Follow Me Back (complete first draft of the published book)

Chapter 20: Surprise!

Chapter 20: Surprise!

Eric re-read the message, rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension that had gathered.

Taylor: What reason would I possibly have to lie?

It wasn't technically a lie, he told himself. Back in the old days, he really did used to be his own biggest fan. He'd started out as nothing more than a kid with a guitar and a journal full of half-baked song lyrics, but he'd pushed himself to keep going no matter what anyone said - no matter how many times his friends laughed or his parents told him he was wasting his time.He'd always believed that he had talent. And he'd spent three long years posting video after video on Youtube before he got his record deal at last.

Nothing he'd just said about himself to Tessa was untrue. Not really. Maybe slightly distorted, but it wasn't like he could tell Tessa the whole truth anyway. How would that conversation go? He could just imagine. "Surprise! I'm actually Eric Thorn and this is my secret second profile!"

And what exactly would she say to that? Probably nothing at all. She'd simply write him off as a psychotic lunatic and unfollow him once and for all.

No, he couldn't tell her the whole truth. He hadn't completely lost his mind. Perhaps he'd omitted a few relevant details, but it was harmless. A little white lie, at most. If it ever seemed like any harm might come of it, all he had to do was end things. Say goodbye. Deactivate the account. And Taylor the phantom fan boy would disappear into Twitter oblivion, like he'd never even existed.

Somewhere in the back of Eric's mind, a little voice whispered that he probably should have deactivated already. He'd been on the receiving end of his share of little white lies. He knew they had a nasty way of changing color when viewed from someone else's vantage point.

If Tessa ever found out somehow. . . .

Not just Tessa. His manager had nearly caught him red-handed the other day, tweeting from this account. If the record label ever disccovered what he'd been up to. . . . Just the thought of it made Eric's stomach flip over with anxiety.

But he couldn't deactivate now. Not when he finally had her talking again. "Thanks for ruining my life," she'd said before. "It isn't catastrophizing if it's actually a catastrophe." She hadn't even told him yet what happened.

He didn't wait for her reply before he added another message to the thread.

Taylor: So are you going to tell me how I ruined your life or what?

Tessa: Scott

Taylor: What about Scott?

Tessa: I fell asleep to the sound of your voice whispering to me....

Taylor: What does that mean?

Tessa: Hmmmm. I thought you were such a huuuuge fan

Taylor: I know it's a line from Aloe Vera. What does it have to do with Scott?

Tessa: We lingered on your terrace. I drank up all your wine.

Taylor: Is this a test?

Tessa: You tell me. What's the next line?

Eric let out a growl of irritation. Honestly, Tessa, he thought. If she had the faintest clue who she was talking to right now. . . .

Taylor: You said baby take your clothes off. Get rid of those tan lines.

Tessa: No. YOU said baby take your clothes off.