No, she won’t do that, he said to himself, his confidence overpowering the concern. It didn’t do away with it completely, nothing ever would, but it did dispel enough of it so that it didn’t dominate his mind. Tomorrow we will get together and have a great time, and, if things work out . . . images from several different porn films followed, his mind attempting to superimpose the two of them upon the people within them.
Maybe.
He knew pushing for sex could prove disastrous, so he would do his best to control himself and let the mood guide things. If you can even read it.
Interpreting signals from women wasn’t really up there among his talents. Even worse was his ability to act upon those interpretations once he did have them figured out.
But at least the opportunity will be there.
This thought put a smile on his face. It also once again brought to light the realization that one never truly knew what each day would bring. At this time yesterday, he had no idea a message would be coming his way. Instead, his thoughts had centered on Nikki and Kimberly and how he might go about helping one and ruining the other. Now . . . well, he didn’t really care all that much about it, though he did think it would probably be in his best interest to continue helping Kimberly.
Who knows, you could go from suddenly having one girl who wants you, to having two girls.
He felt a tingle at the thought, and once again pictured scenes from some of the porn films he had watched, scenes that involved two girls and a guy rather than just one girl and guy.
Yeah, right, in your dreams.
But, you never know . . .
With that he took one last look at the area where Amy and he had been sitting, his mind savoring the time they had shared, and then got into his car.
Now what?
The question stuck in his head for a good minute, a debate on whether he should go home or stay in town appearing.
Eventually the debate led him to his phone where he signed online to see if Kimberly had said anything.
Nothing.
Nikki had stayed silent too.
Go by her house and see if she’s home.
But she might not like that.
In fact, she might find that downright creepy given that she knows you don’t live out here right now.
On Monday, after class, such an impromptu visit could be easily explained and probably accepted. Now, not so much.
Go home.
BEEP!
He looked down at his phone and saw that it was Amy.
THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME THIS AFTERNOON. I CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN TOMORROW. SEE YA SOON!
A warm feeling of happiness filled him and stayed with him all the way back home. It apparently was showing itself because at dinner that night his mother asked him about it. He didn’t share any details, though, not when he knew it would just lead to an endless round of questions about Amy, as well as comments from them that would make him feel like a little kid with his first girlfriend.
9
HE SAYS TO FORWARD HIM THE EMAIL AND HE WILL SEE WHAT HE CAN DO. NO PROMISES THOUGH.
An email address followed.
OK, THANKS, Bill replied.
He waited a few minutes before heading back out, but nothing else arrived, so he grabbed his laptop and started toward Panera. Once there he forwarded the email as Nicole instructed, his phone number included in the message with a note that said he didn’t have easy access to the web. After that a debate on what to do next began, one that involved food. Given the money he had spent earlier he didn’t really want to spend anything else, but at the same time going back home and making some quick noodle dish or a frozen pizza didn’t seem all that appealing.
You could go see Kimberly.
No, that’ll probably just piss her off.
An idea arrived.
What the hell, why not.
Rather than make an instant noodle dish he would have the people at Noodles and Company do it for him. The eating establishment was across the street from Panera. Inside, he ordered a regular bowl of the Pesto Cavatappi to go.
Ten minutes later he was sitting in the parking lot of Steak and Shake, his car positioned so he could see the front door and Kimberly’s car.
Now if only you’d thought of this last night.
If he had chances were he would have been able to see whoever it was that put the pictures on Kimberly’s car, and while it might not have been enough to make a positive ID, he still would have had some idea of who the person was behind all this. If positioned properly he might have even been able to follow the person.
And of course your skills at this would be incredible given how often you, as a writer, have penned scenes detailing such events, his mind chided. That’s always the case when writers get involved in situations like this, right.
He sighed.
In his mind he saw himself following the perpetrator all over the DeKalb area, and maybe even beyond, as they headed back to their lair for the night. In reality he would probably lose them after the second stoplight.
Still, just getting to attempt such action would be better than sitting at home pondering the situation. Add in the chance that the email he had forwarded to Nicole’s roommate’s boyfriend might uncover something useful and it suddenly felt as if progress were being made.
With this thought he opened his noodle dish and began to eat, his eyes constantly scanning the area around Kimberly’s car after each forkful.
No one stirred.
Ten minutes turned to twenty minutes and then to thirty minutes and then . . .
Movement!
Someone cut through the bushes that edged the parking lot and separated it from the Ruby Tuesday establishment, their path choice putting them right up against Kimberly’s car.
Only they continued forward, feet taking them across the parking lot and around the building to the front door, an apron held in one hand, a cell phone in the other.
Bill took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, his adrenaline having spiked. He then told himself that several employees would probably come walking from that direction given that a bus stop was situated just beyond the abandoned bank on the far side of Ruby Tuesdays.
