Big Fat Liar 2 (Big Fat Liar #2) (2 page)

"Yeah right," Callie grumbled, opening the passenger door and wiggled in the car. "She's the smart one. She knows how to avoid a walking disaster." She slammed the door close at the same time Chris closed his.

"Cal, you're not a walking disaster." Chris sent her a look that told her that he thought that she was being absurd. He started the engine and put his seatbelt on.

Callie followed suit and fastened her seat belt. "It's true. I am a walking disaster."

"Cal, shut up. You're just grumpy that I'm making you go."

"Damn straight I am."

Chris shook his head as he drove away from the curve. "Look, I knew you were going to be this way when you found out that Susan canceled so I called Abel to ask him to join us."

Callie perked up at the mention of her new favorite person. "Did he say yes?"

"He said he'd meet us there."

Callie clapped her hands, instantly giddy at the thought of seeing Abel again. "Yay!"

Chris rolled his eyes. "Like my brother, do you?"

"He's awesome!"

"Hmm." Chris stopped the car on the red light. "So," he glanced at her, "you like him better than me?"

Callie felt her cheeks starting to redden so she ducked her head. "Uh...well...I...that's different. Of course I like you better."

"So I'm more awesome?"

"Yes."

"Good." Chris grinned and turned left on the green light. "I'll tell him you said that."

Callie's head shot up and she punched his arm. "You jerk."

Chris chuckled.

All too soon they reached Brenda's house. Callie grudgingly stepped out the car to climb in the back seat to let the other woman sit in the front. Of course Brenda didn't look any different from the last time she had seen her. Brenda was still exotically beautiful with her Asian features and slender frame in a purple dress with a shiny black belt around the waist. She left her long black hair down and Callie got a whiff of her perfume as she slid in the front seat.

Well someone's a fan of Britney Spears,
Callie thought, recognizing the scent. Her sister, Sarah, had the same taste in perfumes.

"Hello, Cal," Brenda turned and smiled at her. "I'm sorry about last Friday. I was rude."

Callie shrugged. "It was my fault so you have nothing to apologize about."

Brenda turned back around and kissed Chris on the lips. "You're right. He's nice."

From the back seat, Callie made faces at them and pretended to gag. Chris caught the gagging part and sent her a "be nice" look. Callie settled back down and blushed at getting caught. She didn't know why she didn't like Brenda. Okay, maybe it's because she was jealous but there was just something fishy about the other woman. She just seemed so...fake.

Not like I'm one to talk
, Callie thought solemnly.
I'm the one masquerading as a guy
.

It took only fifteen minutes to get to Golf World. It was eight at night but the place was still packed with noisy teens and kids with their family. There were also people around their age group on dates or just hanging around with their friends. Callie looked up at the huge pink golf ball on top of the amusement park building, hoping that her bad luck didn't cause it to fall right on top of her.

"Darling!" Abel cried as soon as he saw them walking towards the entrance. He opened his arms wide and rushed towards them. Brenda smiled and opened her arms to hug him only to stop short when he walked right past her to Callie. Abel hugged Callie and gave her air kisses. "It's been forever!"

Callie laughed and returned his air kisses. "Too long. Hi, Abel." She made sure to pronounce his name as "Uh-belle" to please him.

Abel linked their right arms together. "You're looking radiant and what's this? Did you lose some weight?"

Callie blushed and nodded. "Just a little." She had lost some weight in her little week of isolation from the world. The two day work out with Chris probably contributed as well. On Friday it had been the golf course of death and on Saturday he had coerced her into going into their apartment gym since she still wouldn't join the YMCA with him.

"Well, you look good." Abel patted her hand. "I approve."

"Hello, Abel," Brenda smiled at Chris' brother. "It's nice to see you again."

Abel waved a graceful hand. "It's always nice to see me. I'm fabulous like that."

Callie hid her smile. So Abel didn't like Brenda either, huh? What a small world.

"Did you reserve a table for us like I asked you to?" Chris asked Abel, shooting him the same "be nice" look he had sent Callie earlier.

"A table?" Abel rolled his eyes. "Honey, I reserved a whole party room. Come, come, I'll show you the way."

