Teach me to trust

30. Proof

The rest of my shift passed in a blur after I found the footage. The image of that woman slipping something into JD's drink and then sitting there, watching him drink it, knowing what would happen has been spinning around in my head.

Every brunette I saw in the bar afterwards made me feel physically sick and I couldn't help staring at each of them until I was sure it wasn't her. I know I probably terrified most of the customers but I couldn't help it.

Lucky for me it was still busy and neither Sam or Ryan noticed, all three of us running around each other to serve as fast as we could. The tips were good tonight, which I'm grateful for, that way I can put some more money towards getting my car serviced.

The thought of my car brought me back to Nate and then to JD, and my lip quivered.

I got home around an hour ago and I sit here now alone, staring into space and thinking about how on Earth I'm supposed to tell JD what I've seen. How can I tell this man that he was, in fact spiked and taken home by some random woman?

I can't bear to think about his reaction. It was bad enough when I told him about the possibility of being spiked, but now, this footage was undeniable proof.

I made sure to forward the footage onto myself before closing the windows so Sam couldn't watch what I had just found. If at any point we needed to use it as evidence, I would ask JD before talking to Sam.

Fuck

I drop my head into my hands, gripping at the root of my hair and running through my options. My limited options.

I have to tell JD myself. There's no way I can pass this information on to anybody else first, that is completely unfair on them and him. He needs to know.

I lean back on the couch and drop my head to rest on the cushions behind me, taking deep breaths to relax myself. Not that I'll be able to sleep. I lift my arm and rest it over my eyes when I hear a knock at the front door.

I sit up and frown, checking my phone for the time and becoming more confused when I see that it's three am.

Who the fuck?

I walk hesitantly to my door and regret not picking up a weapon on the way, making sure it's locked before I shout to whover is outside.

"Who is it?" and I hear a shuffle on the pavement outside, coming closer to the door and I habe the urge to hold my breath, despite the fact that they clearly know I'm here.

"Em? It's me. JD" and my breath comes out of me in a sharp burst. JD?

I unlock my door and swing it open, finding JD stood in front of me, wearing black joggers and a black hoody. Hood pulled up over his buzzcut head and his hands are in his pocket, timid smile on his face and an apprehensive look in his eyes.

"I need to talk to you" he mumbles, and I step back to let him in, locking the door behind him and walking into the living room to sit down. Fighting the rising feeling of nerves inside of me now that he's here in front of me.

JD comes to sit next to me on the couch and clears his throat, leaning forward and leaning his forearms on top of his knees, head tilted slightly towards me.

"Were you at work tonight?" he asks and I nod, then realise he isn't looking directly at me yet, then verbally respond.

"Did you get to talk to Sam?" he asks me and I realise now what he's here for. He wants to know if I found anything and I feel my lip quivering again.

"I did. I uh, I checked the footage" I tell him quietly and he turns his head to look at me now, the question is clear in his eyes but he asks anyway.

"Did you find her?" and I hesitate for a moment, his eyes burning into me as we sit looking at each other.

I nod at him and I can see the fear growing on his face, sweet JD.

"Look JD I don't know if-" and he stops me, putting his hand on mine and sending me a small smile, so contained and unlike the fun loving JD I know.

"I just need you to be honest with me now, ok? I know you'll always be honest with me" and he clears his throat, waiting for me to continue on with my next words.

I take a deep breath to steady myself for what I need to say to him, and I find myself glad that this responsibility has fallen to me. I would hate for any of his other friends to have to be in this position.

"Of course, of course" I sit up now,

"I found her. I saw you two together at the bar and I recognised her as the girl you were with when we left" and he nods to show me that he's listening to what I'm telling him and I carry on,

"I watched for a while, the two of you were chatting at the bar and you turned away to talk to somebody next to you and uh, she-she" I hang my head and clear my throat, lifting it again to look at JD,

"She put something in your drink" and I think I see him stop breathing at the words staring at me in shock and I think some sense of doubt, but I don't blame him.

He shakes his head and leans back on the couch next to me, hands resting on his knees as he stares ahead of him, processing the information I've just given him.

"Fuck, so she did spike me then. Shit. What am I supposed to do now?" he turns to look at me as if I have all the answers, as if I can fix whatever is happening.

I wish I could.

"You do whatever feels right JD. Do you want to go to the police? We might not be able to say if anything happened when you got home but we know she slipped you something" and his face crumbles as though he's just realised something.

"Nobody will believe me" he whispers out, his face pale and his eyes turn to me, tears brimming and my heart breaks for him. I open my mouth to comfort him but he continues,

"All we have is our word for it. We don't know her name, or where she is, or if she's even from around here. We have no proof" his words catch in his throat,

"What if she does this to someone else? Someone who doesn't have friends like I do" a tear escapes him at these words and I almost join him when I remember something, grabbing onto his arm to get his attention.

"JD. We have proof" I tell him and he looks positively confused, as if I'm speaking a foreign language and he shakes his head in disbelief.

I hold my phone up, not unlocked yet and wave it at him,

"I took a picture of her face from the CCTV. I forwarded the video to myself in case it got deleted from the system. I have it all right here" and the laugh he lets out mends one of the cracks in my heart, leaning forward to grip my arms his eyes dart between my own,

"Emily, tell me you're not joking right now" he shakes me, laughing again as my own smile rises on my face.

"I've got it JD. If you want to report her, I have the proof we need. Just say the word" and he tugs me towards him, squeezing me so tight that I struggle for breath but I could care less right now.

I wrap my arms around him and squeeze him back, rubbing his back and reassuring him that I've got him, whatever he needs. He pulls back and grabs my cheeks, squishing them together in his hands and planting a kiss on my forehead,

"You beautiful genius. I fucking love you" he laughs and throws himself back on the couch, tilting his head to look at me with conviction.

"Let's get this fucking bitch"