Privacy Breach

It was like any other typical, boring day in the life of Eric Mason. It was nearing the end of his shift as a barista for the local coffee shop here in Sandpoint, Idaho when something, or someone, caught his attention. The glimmer of hope and eagerness in this young woman’s eyes as she sat nervously at a table for two. Now Eric immediately assumed that she was meeting someone here, a possible interview of sorts, he pondered. He is not typically a people watcher, in public that is, but something about the almost innocent, childlike, aura that surrounded her made him feel a deep connection that he could not seem to shake. “Ouch, damnit” he said, as he quickly sat down a scolding hot cup of coffee, he accidentally overfilled. “Eric, pay attention, we don’t have time for this” his annoyed manager spoke as she shuffled rapidly behind the counter. Eric shook his head, gaining his wits about him, and continued about his duties.

Eric was finishing his shift when he noticed that same woman, that had previously caught his eye, was still here, only now, with a male companion. A pang of jealously crept up his spine. Odd he thought, considering he did not even know her, but oh how he wanted to. He watched her get up from the small, intimate, table, and exit behind the man she had just spent hours with. Throwing her cup in the trash along the way. Before he could even fathom what was happening, he was elbow deep in the trash can pulling out the cup that was just thrown away. Holly he saw written in black sharpy along the side of the paper cup.

The sound of a car door shutting snapped him out of a trance like state. He saw her getting into the driver side of a white jeep. A feeling of relief swept over him as he realized the man that she was with was not accompanying her. In almost robotic like movements, Eric exited the coffee shop, still wearing his apron, got in his car, and followed behind who he now knows as Holly. She pulled off onto the main road. Before Eric could get behind her, a silver chevy truck cut him off. “What the hell?” Thought Eric, genuinely confused as he continued following her a car behind. It wasn’t until 10 minutes later that it dawned on him. This was the man she was with, following her home. Disappointment and rage swept over him. “What a naïve girl” he thought as he watched them walk into her home, hand in hand. He pulled over on the side of the road, across the street where he had a perfect view of the two through her living room window. He was entranced. Envisioning him being the one enjoying her soft touch as her hand danced along his arm as he spoke. “Oh Holly” he groaned softly to himself.

Eric began to move his hand down towards the button of his pants. Just as he was about to give into temptation, Holly shut the curtains, blocking any outside view. An irritated groan escaped Eric’s mouth. The man left two whole hours later. Eric could have left. He should have left. But he didn’t. It was now evening, about 5:30pm but it being October, it was already pitch black outside when Eric made the compulsive decision to be standing just feet outside Holly’s window. He truly could not help himself. Holly was none the wiser. She began slowly slipping out of her clothes, excited to take a nice relaxing bath to end the day she had.

Holly exited her bedroom, naked. Eric naturally assumed she would be entering the bathroom for some time. “Wash off that filth from earlier,” he snickered to himself. He didn’t waste any time, he went right up to the window in attempts at opening it. To his surprise it opened instantly. An evil grin crept over his face. He was in and out before Holly exited her bathroom. Yet, an uneasy feeling washed over her. She looked around, making sure everything was how she left it, and it was. She just could not shake the feeling of being watched. “I’m just being silly,” she whispered to herself, but still going around locking all the windows and shutting all the blinds before entering her bed. Little did she know, it was a little too late for that.

Eric was long gone, eager to get home. Speeding through the evening traffic, weaving in and out of lanes. He barely put his car in park before exiting his vehicle and entering through his front door in a matter of seconds. He paused only to lock the door behind him, he knew better, before entering his bedroom door. He kept the lights off as he switched on his monitor. Ten screens lit up, taking space of the entire back wall. There, on each monitor, showed ten different women going about their business in their own homes. Living their lives, unbeknownst to them, completely and utterly exposed.