don’t you say she’s your girlfriend?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just tell everyone she’s your girlfriend. You’ve got every right to film your girlfriend surely. You can say that the tape was just for personal use but that your ex-girlfriend stole it out of spite. Turn it around so that she is the bad one – which she is, by the way.”
“But she’s not my girlfriend.”
“Well, just pretend. Maybe speak to her. Tell her what happened. Pay for her to be your girlfriend for a while. Then the two of you can break up eventually and the whole thing can be put at rest.”
James looked at Elton, considering the idea. “You know what, it’s not a bad idea at all. It’s not the best idea either, but it may be the only one I have right now. And you won’t say anything?”
Elton looked at him as if he were crazy. “Of course I won’t. I’m your oldest and dearest friend. Although, I wouldn’t say no to a new car.” He grinned at James.
“A new car? You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“James! I’m kidding! I don’t want a new car. You’re my friend.”
“Thanks, Elton. Seriously.”
“Now, you better go get that girl and ask her if she’ll help you before more people find out. I’ll leave you to it.”
As soon as Elton left, James felt as if he were going to have a panic attack. He quickly went onto the computer and typed his name into the search engine. Sure enough, the video was the first thing that came up. James hadn’t even watched it himself yet.
He started to watch it and became transfixed by the girl in the video again. Lilah Delilah. She sure was beautiful. He felt a sudden pang for her and an immediate sense of guilt for what he had done.
But then he shrugged – surely she’d be fine with the plan. If she was a stripper, it meant either she needed the money or that something like a video of herself on the internet wouldn’t bother her at all.
Perhaps she’d even want the video to be out – he’d met many girls like that in the past. He wondered how much he’d have to pay to keep her from saying anything. But he didn’t mind – he had enough money to get himself out of any situation. James didn’t have her number, so he put on his coat and rushed to Betsy’s.
The same woman greeted him at the door. “You’re back,” she said, smiling at him.
“Is Lilah here?” He was completely out of breath.
She smiled at him. “Don’t you want to come in and have a drink first? The girls have just finished their dance.”
“Uh… no… I’m sorry but I really want to see Lilah again. I’d… uh… I’d like to take her home.”
“Same treatment as last time then? Can I just charge it to your card, sir?”
“You can. I’ll wait outside for her.”
“Okay, sure. She’ll be out soon.” The woman looked at him strangely for a second and then hurried back inside. It was her job to remain discreet, but it was obvious that she was wondering why he was acting so strangely. He could picture her going in and telling Lilah that she must have made a great impression the other night. He wondered if Lilah would be happy or annoyed that he had come back for her.
“James.”
James turned around when he heard his name and saw the beautiful Lilah standing in front of him. “Lilah Delilah.” He smiled at her.
She laughed, “Is that what you’re calling me now?”
“Yeah. I can’t decide which name I like better, so I figured I’d use both. Thanks for joining me again.”
“No problem at all. Thanks for having me.” She took his hand, and the two
“What do you mean?”
“Just tell everyone she’s your girlfriend. You’ve got every right to film your girlfriend surely. You can say that the tape was just for personal use but that your ex-girlfriend stole it out of spite. Turn it around so that she is the bad one – which she is, by the way.”
“But she’s not my girlfriend.”
“Well, just pretend. Maybe speak to her. Tell her what happened. Pay for her to be your girlfriend for a while. Then the two of you can break up eventually and the whole thing can be put at rest.”
James looked at Elton, considering the idea. “You know what, it’s not a bad idea at all. It’s not the best idea either, but it may be the only one I have right now. And you won’t say anything?”
Elton looked at him as if he were crazy. “Of course I won’t. I’m your oldest and dearest friend. Although, I wouldn’t say no to a new car.” He grinned at James.
“A new car? You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“James! I’m kidding! I don’t want a new car. You’re my friend.”
“Thanks, Elton. Seriously.”
“Now, you better go get that girl and ask her if she’ll help you before more people find out. I’ll leave you to it.”
As soon as Elton left, James felt as if he were going to have a panic attack. He quickly went onto the computer and typed his name into the search engine. Sure enough, the video was the first thing that came up. James hadn’t even watched it himself yet.
He started to watch it and became transfixed by the girl in the video again. Lilah Delilah. She sure was beautiful. He felt a sudden pang for her and an immediate sense of guilt for what he had done.
But then he shrugged – surely she’d be fine with the plan. If she was a stripper, it meant either she needed the money or that something like a video of herself on the internet wouldn’t bother her at all.
Perhaps she’d even want the video to be out – he’d met many girls like that in the past. He wondered how much he’d have to pay to keep her from saying anything. But he didn’t mind – he had enough money to get himself out of any situation. James didn’t have her number, so he put on his coat and rushed to Betsy’s.
The same woman greeted him at the door. “You’re back,” she said, smiling at him.
“Is Lilah here?” He was completely out of breath.
She smiled at him. “Don’t you want to come in and have a drink first? The girls have just finished their dance.”
“Uh… no… I’m sorry but I really want to see Lilah again. I’d… uh… I’d like to take her home.”
“Same treatment as last time then? Can I just charge it to your card, sir?”
“You can. I’ll wait outside for her.”
“Okay, sure. She’ll be out soon.” The woman looked at him strangely for a second and then hurried back inside. It was her job to remain discreet, but it was obvious that she was wondering why he was acting so strangely. He could picture her going in and telling Lilah that she must have made a great impression the other night. He wondered if Lilah would be happy or annoyed that he had come back for her.
“James.”
James turned around when he heard his name and saw the beautiful Lilah standing in front of him. “Lilah Delilah.” He smiled at her.
She laughed, “Is that what you’re calling me now?”
“Yeah. I can’t decide which name I like better, so I figured I’d use both. Thanks for joining me again.”
“No problem at all. Thanks for having me.” She took his hand, and the two
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