Change My Ways

*Three Months Later*

Elody’s POV

I enter the coffee shop, and see Brian waiting for me at a table. I smile at him, and go up to the counter, to order my drink. I head over to the table, and sit down across from him.

“Good morning, sunshine.” He smiles at me.

“Good morning, Brian.”

We’ve been doing this for weeks now, ever since I got my new job. Brian was the first person I called, after getting offered the job. We’ve grown closer, since then. Every morning, we meet here at this same place, and have coffee together, before I go to the office. It’s refreshing to have someone to just talk to about anything and everything. I can’t even talk to Juliet like that, she’s really not a good listener. I’ve realized, over the past few weeks, how great of a listener Brian is.

“Anything new today?” He asks.

“Not really. I’m still just getting used to everything, you know? It’s completely different than working for Mr. Walden.”

“I’m sure that’s a good thing, though, right?”

“Yeah. Walden could’ve been a great boss, had he not been such a perv.” Brian laughs.

“I can think of some better names to call him.”

“How was your day yesterday? I’m sorry I never got back to you, after work.” The waitress brings my drink to me, and I take a sip, still looking at Brian for an answer.

“Don’t worry about it. The day was great, mainly practicing, and going over songs that we are going to play on our upcoming tour.”

“Oh. I keep forgetting about the tour. When is it again?”

“It’s exactly two weeks away. So we have until then to keep up our coffee dates.”

“Good, I need my caffeine.” I smile, and take another sip.

“Or we could try going on a real date, sometime…” He runs a hand through his hair, nervously, and I laugh.

“Are you asking me out, Brian?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Have you looked at yourself? You’re gorgeous. You’re a hardworking, independent woman. Who wouldn’t want to take you out on a date?” I blush.

“You have a point.” He laughs.

“Not to mention, your confidence is outstanding.”

“What can I say?” I smile.

“Elody, would you want to go out on a date with me?” He asks, seriously.
“Of course I would.”

“Great. Is tonight too soon?”

“No. Tonight sounds amazing.”

“How about I pick you up at seven?”

“Sounds great. Where will we be going?”

“Well, I haven’t exactly planned it out, but I think it’s better left as a surprise, anyway.” He grins.

“You’re so sneaky.” I check my phone for the time. “Oh, I have to get going, or I’ll be late. I’ll see you at seven?”

“Seven.”

--

I arrive home later, to find an envelope in the mailbox. It’s addressed to me, but I notice it doesn’t have a return address. I find this odd, but I take the letter with me into the house, anyway. I sit it on the counter, and debate on opening it now, or later. I decide to open it now. As I reach my hand inside, I come across hard plastic. I pull out a thumb drive. I open the envelope, to look inside it, but that’s all that was in there. I hold the drive in my hands, turning it over, looking for clues as to what information it might hold. There’s nothing on it anywhere that gives me any idea. I decide to plug it into my computer, and see what’s on it. I flip open my computer, and plug the drive into one of the USB ports. The screen pops up, showing that there is a video on it, so I click it. What I see next, makes me want to get sick.

It’s Liam Walden, and his friend Henry. They’re leading me toward the back of some pickup truck. I can’t tell where the video was taken, it’s too dark to tell. The camera follows us, as the two of them get me into the back of this truck. I’m wearing a dress that I’ve only ever worn once in my life, to Liam’s birthday celebration, a few years back. He asked me to join him and his buddies for some drinks after work, and I agreed, knowing I shouldn’t, but I liked Liam, he was cute, and I thought he liked me, too. He told me that Henry, one of my coworkers, and a good friend of his, and Roy, another of his friends, would be joining us. I thought it was just going to be the four of us having some drinks, innocently. I guess I was wrong.

I focus back on the video. I’m lying in the bed of this truck, as Liam slips off my dress, revealing my matching black bra and panties. I bought them specifically for that night, thinking that Liam and I would be alone, at some point in time. I had no clue he was married, at the time, he never wore a ring. He kisses up and down my chest, as his friends take off their shirts. He moves away as Henry positions himself between my legs, proceeding to slip of my panties, and bra.

I close my eyes; it’s killing me to watch this, right now, because I can’t remember any of this happening. I think back to that night, again. I remember having drinks with them, but I don’t remember ever leaving the bar. I just remember waking up the next morning, in my bed, like any other morning. I know that I had to have been drugged, to not remember any of this. I open my eyes, and force myself to watch the rest of the video. When it’s over, I don’t even bother to remove the flash drive, I simply shut the computer. I take it to my bedroom, and place it under my bed. I can’t have Juliet, or anyone else finding this.

The rest of the afternoon, my mind keeps drifting back to that video. I thought Liam was in jail, how could he have sent this to me? He couldn’t have had that flash drive on him in jail. I can’t help but replay the video in my head, over and over again. But the thing that really gets me is how the video just cuts off at the end. It’s like whoever sent it to me is saving the rest for later.

Notes

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