"I don't think he likes me," Callie heard Brenda murmuring pathetically to Chris as she and Abel passed them. Chris kissed her forehead to soothe her.

"I don't like his girlfriend," Callie muttered to Abel when they were a couple of feet ahead of the couple.

Abel looked at her. "Darling, neither do I and Chris doesn't either." He sent her the famous Walker wink. "He just doesn't know it yet."

Callie laughed, loving Abel even more.

Abel, looking comfortable and stylish wearing tight white leather jeans, a white shirt and a black and white Gatsby golfer hat, led them inside the crowded amusement park building and Callie's eyes went wide at the sight of the bright lights and noises coming from the arcade machines and rowdy kids. The last time she'd been to any amusement park was years ago when she was twelve before her real father, Simon Picket, died.

Every summer he would take time from his busy schedule and make time to take her and her sisters to Disney World. When he died, he had taken all their joy with him. Well, had taken
her
joy. Her sisters and mother seemed just fine as soon as Richard came into the picture just a year after her father's death. Sometimes she felt that she was the only one who still missed and loved her father.

"This way, this way," Abel said, zigzagging them through little kids. They finally reached the back where the party rooms were located and Callie heaved a sigh of relief because she could feel little eyes staring at her. Kids were just too open with their curiosity.

"In here." Abel opened a door and let them in where a big tall black woman with bald head greeted then. It took Callie seconds to realize that this was no woman. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet one of my fabulous hairdressers, Mizz Ivory."

"Hello!" Mizz Ivory's high pitch voice made Callie wince but she smiled at the flamboyant "Mizz" Ivory. From head to toe, Ivory wore pink from her sparkling stiletto shoes, tight leather pants and corset like tank top covered by a small dark pink jacket. She had large purple hoop earrings dangling from either side of her ears and purple glittering eyeshadow and lipstick.

"Oh my god!" Mizz Ivory clapped her hands together, which Callie noted had beautifully long purple painted nails. "You were right, Abel! They do make an adorable couple!"

Brenda blushed pretty and flipped her long black hair back before she offered a bright smile to Mizz Ivory. "Hello Ivory," she held out her hand, "I'm-"

"Aren't you just the most adorable thing!?" Mizz Ivory cried, going straight to Callie who stood on the left of Chris. Mizz Ivory pinched Callie's cheeks. "I could just gobble you up!"

Callie's eyes widened. What was up with gay people and her cheeks!?

Mizz Ivory released Callie's cheeks and looked at Chris. They were about the same height and it was almost comical to see them eye each other. "Chris!" Mizz Ivory hugged Chris, who patted her back awkwardly and said "Hey, Ivory."

Mizz Ivory stepped back and smiled at Callie and Chris. "Chris! You didn't tell me that you had such an adorable partner."

Callie's jaw drop. What!? Ivory thought they she and...and Chris were a...a couple? From behind Ivory, Callie spotted the tiny amused smile on Abel's lips and instantly knew that Mizz Ivory was just pulling their leg and messing with them. Abel was probably behind the whole thing. The wink Abel sent towards her confirmed her suspicion and she had to keep herself from giggling at her friend's mischievousness.

"You're mistaken," Chris said, sending his brother a look that told them all that he knew what was up. "My girlfriend is Brenda." He grasped Brenda's small shoulder and firmly planted her in front of Mizz Ivory.

"Oh." Mizz Ivory blinked at Brenda. "Well, aren't you a cute little thing." Ivory bent down and patted Brenda's hand. "Poor dear look like she's starving. Don't you feed her, Chris? Abel! We need to order our dinner and fast!"

Callie chortled and quickly schooled her features when Chris sent a glare her way. She gave him her most innocent wide eyed "What did I do?" look.

"I already sent for someone to take our order, dear," Abel told Ivory. "Now come on everyone, let's sit down and talk. Ivory, those stilettos look fabulous on you."

Mizz Ivory proudly took tiny steps back towards the long brown table, her stilettos clicking against the marble floor as her hips swung back and forth. "I know right? It's pinching the hell out of my poor toes but eh, that's the price of beauty."

