The Road Less Traveled (Editing)

Chapter 13

Playlist:
With You Around by Yellowcard
Have Faith in Me by A Day To Remember
She Ain't You by New Hollow
Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

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   Sure enough, a white iPhone charger was plugged into the wall by the kitchen table. I grabbed it and made my way back out of the kitchen as Hero, Noah, and Iris chatted over their breakfast. My stomach rumbled and I hope there would be enough left for me by the time I finished my calls. I plugged my phone in by the window and scrolled through my contacts until I clicked an all too familiar contact.
   "Detective Aaron Rodriguez speaking". The deep voice answered on the second ring.
   "Hi Detective Rodriguez, this is Virginia Blake." I began.
   "Oh hey Virginia, is everything all right?" He asked, professional concern in his voice.
   "Yeah, I'm fine, but I needed to make a report."
   "Alright, I'm out of the office right now, so let me grab a pen. I can make an unofficial report right now, but we should formalize it later at the station"
   "Okay, sounds good to me," I said, familiar with the procedure by now. "So last night I went out with some friends. We went to the club five-oh-three for dancing, and when I was there dancing with Harrison, I ran into Ian." I said, hearing detective Rodriguez scratching away at the paper as he wrote what I said.
   "Did you speak with him?" He asked.
   "I wouldn't say 'speak', but I did scream at him to let me go." I said. I was long past any awkwardness with Detective Rodriguez. He was familiar with all the nasty information in my file, and one of the few people in the system that actually seemed to give a shit.
   "He touched you?" He asked sharply, professionalism replaced by avuncular concern.
   "Yes, he reached out and grabbed my shoulder when I was dancing with Harrison, and then when I tried to get away from him he grabbed my arm." I said, rubbing the spot he had grabbed, trying to recall with as much detail what all had transpired last night.
   "Were there any witnesses?" Detective Rodriguez asked anxiously.
   I rubbed my hand over my eyes, "Harrison, Dani, and our friend Hero."
   "Dammit. Testimony from two biased witnesses won't be worth much. The other guy could be useful. But first I'll call the club and ask if they've got surveillance footage. What happened after that?"
   "My friends got club security and they threw him out, I think. Then my friends and I left and went home. I wasn't exactly in a fit state for a fun time after that."
   "Understandable. Are you at your apartment?"
   "No, my friends thought it was sketchy that he was at the club. We hadn't been there in ages, it wasn't our usual place, I didn't post about it on social media or anything, and I haven't had any contact with him, although I'm pretty sure I saw his truck outside my apartment building a few night ago." I confessed.
   "It's good that you aren't home then. I'm going to call the club now and talk to their security. Maybe we can get proof or an eyewitness statement. Are you still at your friends house?" He asked.
   "Yes. I was planning to call Harrison and head back to my place soon though."
   "Okay. How about I meet you there and I can get Harrison's statement. Does an hour and a half work for you?" He asked.
   "Yeah, that should be plenty of time." I agreed.
   "See you there." He said, and hung up. I lowered my phone and dialed my parents number, hoping to get ahold of them.
   "Hello?" My brothers voice rang through the phone after about four rings.
   "Hey Zack, are mom and dad around?" I asked.
   "Yeah, they're in the kitchen hold up," he said, and I could hear him walking through our house. "Here ya go." He said.
   "Virginia? Hey baby what's up?" My mom's voice echoed through the phone.
   "Hey Momma, not much, just wanted to call home." I said, thinking the best way to broach the subject.
   "How did that behavioral ecology exam go? I know you were worried about it." She asked, plates clinking in the background.
   "I think it went alright. Out of the forty-nine questions there were about ten or twelve I didn't know off the top of my head, but I managed to work through them, so hopefully it will turn out alright."
  "Fingers crossed," my mom said, "how's Harrison?"
   "She's good," I began "She and I actually went out last night."
   "You did?" My mom asked, sounding optimistic. I felt awful for what I was about to tell her, but after everything had gone down last year I had sworn not to keep any more secrets from her or my father.
   "Yeah it was actually pretty great, but uh-" I trailed off. Her mom intuition kicked in so loud I could practically hear it.
   "Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker." My mom said. "Say hi to your dad."
   "Hey Dad." I said, groaning internally. Might as well rip it off like a band aid. "So while Harrison and I were out last night, we ran into Ian." I said in a rush.

