Caring

I

Prompt: Stuck in an elevator

"If it's that much of a problem, why are you still here? Why the hell are you still working with me?!"

"I don't know James! Maybe this is all wrong. Maybe I shouldn't be working with you at all!"

"Well go on then. Go Nadine! What are you waiting for? Leave our loveteam!"

The two of them stood facing each other in the corridor of the hotel. They had just been to a movie premiere to support their friends but everything had turned haywire when he saw what she was wearing.

"You know I don't want to. You know! So why are you making a big deal out of it?!"

"BECAUSE I TOLD YOU NOT TO WEAR THAT DAMN DRESS!" He was shouting now. The vein in his forehead bulging.

His words stung her and she hissed back in a low, spiteful tone, "You don't own me. I can wear whatever I want."

"We are a team. A team! Don't you get that? If you come in looking like you've just been to a nightclub-" She rolled her eyes at this. "What do you think people will think of us? That we're unprofessional?!"

"It was not a revealing dress James. I've worn dresses worse than that and it has never been an issue. Stop making it out like I don't care about our team."

"Yeah well you start acting like you care and then I won't, will I?"
And with that last remark he stormed off, leaving her stood there in the corridor, speechless.

An hour later Nadine had changed into a top and some jeans and decided to go for a stroll. She was trying to get her mind off the argument they'd had earlier. But she couldn't. His words were still ringing in her head and his audacity to claim she didn't care made her blood boil. She shook her head as if to shake the thoughts away and walked out of the hotel room.

They were staying in a hotel not far from the cinema where the premiere was held. It was secluded - away from their fans but not too much – Nadine could still walk around the gardens at the back. They had to stay overnight as the two of them had an event early in the morning and the managers had just decided it would be easier for them to rest for a few hours at the hotel before making their way to their next schedule. She didn't know how she was going to face him tomorrow morning. Or how she was going to act like everything was fine between them. Her and James hardly ever argued (she was sure she could count the number of arguments they'd had on one hand). But it was a given that when they did argue, it was serious.

Having decided her walk had calmed her down enough to attempt to get some sleep, she made her way back into the hotel and pressed the button for the elevator. It was late and there weren't many people around in the lobby but just as the elevator doors were about to close a hand slid in between.

"Hey hold it!"

It was James.

He stood there looking at her inside the elevator for a second before she broke the eye contact and moved to the side. Clearing his throat, he stepped in and stood as far away from her as he could possibly manage in the confined space.

Nadine couldn't help but scoff at his stubbornness. If he wasn't going to say anything, she wouldn't either. Two could play at this game.

This was going to be a long ride up to the 25th floor.

Just as they were nearing their floor the elevator began creaking and with a loud clank it stopped.
The motion jerked the two of them to the side causing Nadine to fly straight into James. His arms instinctively wrapped around her as he stopped her from falling to the ground. She looked up at his eyes, full of worry.

"Hey are you okay?" His voice was soft unlike earlier when they were arguing.

"Yeah." She stood up and stepped away from him to the other side of the elevator.
James cleared his throat again and composed himself from her cold, one-word reply.

"It seems like it's broken down."

She didn't respond.

"I'll just press the buzzer for help then."

No response again.

Nadine looked at the floor as James spoke through the monitor, telling the security that the elevator had stopped.

"Stay calm. There doesn't seem to be any immediate danger. We'll call for help. Should be about half an hour." The voice from the other end sounded tired and nonchalant, giving neither of them any comfort about the situation.

"Sure." James replied and slid down to sit on the floor as they waited.

They spent the next 10 minutes in complete silence, and not the comfortable kind either. The tension between them hung heavy in the air and it seemed like neither of them could take it anymore.

"James I-"

"About earlier-"

Both of them started speaking at the same time causing them to chuckle. Nadine always laughed whenever this happened, it seemed like the funniest thing.

"Always in sync, aren't we?" James said as he watched Nadine cross her legs and join him on the floor.
"Yeah I suppose we are." She replied as the smile faltered on her lips. She was remembering their argument again.

"I'm sorry."

She looked up at him staring at her, as if the apology had never left his mouth. The eye contact made her feel weird and she had to look away again.

"I'm sorry." He said again, scooting in front of her to put his hand over hers.
"I'm sorry I was controlling. I'm sorry I said those things. I know you care and I know I was wrong. I'm really, really sorry."

The sincerity of his words were causing the tears in her eyes to flow over. Nadine wasn't one to become emotional, he knew that. Their argument must have really hurt her.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't cry." He moved to sit beside her this time, putting his arm around her as she sobbed into his shirt.

"I just don't want us to argue. I don't want us to fall out over silly things. I don't like it." She managed to squeeze her words out in between her tears.
James rubbed her shoulder in circles as she cried, murmuring a small hush.

"I don't know what it was Naddie. I don't know. I just don't like it when other people look at you like that. Like they can stake a claim to you. Damn it, I...I care for you."
She lifted her head from his shoulder and placed a hand on his face, forcing him to look at her.
"I know you do, James. I know you do. I accept your apology because I'm sorry too. I know you only meant good. I...care for you too."
And with that James kissed her forehead for longer than usual and ushered her back into his embrace.

"Partners in crime, yeah?"

Nadine smiled against his chest and whispered back. "Always."

There were words left unsaid that night.

They didn't say that they loved each other.

They didn't need to.

They both knew.