Plus, the perpetrator probably won’t try anything until its dark out, so you might as well get comfortable.
A part of getting comfortable involved repositioning his car so that he didn’t have to constantly look to the right to see Kimberly’s car. Unfortunately doing this made him stand out a bit more since he chose to back into a spot on the opposite side of Kimberly’s car so that he could simply look forward and see it across the lot. Hopefully once darkness fell he would be shielded a bit. Now, however, anyone looking at his car would see him sitting there. This included people inside looking out the windows, though given the position of the sun, he doubted they could see much beyond the glass.
10
Kimberly was having an off evening, her mind too focused on everything that had occurred in the last few days to be able to handle the orders and demands of the customers. Thankfully, she would have a break after tonight, one that would extend until Tuesday evening. It was something she had orchestrated during her first week of work, her thinking being that not having to work on her first day of school would be a blessing so she could focus on getting settled and wouldn’t feel overwhelmed. Ideally, she wouldn’t have worked at all that entire week, but that wasn’t possible.
Only three more hours to go, she said to herself, eyes having settled on the clock. Only three more hours and then . . . what, go out to find a stack of pictures on your car, go home to find your door wide open and a note inside, go home to find Kyle waiting on the front step.
Or maybe nothing will happen, maybe –
“Kim, wake up.”
Kimberly looked at a co-worker named Dale who was working the grill.
“Customers,” Dale said with a nod toward the entrance.
Kimberly turned and sure enough a group of young adults
were waiting to be seated. After them was a young woman by herself, and then another couple.
Once they were all settled, Kimberly hurried back toward the expo area where food was waiting, served it, and then got the drinks for the customers who had ended up in her section. Orders were then placed that she took to Dale. A family then entered that needed to be seated. She took the family to her section since she had the tables for them and took their drink orders. While filling those she caught a glance of a young man staring at her from the doorway. He smiled.
A chill gripped her.
Soda ran over her hand.
Crap! She silently cried while pulling the glass away from the fountain trigger. She then grabbed some napkins to wipe her hands and then the glass before setting it on the tray.
She looked up toward the entrance.
The young man was no longer standing there. He was now sitting in her section, watching her.
Sam, a fellow waiter who only seemed to come in during the weekends, came to the expo area to fill some drinks.
“I have a silly question,” Kimberly said.
“Oh?” he asked.
“That guy that you just seated, why’d you put him in my section?”
“He requested it,” Sam said.
“What?”
“He specifically asked to sit in your section.”
Kimberly didn’t reply.
“What’s wrong?” Sam asked. “He’s not like stalking you or anything, is he?”
You have no idea, Kimberly said to herself. In reply she simply smiled and said, “Who knows?”
“Wait a sec, do you know him?” Concern was now present in Sam’s voice.
“No.”
“Wow, that’s kind of creepy. Let me know if he gives you any trouble.”
“Okay.” She lifted the drink tray. “Thanks.”
If he replied she did not hear it as she brought the drinks to the waiting family. She then took their orders, her mind growing impatient as one of the kids demanded French Fries but his mother said no. While listening to this she glanced at the young man and tried to figure out if he was the one behind all this, or if he had simply been told to come here to see her.
You’ll know soon enough, she told herself and focused back on the family.
“You got all that?” the mother asked.
“Yes,” Kimberly said.
“Read it back, please.”
Kimberly did and the orders were correct, yet this didn’t bring a satisfied look to the mother’s face. Nothing would have. She had run into this type many times while working food service jobs. The look the husband gave her confirmed it; she was the type that enjoyed correcting people. She also would have a complaint once the food was out. Of this, Kimberly was certain. It wouldn’t matter if everything was correct, some error would be found.
Order in hand, Kimberly headed back to the grill area to place it, and then headed over to the young man at the table, her mind trying to figure out how she was going to greet him.
Just be normal as if he is a typical customer.
“Hi, my name is Kimberly. Are you ready to order?”
“Um . . . I’m actually waiting for someone, but, well, could I get a Coke?”
“Oh?” This caught her completely off guard. “Sure.”
Back at the fountain machine she asked Sam, “What did the guy say when he asked to sit in my section?”
“I don’t know, he just asked to sit in your section.” He shrugged.
“Did he ask by name?” She filled the Coke.
“Yeah.”
“Huh.”
“He’s a creep, isn’t he?”
“No, I don’t think so. Just . . .” rather than finish she simply shook her head and headed back to the young man with the Coke.
“Thanks,” he said and took a nervous sip.
Kimberly hesitated and then asked, “Why did you ask to sit in my section?”
“What, oh, um, the girl I’m meeting told me to. She’s a friend of yours actually.”
