The Big Fish by Madison Henley (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

wide-awake. She sprung her eyes open and tried not to look so startled, smoothing the hairs on her head down and standing up from the booth. She pushed her reading glasses further back on the bridge of her nose and blinked hastily, letting her eyes adjust. When they finally did, she stared at Gabrielle. Her eyes were bluer than what she remembered. Her face looked the same. Except she was beautiful than ever. The innocence was gone and replaced with something Meredith couldn't put a name to. She blinked a little more, after her eyes had already adjusted just so she could get use to Gabrielle’s face. She hadn’t seen her in so long, she was starting to forget all of the features that she praised for so long ago.

That encounter with Meredith walking in on Gabrielle and Keliah was anything but comfortable. After Keliah and Gabrielle finished talking several hours later, Gabrielle knew where she would be going next. She found Meredith sleeping peacefully in the coffee house. The reason why Meredith decided to go to Berkeley. Because the coffee house had a good vibe. Gabrielle almost cried at the precious thought. It seems so long ago that her only care in the world was something so mundane. Gabrielle stood quietly over Meredith, hoping she didn't look odd from another eye but my God, she looked adorable. Gabrielle felt her knees go weak the moment she saw her and she didn’t even have to look into her eyes. She felt complete now that she had seen Meredith again. It had been too long since she had seen that gorgeous tanned face and Gabrielle was ecstatic. Of course, reality came crashing in like a bitch and she suddenly remembered why she hadn’t seen that familiar face in so long.

“You can go to your room and sleep if you want. I’m heading out.”

Meredith stood up, yawned before collecting tea cup and walked out of the cafe not uttering a word to Gabrielle. Gabrielle smoothed her hair back, sighing in frustration. If Meredith walked away from her one more time, she would break.

Unread Emails: 1, Subject: Sonde FC

Gabrielle’s heart stopped. This wasn’t spam was it? Or was this just an email saying her Sonde sweatshirt that she ordered had back ordered? Gabrielle took in a sharp breath before clicking on the unread email. She skimmed the email quickly, wanting to get it over with before slowing down and reading carefully…four times.

No fucking way.

Sonde wanted her? They wanted her? Holy shit. Gabrielle placed her hand over her chest and looked around to see if she was alive and if this was still Planet Earth. It was and she couldn’t have been happier. Gabrielle immediately grabbed her cell phone to call her agent. She screamed into the phone when he said hello and he laughed at her.

“Isn’t this great!”

Gabrielle beamed.

“It sure is. I told you kiddo. All you had to do was be patient and work hard. Your ass is so impatient.”

Gabrielle giggled into the phone like the schoolgirl she was. She was too happy to come up with a snarky comeback.

“I talked with them already and we need to discuss a few things. I’m coming over.”

Gabrielle hung up the phone and danced anxiously until she heard the doorbell rang. She sprinted downstairs and slid across the hardwood floor with her pink fuzzy socks to answer the door.

“ I would hate to see you drunk.”

Gabrielle’s agent, Brycen pushed her aside and sat down on the couch, motioning for Gabrielle to do the same. She jumped on the couch beside him and he laid out papers on the coffee table for Gabrielle took look at and sign. She did so with ease and rocked back and forth, too excited to hold still.

“God, this is so exciting! I can’t wait for Meredith to get home. I mean, she’s going to be thrilled. Oh, and by the way, can I get an apartment instead? With Meredith going to college in another country I think she would rather live with me than some stranger who only speaks Swedish.”

Brycen gave Gabrielle a stare that Gabrielle was having difficulties reading.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Meredith’s wrong. Sweetheart, this contract is for you and for you only. There’s no ‘Meredith’ to speak about."

“Well, what, why not?”

“Gaby baby, you are just now getting the opportunity that millions of girls dream of. You need to stay under the radar; you can’t be making negative headlines of magazines about you and your girlfriend. I am fine with you being gay but a certain country isn’t and you don’t want to end your career before it’s even started right?”

Gabrielle nodded but not quite understanding what her agent was saying.

“I guess…so wha-what are you saying?”

“I’m saying this little life you had before. With your little surfer girlfriend, and open gay love, it’s not happening. You have to leave that all behind. I have a boyfriend for you; he plays soccer too. His name is Jules; you’ll love him. The media will eat you two up.”

Gabrielle felt like she was going into cardiac arrest. One moment she was the happiest girl on Earth and the next, her world had been shattered. No Meredith? How does that even work?

“Oh come on, don’t look so sad. You and that Meredith girl are young. It wasn’t serious Gabrielle. You are an adult now; you have to start acting like one. You can’t let something like a little high school fling get in your way. You’re a professional athlete now.”

Gabrielle looked at Brycen in disgust and disbelief. She