When Zoey and Harry find themselves both calling the same hotel home for an extended time, a friendship begins. A connection that started from convenience is fueled by alcohol, drugs, trauma, music and fun. How will this intense relationship end?
*...
Damn, damn, damn. I didn't even know this woman's name and I was already feeling a bit.....star struck by her. Over the last few days since I checked into this hotel I had casually crossed paths with her or seen her around. In line for coffee, chatting with staff, laying on a couch in the lobby reading. Each time I observed her I found myself smiling, and it seemed like everyone around her generally found themselves doing the same.
For example, when I got to the hotel gym this morning before leaving for the studio, she as there doing yoga. She wore large headphones and seemed to be deep into her session so I left her be, going to a treadmill across the gym to run. During my run, my back was to the rest of the gym and I was engrossed in the morning's soundtrack that was blaring from my own headphones. By the time an hour had passed and I turned back around to find a towel for my sweat, she was still there. She had an older gentleman, probably in his mid-60's or 70's, bent into the warrior one pose. She was helping him with his form while they shared words and smiles. Her headphones were laid to the side of her yoga mat, which she was now sharing with him. I looked her up and down, from her bare feet to her oversized college t shirt with bike shorts barely peaking out from underneath. Her legs were incredible, I had to force my head to turn away. I pictured her welcoming the unsuspecting man to try her work out, maybe he had asked about it, and I smiled to myself. I would have fought irritation if my workout was interrupted, but I guess not this particular girl.
I caught her eye to give her a small smile as I left the gym to head to the studio, and she nodded back to me with a grin as she shared the next pose with her new friend. I think I have pictured that grin about 25 times throughout the day today while writing and dicking around on guitar with my band. Time seemed to drone on forever, and I had trouble sinking into the right headspace. I think everyone could sense my unsettled mood, and we called it a day early.
As I finally walked back into the hotel lobby this evening, desperate for some tea or a glass of wine, I immediately saw the girl living in my brain all day right in front of me. She was walking from one of the hallways that extended on each side of the reception desk, approaching the desk from the side. I got close enough to be within ear's range as the female clerk I recently met named May walks over towards her. She hoists herself up high on the counter, leaning over far enough to kiss May on the cheek and tell her "Thank you! It's literally perfect!" with an enthusiastic smile. May smiled back and blew her a kiss, before walking back to the customer she had been helping.
The woman shimmied back off the desk and let her feet drop to the ground, walking towards me as I stood now waiting for the elevator. It opened, and I stepped inside, holding the door as I waited for her to reach the elevator as well. She jogged casually into the elevator, thanking me with a smile as she blew out a long breath. I pressed the button for 13 and asked her what number floor she needed, she mumbled also 13 while looking down to her phone. Floor 13 was the residential suites, so possibly a longer stay for her as well? Interesting.
I took this as a sign and decided it was time to introduce myself. As the elevator glided silently upwards, I cleared my throat and turned toward her. As I was about to open my mouth, the elevator jolted and slammed to a stop. The lights flashed off with a "POP" and it was pitch black.
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Zoey's POV
Son of a BITCH I hate elevators. I have always hated elevators. They are little moving boxes of doom. They're held up by strings. What the hell kind of idiot made elevators? Am I breathing? Can I breath? Am I dying?
"Cool cool cool cool cool cool" I hear the guy behind me mumbling in his deep, British accent. I turn and look back but see nothing but darkness. With a click and buzzing noise, as if on cue, the dim emergency lights click on and there is a small amount of visibility inside the box of death. I am looking towards the man, and as the lights come up the discomfort on his face is instant. "Are you ok?" He asks me gently, take a step forward towards me.
"DON'T MOVE. The elevator might drop! The string could break!" I stutter out, holding out my arms to him with my palms spread. He froze in place, as if I were Elsa and my hands just cast a spell on him.
"So no, definitely not ok." He mumbles with a laugh. I narrow my eyes at him but smile. I may be over-reacting a little, but I can't help it. Elevators have been a fear of mine for my entire life, I rarely even take them unless I have to. "Lets just give it a few minutes, I'm sure we'll be moving again in no time." He tries to reassure me, very kindly. I scoff.
"OR we will plummet to our deaths, the last thing either of us doing in life being pissing our pants in an elevator" I ramble, wide eyed.
"I'm most likely not going to piss my pants." he deadpans, seriously, sliding his hands into his pockets and pulling out his phone.
"No one plans to piss their pants, don't be so cocky." I smirk.
"I have no service in here, do you?" he looks up at me from his phone. I open my screen and my heart sinks.
"Nope, none. Fuck. We are so fucked."
"We aren't fucked, calm down, I'm sure there is an emergency service phone in here somewhere.." He moves towards the panel of buttons and information, after a few moments of surveying the areas he locates a small button and pops open a hidey-hole with a red phone inside.
"Thank fuck, we're saved. You're an angel!" I laugh as I watch him lift the headset and bring it to his ear. He keeps his face blank as he listens, then reaches down to click the only button on the phone a few times. A slow moment passes as he holds the phone to his head with slightly raised eyebrows. "What are they saying? Is it ringing?"
He cringes visibly before trying the button a few more times. "You are really not going to like this.." he softly shakes his head as he looks at me with a face I would find hilarious if I weren't panicked. He is dreading telling me something. "The phone seems to be dead, love." I take a step forward, reaching for the phone as I do. He passes it to me and I press it harshly to my ear and listen to the silence. I click the button a few times before hollering into the clearly non-functioning piece of equipment.
"IS ANYONE THERE!? AM I GOING TO DIE HERE?" I can feel my breathing getting faster as I yell, then drop the phone back onto the base. I sink down to the ground and push myself back until I'm leaning against the wall. I rest my head down on my knees, feeling my chest rapidly rising and falling. The lack of oxygen in my head was increasing and I was feeling faint as I fought to breath. The man hunched down in front of me, looking at me worriedly, studying me and clearly catching my breathing patterns.
"Are you having a panic attack? Look at me, try to slow down you'r breathing if you can and look into my eyes." He slowly reached out and took my hands in his large, soft ones. It was immensely comforting immediately. "This elevator was made to safely hold 20 people, the huge cables that hold us up are strong and safe, we are not going to drop. There will be no dropping elevators, ok?" He dropped one of my hands and used his finger to lift my chin, forcing me to look into his insanely green eyes. "Repeat after me: we are not going to drop."
"We are not going to drop." I whisper, looking into his eyes and feeling my momentary panic settling. "Thank you, I'm sorry. You are actually making me feel much better." I admit, looking down to my feet and shuffling them back and forth a little on the tacky elevator carpet. "I MAY have overreacted a little" I grimace as I quietly admit it. I sneak a look back up at him, surprised to see him smiling down at me.
"No way, I didn't even notice." He causally tosses back to me with a wink, releasing my other hand and resting back on his butt before sliding back until he was leaning on the opposite wall of the elevator. "Someone will realize we are here before long. It's the only elevator on this side of the hotel."
"Yeah...the hotel we might be the only two guests at." I reply with a laugh, shaking my head. "But you're right. It's only a matter of time." I smile a him. I guess if I have to be stuck somewhere, being stuck with an offensively handsome man with an incredibly melt-worthy accent is a decent way to do it. "I'm Zoey."
He looks at me for a few seconds with raised eyebrows and a small smile before telling me "I'm Harry, pleased to meet you Zoey."