Callie somehow ended up sitting between Ivory and Abel while Chris and Brenda took a seat opposite from them. She looked around the party room, taking in the pink and white walls with 'Golf World' written all over them with colorful letters.

"I hope you don't mind that I invited Ivory, Chris," Abel was telling his brother, "I couldn't leave the poor dear alone. She's been going through stuff."

"My boyfriend broke up with me," Ivory sighed sadly. "Left me for this skinny Mexican chick that looks like one of those tiny dogs with big bulging eyes. What do they call them? Chihuahuas? Those poor things look like they're always starving."

And for some reason all eyes landed on Brenda, whose own eyes widened at being stared at. Callie turned her head away to hide her smile. Brenda's tanned skin paled and she stood up. "Excuse me...I, I need to use the ladies room." Chris stood to escort her but she was already rushing out the door and closing it firmly behind her.

Chris's jaw tightened as he turned right back around to glare at the trio staring at him with wide innocent eyes. "Okay, what the hell was that all about?"

Callie averted her eyes from his angry blue ones, pretending to admire the painting of a large pink golf ball on the wall. She felt Ivory shifting uneasily to her right and Abel shrugging to her left.

"What?" Abel blinked innocently at his little brother. "What do we do?"

"You know what the hell you've done." Chris scowled at them. "Why are you all being so mean to Brenda?"

"Hah!" Abel waved a hand. "She's just overly sensitive, that's all."

"I don't even know the woman," Mizz Ivory defended his-herself. "I was just talking about Chihuahuas."

Callie peeked from the corner of her eyes to see Chris's expression and she winced when his stormy blue eyes landed on her. "W-what? I didn't do anything."

"When I come back with her," Chris said, stressing every word, "you all better be on your best behavior. Got it?"

Abel gave him a sarcastic salute. "Aye, aye, Captain!"

Chris growled before turning and stalking off after his girlfriend. Callie shamelessly admired how good he looked in those snug blue jeans and how it perfectly sculpted his bottom.

"Uh oh," Ivory said, "ooooh, we've done it now. We've gone and pissed off a white man."

"You guys are so bad," Callie giggled. "But now I feel bad. Maybe we were too mean to Brenda."

Abel rolled his eyes. "I say if she can't take the heat-"

"Then get out the motherfucking kitchen," Mizz Ivory finished. "Holla!"

Callie grinned at her two comedians. "I'm so glad that you two decided to come. I would have been so alone here. Chris said that I wouldn't be the third wheel but I knew he was just being nice."

"Well I don't like that Brenda," Abel said. "She's too..."

"Superficial?" Ivory offered.

"Yes, that."

It was nice to know that she wasn't the only one who had felt that way about Chris's girlfriend but still...maybe they were being too mean. "Maybe we should do as Chris suggested and lay off of her. I mean...we barely know her and you never know...she may be nice."

Ivory snorted. "Whatever you say, dear."

"Forget about Brenda," Abel took Callie's hand. "How are things going with you and my brother?"

"Fine I guess. He's making me work out and teaching me to eat healthy."

"No sparks?"

Callie laughed at that. "Sparks? Abel, he still thinks I'm a man, a gay man."

Ivory peered at her. "Honey, you don't look like a man. Maybe a bit boyish because well...look at what you're wearing! Such a fashion disaster."

Callie looked down at her black jeans that was a size too big and her blue polo shirt. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Cal," Abel made her look at him, "did you buy those clothes before or after Chris mistook you for a man?"

"Um...before?"

"See!" Ivory pointed a purple painted nail at her. "With that haircut and your manly clothes, no wonder Chris mistook you for a man. If Abel and I didn't have such good eyes, we would have probably mistaken you for one too. Honey, you need to dress better."

Callie slumped her shoulder. They didn't need to tell her what she already knew. "But it's hard to find girl stuff my size."

"Order them online," Ivory suggested.

Callie shrugged. "It's too late now. Chris already see me as a guy."

"Tell him the truth," Abel said.

Callie shook her head. "I'm still scared...I'm not ready to tell him the truth."

"You poor, poor thing." Ivory patted her head. "You've really dug yourself in a deep hole, hmm?"

