Elevator

Chapter 2

"Buzzzzzzz...", that was my alarm loudly ringing.
I had a good night sleep yesterday and looked at the time, it was eight in the morning. I got up from bed and freshened up myself with a nice, cosy warm bath. Interestingly, I have to admit that having a bath does relax your tense muscles.

I got myself some pancakes with a touch of strawberries and maple syrup along with an English Breakfast Tea. Not to forget, my seating position allows me to look at the beautiful skyscraper in front of me. After having breakfast, I immediately wore my shoes and get out of my house for a long day.

I have to meet up with my best friend, Sheena whom I have not seen her for a long time. Sheena and I were college roommates and she majored in food studies. Now, she is working as a freelance food journalist and is happily married to Shane Ferrell, who owns a restaurant in the midtown. I planned to meet up with Sheena at our old hangout spot which was ZION, a shopping mall in the downtown.

ZION offers variety of food cuisines and even housed our favourite video shop, That Wonders CD, where me and Sheena used to purchase lots of movies and have a Friday movie night during our college days. While I was in the elevator, off comes a slight "ding" as the door slowly opened.

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"Hey friendly neighbour!", said Charlie who was wearing a red t-shirt accompanied with a beige pants. I looked up and smiled at him, realising he had a scar near his right eye. The scar reminded me of the last night's incident, where Charlie as a hooded man scrambling around in the city that never sleeps.

I snapped back to reality when Charlie asked whether I was alright and I replied it was nothing. "So what brings a woman like you, looking happy?", he said. "Meeting someone special?"

"Oh I am just meeting up with my bestie", I replied without sounding odd. "What about you", I asked. Charlie laughed and said he was off to meet up with his old buddies. "Good old days", he said. We continued the conversation until we walked out of the main entrance.

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"So what is my Brooke up to this time?", said Sheena who was wiping her mouth. Sheena and I entered a restaurant selling Japanese cuisine as she once mentioned it was "one of the recommended stops". "Just accounting, accounting and accounting, Sheen", I replied.

While I sipping my beverage, Sheena shocked me with a question which I have nothing to say. "By looking at you, I know you met someone special. Is he hot?". I laughed, backing away from the question with a sudden praise for the restaurant. "So no special someone?", she asked. When I shook my head with a "No", Sheena had a disappointing look and as always, she would randomly speak Italian.

"I do hope God let you have someone in your life. I mean, look at me and Shane, we've been together for three years... Goodness, I just forget that it's our one year anniversary next week.", said Sheena who just cannot stop talking about her love life. Listening to Sheena's love life reminds me why I am single (lol).

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I got back from ZION and entered my house. It was definitely a long day as I looked up on my phone, 6.57pm. While I was taking off my shoes, I heard a loud noise from the kitchen. It shook me, since when did someone entered my apartment.

I was frightened, my face turned pale. I silently grabbed a pocket knife near the coffee table in the living room and slowly creeped into the kitchen. "Ah ha!", I jumped into the kitchen. Unfortunately, it was a lousy attempt. It was just Charlie in the kitchen, looking like bloody hell.

"Jesus, Charlie, what happened?", I asked, grabbing him up and placing him on the nearest dining room chair. He did not answer, all he did was concentrating on the pain he had with the wound. While I was washing my hands and trying to grab the first aid, a sudden touch of Charlie's hands encircling my waist and giving me his adorable, serious look.

"I will tell you who I am, only you, Brooke."