Kimberly didn’t need to ask to know what the name would be and said, “Let me guess, Nikki?”
“Yes,” he said with a smile. “I’m Malcolm.” Relief appeared. “I have to admit, I thought this all sounded too good to be true, but now, well, I’m really excited. Do you and Nikki do this often?”
“Do what often?” Kimberly asked. She didn’t like where this was going, if it was going in the direction she thought it was.
“You know, take guys like me back to your place after you get off work and . . . well, you know.” His voice had fallen to a soft whisper that she could barely hear, yet that was okay because she knew exactly what was being implied.
“I’m sorry. Malcolm, right?”
He nodded.
“I hate to break it to you, but Nikki isn’t real. Someone has been telling guys stuff like this quite a bit lately and causing me all kinds of trouble.”
His face sank.
“Was it on OK Cupid?”
“No, um, Plenty of Fish.”
Jesus Christ, how many sites are there?
“I – I – “ he shook his head.
“Sorry,” she said again, mind unable to think of anything else to say.
He didn’t reply.
She turned to see if there was food up near the expo area, which there was and quickly said, “I’ll be right back, okay.”
Five minutes passed before she was able to return, the control freak mother having had several issues with the food that she brought, the biggest being that fries had been put on the child’s plate by mistake.
“I’m sorry about that,” Kimberly said with as much sincerity as she could muster. “You won’t be charged for it.”
“We better not be,” the mother said. “Now you take this back and prepare the meal correctly.”
Kimberly agreed even though the burger was fine.
“What’s wrong with it?” Dale asked.
“Wasn’t supposed to have fries,” Kimberly said. “They want an entirely new plate.”
“Are you serious?”
She nodded and then dumped the plate in the trash and then returned to the table and told them it would be a few minutes.
“I knew this would happen,” the mother said. “Every time we come here you screw up our order.”
As far as she could tell Kimberly had never served this family before. She also wanted to know why, if the orders were frequently wrong, they kept coming back. A nod and an apology was all she let leave her lips, however, and then returned to Malcolm’s table. “Did you still want to order something?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“Okay. I’m really sorry about all this.”
“Why? It’s not your fault.”
“Yeah, well . . .” it was all she could say.
“Can I get my check?
“Don’t worry about it, it was just a Coke.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. It’s fine.”
“Thanks,” he muttered while standing, the word sounding stale.
Kimberly nodded and watched as he left the restaurant an inner statement on how this really needed to end flowing through her head. The familiar question of WHY appeared as well, but like all the times she had asked it since this had started, no solid answer arrived.
11
As expected the envelopment of darkness brought about a sense of relief as Bill sat and watched Kimberly’s car, his mind feeling less exposed than it had during the first half of his watch. Not that anyone had probably even noticed him. People always felt as if they were the focus of everyone around them, but the truth was that they probably didn’t make much of an impact at all. In fact, if asked, most would have a difficult time describing anything beyond the gender of the people they had met during the day, unless something significant had occurred during that meeting. Even then, the details surrounding the event would probably be a bit fuzzy.
Still, the darkness brought comfort and a more relaxed
atmosphere to what he was doing, as well as a certainty that the time of something occurring was near.
If something is going to happen.
Given the frequency of the torments he was sure something would, the only problem was he didn’t know if he was in the right location to witness it. Just because pictures were left on the car the other night didn’t necessarily mean pictures would be left tonight. Something else could unfold, something involving the house.
You might have been better off sitting in the bushes.
Actually, he wouldn’t have lasted twenty minutes out there, not with all the mosquitoes and slithery creatures that liked to prowl the area. Hell, just cutting the grass was sometimes a spooky ordeal given the snakes. In fact, after stepping on one during his first lawn mowing adventure he had started leaving the mower running in the middle of the yard for five minutes before cutting it, just so all the creatures would scatter from the noise. Every now and then he still would encounter a snake, though, and while they weren’t poisonous given their type, they still freaked him out.
Besides, if the person behind all this enjoyed watching Kimberly whenever a torment unfolded, then following Kimberly was the best chance at catching them in the act. And since the person had told Kimberly to meet Nikki here at her own work via the fake profile Kimberly had set up, chances were they would be watching.
But how will you know it’s them?
What if they don’t do anything to the car and simply leave?
No answers arrived.
All he could do was wait and see.
He looked at his laptop while doing this and considered turning it on to see if he could hook into any free wireless services offered by the local businesses, but then vetoed the idea for two reasons. First, he knew he would get completely hooked and would probably miss anything that unfolded with Kimberly’s car. Second, given the darkness the light from the screen would illuminate the inside of the car, and would be hard for people to ignore, especially if they were the type that looked around the parking lot first to see if anyone was watching what they did to a certain car.
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