Silence.

"That son of a bitch!" My father swore.
   "Dad, it's fine, Dani, Harrison, the guys, they were all there, it was in public, and nothing happened. Our friend Hero was next to me the entire time, he's not a small guy either and Ian backed off. Got thrown out and we went home. Nothing happened, and I already called Detective Rodriguez and everything. He's meeting me at our apartment to take our statements." I said, hoping this would soothe them.
   "What good is a restraining order of he can walk right through it?" My dad raged, and I could hear my mom shushing him.
   "What did Detective Rodriguez say? Can they do anything this time?" She said, her voice laced with worry. It broke my heart. Hero poked his head out of the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at me, throwing me a questioning thumbs up.
I nodded at him, then turned back to the window.  "Well, he said he's going to call the club and see if there's surveillance footage we can use. I didn't ask for more details, but I will when I meet him at the apartment."
   "Meet him at the apartment? Where are you now?" My mom asked, alarmed.
   I chewed my lip, "Dani's friend's house, it's a couple of guys we know from the music scene. Noah Lee and Hero West. They're nice guys. We worried if Ian went to my place he'd see me there, and we were worried he'd check Dani's place next so, instead of an Airbnb, the guys offered we stay here with them. Don't worry though, Iris came with me." I explained.
   "Alright. Please tell them thank you for us." My mom said.
   "Are you alright?" My dad asked.
   "I'm a bit shaken up." I admitted. "But I had a long talk with Iris last night, and I feel a bit better. I'm upset it happened, but I'm not going to let it keep ruining my life. I'm ready to start over." I said, rubbing at my scalp in frustration.
   "Well, if you've called Detective Rodriguez, all we can do now is wait. You've still got the pepper spray on your keychain though?" My mom asked.
   "Yes ma'am." I said.
   "Find my iPhone?" My dad asked.
   "And the 24 hour ping from my last location after my battery dies." I assured him.
   "Well, that's the best we can do. Are you headed home soon?"
   "Yes sir. Meeting Detective Rodriguez in about an hour and a half."
   I could hear my parents discussing the situation, and I cleared my throat.
   "Look, I'm not scared or in danger, but I just wanted to update you guys. Please don't let it bother you. We've taken all the necessary precautions already. Don't let this ruin your day though." I begged.
   "Well, I won't say the day is or isn't ruined, but I'm proud of you for being so strong." My dad said, and I felt a lump rise in my throat.
  "We're just worried for you sweetheart." My mom said.
   "I know you are, but please try to relax. We're handling it." I promised.
   "Okay," My mom said reluctantly.
   "What are your plans for the rest of the week?" She asked, and I appreciated her trying to steer the conversation back to normal topics. All I wanted was normal. I hated calling my parents with dire news that kept them up at night, but I refused to lie to them. I had lied to them long enough about Ian, trying to hide the situation in the first place, and it had blown up in my face. I wasn't stupid enough to make that mistake again.
   After another fifteen minutes of talking to my parents, assuring them I was happy, healthy, and fine, I ended the phone call with promises to call soon and a lot of 'I love yous' and made my way back to the kitchen.
   To my delight, a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon was sitting in the microwave to keep warm for me. I plopped down at the table with the others and dug in. When I had finished, Iris looked me over.
   "So, how'd the phone calls go?" She asked.
   I shrugged. "Well enough. Need to meet Detective Rodriguez at the apartment in about and hour."
   "Detective Rodriguez?" Hero asked confused.
   "The detective on my case." I said briefly. Amazing how casually I could discuss the situation now.
   "Have you texted Harrison yet?"
   "Yeah, told her when to meet up. She asked if I needed a ride back."
   "I can take you back to your place." Hero offered.
   I hesitated. The tension between us had abated, but I didn't want to push it. "I mean, Harrison and Dani can come get me, it's not a big deal."
   "Neither is it for me to drop you off. I've got errands to run anyways and Noah is going the opposite direction with Iris right?"
   Iris and Noah nodded. "See? It's easier this way." Hero rolled his eyes.
   "Fine." I agreed.

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A/N: The good stuff is coming y'all!