The Dare

***

Ring, ring… Ring, ring… Ring, ring…

I pace up and down on the side walk while I wait for Karen to pick up the phone. She is making me wait, probably enjoying me sweating which only leaves me angrier. If she doesn’t pick up soon then I will lose my shit. This has been an unnecessarily stressful enough day without her making it worse.

“Ah, Zack.” She sounds smug as she finally picks up, enraging me more. “Good to hear from you at last.”

Much as I want to scream and shout, I have a plan in place, and I need to keep my cool because of that. I have to force myself not to rise to the bait because I run the risk of making it even harder.

“Yes, well I have had a situation to sort out this morning, and I’m sure you know what…”

“The little porn star, huh?” She giggles loudly. “Yes, after she stormed in to the café all crazy like, I knew that there would be something in the office and I struck gold, didn’t I? I found the money shot.”

“Have you done anything yet?” I need to ask this. “Have you followed through on your threat?”

“Not yet. I’m hoping that she will pay up so I can get my life back in order…”

I don’t want to hear about her life, her bull shit is nothing on me. “I want to meet you.”

“Oh, are you intending to pay me on her behalf? Because that really does make you a gentleman. Although do you really want to waste money on that little slut? Surely, you can do a whole lot better.”

I roll my eyes in irritation. “I don’t need any advice from you, thank you, Karen. Are you interested in hearing me out or not? Because I have a proposal that will definitely help you out.”

“I’m intrigued.” Of course, she is. So, fucking predictable. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t put any of her dedication in to her daughter. But she has had her chance now and she’s blown it. No more. I can walk away with my head held high knowing that I have done everything. “Fine. I will meet you.”

I reel off the address for her to meet me and I step back inside of the building where she will come soon enough. I don’t need to worry because she has money bags in her eyes, and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants. But I am going to get what I want as well. No doubt about it. Karen isn’t going to win here. She has met her match in me.

Chapter 17 – Latesha

I’m shaking. Absolutely trebling, and I can’t stand everyone looking at me like that. They’re staring at me like I have grown an extra head or something, which is kinda how I feel. I suppose to them I have always been the quiet one. Latesha, Zack’s assistant, in the corner never quite socializing with anyone. Not the one who they would ever suspect to make a sex tape on the boss’s computer. My reputation is wrecked.

“I need to go,” I whisper to myself as I grab my hand bag. “I need to get out of here.”

I don’t know if I will ever be able to come back, to be honest. I might need to smash my job interview at the end of the week, so I never have to look at these people again, I never have to see their judgements. They will talk about me behind my back whether I am here or not, so as far as I’m concerned, I might as well not be here to witness it. I won’t get any work done here anyway, Zack said I could go, so why wait?

People who I have worked alongside for a while, but who have never really bothered with me until now, call out my name and try to get me to stay. But since I know they only want the gossip, that this isn’t out of care for me, I ignore them all and keep on running. I race out of the building entirely.

As soon as the cool air washes over me, I grab my cell phone to call Trace because of course she’s my best friend and I need her more than ever right now. I need her advice and help… yet just before I call her, something stops me in my tracks. I don’t know if I should keep dragging Tracey in to this, affecting her work because of the issues that I have drawn up on myself. She doesn’t need this anymore than I do.

I don’t call her. I brought myself in to this. She advised me against making the stupid video, she told me to be careful when going on a date with Zack, and I didn’t listen to her. I knew best and now I have to face the consequences of that alone. I have to deal with whatever comes my way.