Callie nodded solemnly. "Yup."

"What I'm wondering," Abel began, "is what my brother will think when you start losing all that weight and you start looking more and more like a girl."

Callie froze. Damn! She hadn't thought of that! Before she could ask them what she should do, the door opened and Chris stepped in followed by Brenda.

"Sorry about that," Brenda smiled at them, "I just needed some fresh air."

"I thought you went to the ladies room," Abel said and Callie nudged his leg when Chris sent them a dark glare.

"Well." Mizz Ivory stood. "Since our server is taking his time coming here, why don't we go to the back and play some golf? Hmm? Anyone?"

"Okay." Callie shot up. "Sounds good." Anything to break the thick tension in the room.

Ten minutes later they were in the back of the amusement park building playing miniature golf under the night sky. Each player had their own colored golf ball and club. Callie watched Chris step up behind Brenda to help guide her. The couple laughed when Brenda still missed the hole but Chris rewarded her with a kiss on the forehead.

"Cal," Chris called, "your turn, buddy."

Callie dragged her feet towards them and stopped beside Chris. "Okay. I'm here."

"Go ahead," Chris encouraged her with a smile, suddenly in a good mood again. "Don't miss."

"Good luck," Brenda smirked at her and smiled up at Chris.

Bitch
, Callie thought darkly, placing her ball on the T. Chris and Brenda stepped back as she positioned her body to hit the ball with her club. The other woman really got under her skin. It seemed like every time Callie was around, Brenda had to be too touchy touchy with Chris as if she was gloating about the fact that Chris was her man.

She probably thinks I'm gay
. Callie's brows furrowed in concentration as she stared at the ball, imaging it to be Brenda's head. Why did Brenda seem jealous of her relationship with Chris? It should be Callie who should be jealous, which she was. Brenda had everything she didn't. The looks, the killer body, the hot guy.

Callie resisted the urge to smack the golf ball with the club and gently tapped it instead. The red ball rolled and rolled until it passed the others balls and went in the hole.

"Good job, Cal!" Chris praised behind her, clapping his hands.

Callie laughed. "Yay!" She raised the club up and shook it excitedly. "Did you see that, Chris?" She swung around "did you-" the club slipped off her shaking hand from above her head and hit Brenda right on the face with it. "Oh my god!"

"Brenda!" Chris cried and caught his girlfriend. Brenda moaned, rubbing her red forehead where the thick end of the club hit her.

"I'm so sorry!" Callie looked at Brenda, horrified.
My bad luck strikes again!

"Oh my." Abel and Ivory stepped next to Callie. "She alright, Chris?"

"I'm fine," Brenda said, still rubbing her forehead. "Chris, I think I wanna go home now."

"But we barely started playing," Ivory protested. "And we haven't eaten yet."

"You sure you wanna go home, babe?" Chris asked Brenda. "If you just wanna sit down-"

"I want to go home." Brenda glared at him. "Now."

Chris sighed. "Alright. I'll take you home." He looked at his brother. "Can you take Cal home for me? I'll stay with Brenda."

"Sure," Abel nodded. Callie's shoulders drooped, watching Chris guide Brenda out the gate. He hadn't even looked her way.

"I've done it again," she moaned.

"There, there," Abel patted her shoulder. "Look at it this way, she probably did something to deserve it. So you probably did someone a favor, dear."

Callie moaned again and hung her head. Not even Mizz Ivory's cooing and hugs made her feel any better. Right now, Brenda was probably telling Chris to stay the hell away from her.

***

That same night around midnight, Callie's doorbell buzzed.

Wearing her favorite purple pajamas that her sisters said made her look like Barney, Callie dragged herself out of bed and made her way to the front door. Who could it be a this hour? Couldn't the world leave her alone to mope and watch a marathon of Twilight?

"Who is it?" Callie called and opened the door.

"Hey." Chris smiled unsurely at her, hands stuffed in his jeans pocket. "Mind if I come in?"

"S-sure." Callie quickly stepped aside to let him enter her apartment. She tried to flatten her bed head when his back was still turned and stopped when he faced her.