AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The tension returns to my shoulders as the reality of what happened earlier comes crashing back and I know that everything just got a whole lot more complicated.
I squeeze Mel’s hand as we make our way up the stairs and I take my keys out and open the door to what looks like an old apartment. Am I okay after finding out someone followed me and took pictures of me without me knowing? Of course not. It feels like someone broke into my apartment and rummaged through my underwear drawer. The need to scrub myself clean is so strong that I know the feeling of filth seeping into my skin will last a long time. I wish I regretted what we did, I wish I didn’t love the memory we created in the front seat of his truck, but I did love it. I love being in the moment with him, feeling his hands on me, and seeing the pure need in his eyes. I loved that he needed me just as badly as I needed him, and he couldn’t wait to get me home. But what I do hate is that the memory is now tainted with the existence of these pictures.
“I guess I just can’t get over the fact that someone followed us and watched us have sex, I mean, how perverted is that?”
Mel shivers next to me. “Do you have any idea who it could be?” she asks as I shake my head.
The first person to come to mind was Cole. He hasn’t made it a secret how much he hates that I’m dating Josh. He always seems to be around where we are, but even now I don’t think he would stoop that low.
“Was there a note?” I ask as Mel shakes her head.
As we step through the door and look around, I turn to Mel. “Do you really think I should tell Josh?” My head keeps telling me it’s easier to not tell him anything but then my heart wants to spew the truth to him the second I talk to him.
“Harper, as much as I love you, you can be really stupid sometimes. This shouldn’t be something you’re debating you need to tell him.”
I close my eyes. Picturing his face when I tell him, I shudder at the thought.
“I don’t know how I would even start that kind of conversation. I don’t want this to ruin what we have going on, and that scares me.”
“He still deserves to know.”
I hate that she’s right.
“I know.” The only problem now is how to bring it up without breaking everything into pieces.
The more I thought about the pictures, the more anxious I became to the point where anytime someone would walk into the gym I would spin around and make sure it wasn’t someone with a camera. Mel took me aside at one point and told me to go to the cops, see if they could help, and at least I would have proof of when this all started if it ever escalated. I agreed with her and that’s why I’m currently standing outside a police station.
My hands are shaking and I pull open the front doors and head toward the front desk. It’s empty. My heart is in my throat as I take in the room around me. There are plain cream-colored chairs on either wall and it’s obvious by the state of them that they haven’t been replaced since the eighties. There are posters adorning each wall with slogans like Drugs Kill and If You See Something, Say Something.
As soon as my body starts to calm down, a very cheery female voice echoes behind me. “Can I help you with something?”
I turn, taking her in. If I wasn’t so nervous, I would have burst into laughter. It’s as if someone plucked her right out of a John Hughes movie. At least she fits in with the décor. She cocks her head and raises an eyebrow in my direction.
“I need to talk to someone about pressing charges against a potential stalker?” Just saying the words leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t know if this is a stalker situation, or if it’s just the case of the paparazzi going too far, but I do need to do something about it.
“What are the circumstances surrounding the stalking?” she asks as the pit starts to grow again and for a split second I don’t know if I can do this. She must sense my panic because she tells me to sit in one of the chairs and she’ll come and get me when she finds someone. I give her an appreciative nod as I sit.
It takes less than ten minutes for her to return, smiling from ear to ear, and I notice the uniformed officer by her side. The only thing I can think of when I see him is the fact that he looks like someone put Colonel Sanders into a cop uniform. His white hair and goatee are in stark contrast to his tanned skin, and I find myself smiling despite my nervousness.
“This is Detective Martin, he will be glad to take your statement.”
He gestures for me to follow, and I do, right into his office where he motions for me to sit.
“What can I help you with Miss…”
“Steven. Harper Stevens.”
A flicker of recognition crosses his face, but in a blink, it’s gone.
“Jennie said something about a stalker.”
I explain in as little detail as possible, hoping to avoid more people knowing than necessary. But when he asks to see the photos, I know there’s no avoiding it.
“They were photos of me and my boyfriend in his truck.”
He sits back in his chair and he’s clearly not happy with that answer.
“Okay, but I don’t see any reason for the secrecy, Miss Stevens. If you are serious about pressing charges, I need to know all of the information, no matter how sensitive.”
