Illustrious

Carrie Fosters average day of late consisted of wedding planning and flower arrangements, and a few times a week she went to visit her fiancé at his law firm in Atlanta. Her fiancé, Robert, was a demanding man, he had many employees working for him and one of those workers happened to be Robert's high school best friend, Alex. Best friend was past tense, now Alex was just another unhelpful intern whom he had a regretful past with. During high school all Robert wanted was a girl who would challenge his choices and he had found her, a little too late, she was dating his best friend Alex and taking him to prom. Of course Robert was always with Carrie and Alex on double dates, so eventually Carrie came around to liking both Alex and Robert and not knowing who to choose. The night of their senior prom, Carrie finally made the decision she had been struggling with for almost a year. Carrie grew up with absent parents, not knowing what it felt like to be safe and provided for. So when she made her decision, who she felt safe with played a big role. Alex was a spontaneous and caring boyfriend, he took care of Carrie as much as he could but she was always looking for more stability. So that night at senior prom when the lights were twinkling and the floor-length dresses were sparkling and the music was playing just soft enough so you could hear your date, Carrie told Alex she needed a minute. Carrie rushed outside to the courtyard, and following close behind her was Robert, he meant to tell her what he felt but once she turned around, he stuttered. Standing there was just the two of them and Carrie had finally made her choice because of safety. She picked Robert and when she told him her decision, he was overjoyed. Alex had wandered outside looking for Carrie only to find her walking back in the dance holding hands with his best friend. Alex felt betrayed by both of the people he thought were always there for him. After prom he cut himself off from everyone who had previously mattered and threw himself into his school work preparing for college. The new couple tried to include Alex, but he ignored them the rest of the year and then after graduation he went his own way. Carrie and Robert stayed strong and got engaged 6 years later, Alex ended up interning at Roberts brand new law firm. Carrie thought she made the best decision by choosing Robert, she chose stability and boredom and the little girl who always craved a real home was satisfied but the grown up Carrie wasn't.

8:00am

Round and round the glass revolving doors go, people hustling in and out every day to get to work on time. The office building was all glass windows and concrete for 40 stories, but for an older complex it was in fairly good shape. Of course it had a lot of mirrors which she appreciated but her outfit wasn't her main concern when she got there. All Carrie wanted to do that day was to visit her fiancé at work, her heels clicked on the tile floor as she walked to the elevator. She was filled with anticipation at seeing Robert; she leaned to press the button but was completely dazed and ended up reaching for the button at the same time as someone else. "I'm sorr-oh", Carrie was stunned at who was standing in front of her; he was still touching her hand pressed on the elevator button. He concluded her sentence, "Sorry, I'm sorry, say it with me now, s-o-r-r-y" Alex teased. "I know how to speak", she pulled her hand away and rolled her eyes at his laid back attitude. Alex shot back stating "Well princess, for a moment there it didn't seem like you did". The metal doors slid open just as she was about to respond, Carrie did the polite southern act and shut her mouth before she said anything unredeemable. Alex quickly stepped into the elevator "Are you coming princess?" Carrie hated when he used to call her princess, "Don't patronize me, I can walk and talk too". Carrie strode in and stood in the farthest corner away from him, she turned away to the mirror, which didn't help much since there were three sides out of four covered in mirrors. Carrie could see him in the reflection; he was trying to pretend she wasn't eight inches away from him, which is basically the same thing she was doing. She was watching the numbers go up, praying this would be the fastest ride to the thirty-eighth floor ever. Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three and never twenty-four the elevator stopped abruptly, "What's going on?" Carrie was claustrophobic so elevators were already the worst invention in her mind not including being stuck in one. Small metal boxes with four sides and only way out, horrible idea, the only bearable part being the mirrors and elevator music. "I think it just stalled, give it a minute and we can call the phone" Alex advised, then the power went out in a flash, Carrie sank down the wall and huddled in the corner, focusing on staying calm. The lights flickered back on due to the emergency generator and went from too bright to just light enough to see the corners. "At least were not stuck in the dark anymore" he saw she was struggling with the idea of being trapped, but what could he do but give her space, not like he wanted to talk to her anyway. Alex reached over to try the emergency phone but he knew it wouldn't work since the power had gone out and only the lights came on. "No dial tone, got a cell phone?" Carrie shook her head and pulled out her white iPhone, "dead". "Well I guess we wait, can't take too long right?"