Queens of Geek

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: TAYLOR

I step into the elevator with a group of teen girls chatting excitedly about a panel they just saw. I turn to see Jamie running towards me, making it into the elevator just as the doors close.

In my haste to flee the scene, I forgot that he was in the audience.

A rush of guilt washes over me, joining the already rampant anxiety, humiliation and failure that are fighting hard to break me.

Jamie side steps over, glancing at me.

I avoid his gaze, I can't stand to see the worry in his eyes.

I'm cracking.

I can feel it.

It always starts in my heart, the cracks rapidly cutting through me internally, spreading like vines climbing up a tree, until I'm torn apart.

It's an implosion, unseen by anyone around me.

One of the girls sees me. "Oh my god! That is the coolest cosplay ever!"

All her friends turn to look at me, admiring my costume.

I force out my kindest smile. "Thanks." My voice is quiet, strained by the lump in my throat. She opens her mouth to say something else, but I'm saved by the ding of the elevator at their floor.

They walk out in a flurry of chatter, and the doors close, leaving Jamie and I alone.

Jamie turns to me. "Are you—"

The elevator bounces unexpectedly, and I gasp.

The lights flicker for a few seconds before shutting off completely, and then we come to an abrupt stop in-between the tenth and eleventh floors of the hotel.

"Shit," Jamie says.

Jamie starts pushing random buttons again and again, trying to get the elevator to move. The emergency lights kick in, glowing in an offensive orange hue, but it's still so dark I can barely see my hands in front of my face.

Even though I'm stuck in a dark metal box hanging nearly eleven stories high by wire cables, I still feel safer in here than I did fifteen minutes ago, standing on that stage.

I let out an exhale and slide to the floor, tucking my legs up against my stomach and resting my head against the wall.

I hear a click as Jamie picks up the emergency phone. "Hello? ... Yeah, we're stuck in here ... Me and my girlfriend ... Okay ... Okay ... Thanks."

My heart flutters when I hear him say the word 'girlfriend'. I wasn't expecting it, but I love the way it sounds.

He steps back and sighs. "It's some tech problem. She said we should start moving again in a few minutes."

"Cool."

"Where are you?"

"Down here."

"Did you fall?"

"No. I just can't stand anymore."

He's quiet for a moment. I see his silhouette, his hands pushing through his hair. "Do you mean that literally or figuratively?"

I smile a tired smile. "Both."

He sinks down next to me and stretches his legs out in front of him, resting one leg on top of the other. "You're not claustrophobic, are you?"

I shake my head. "Nope. Are you?"

"I wasn't until about thirty seconds ago."

"We'll be fine. I'm sure Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels will be along any second to rescue us."