed like that?”

I fastened my necklace in front of the mirror.

“I’m meeting my online boyfriend.”

Nora stared at my face for two seconds.

“No.”

“You look like you’re about to walk into a room and ruin someone’s life.”

I smiled without denying it.

My phone buzzed.

Maya had updated her post again.

‘She won’t dare show up. Julian’s definitely going to realize she’s a catfish.’

‘But if she does come, the restaurant I booked is up three flights of stairs.’

‘At her size, she’ll spend half an hour gasping for breath. Just imagine her red-faced and drenched in sweat. I have to get that on camera!’

The comments eagerly piled on.

‘You really know how to put on a show. I need to see the giant pig climb those stairs!’

‘Three hundred pounds going up three flights? I’m already out of breath just imagining it.’

‘Your cousin is doomed. She’s about to humiliate herself in front of everyone.’

Maya happily replied.

‘Of course I’ll share the fun. I’ll livestream the whole thing!’

I turned off my phone and smiled coldly.

The bigger the spectacle, the better.