A Series Of Patrick Stump Imagines

Claustraphobia

Patrick's POV

I held the elevator doors open for a pretty young lady in a red halter dress, leapord print pumps, and a black clutch. She smiled at me in thanks. My thumb hovered over the button labeled '35'. I knew she lived on Floor 35, because that was where I lived, just down the hall from her, but I figured it would be best avoiding weirding her out. "What floor, miss?" I asked.

     "Floor 35, please. There's something I never hear. 'Miss.' Almost nobody calls me that."

     "What do people usually call you?"

     She cocked an eyebrow. "My name."

     "Oh... uhm..." I blushed nervously. "Duh. Of course."

     She then chuckled. "Sorry, I can be a real sarcastic twat. People'll just flirt with me, calling me pet names if they don't know me by name or something."

     I rubbed the back of my neck, smiling awkwardly at her. "It's fine, I'm just clueless. And I'm Patrick, by the way. Nice to meet you."

     "Aw, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure your smarter then you give yourself credit for. And I'm Y/N, nice to meet you too."

     "Sarcasm?"

     She gave me a light shove. "I said I was sarcastic, not mean, you goof. Also, did you ever hit the button?"

     "Oh, uhm, no. Sorry."

     "It's fine." I hit 35. The elevator started moving. "So, why are you all dolled up?"

     "Uhm..." I noticed her eyes were shut, her fingers gripping the metal rails behind her so tight her knuckles turned pinkish-white. "I went out with some friends to the bar downtown. Had some drinks. Danced. It was a good time." (A/N: Waits for the Panic! references)

"That's always fun."

"Yep."

"Are you okay?"

"Sure. Yeah."

"Are you sure? You don't seem very okay."

"Why do you say that?"

"You're hyperventilating and you look like you're about to be sick."

"I'm claustraphobic."

"Oh... why didn't you take the stairs?"

"Because I'm in high heels and I drank. Not a good combo. Otherwise, I'd walk."

"All thirty five flights?!"

Despite the way Y/N felt, she smiled in spite of herself. "It's good exercise."

"Can't argue with that," I muttered. All of a sudden, the elevator shuddered, then stopped moving. The lights flickered, then went off. The elevator was pitch black.

"We're already at our floor? That was faster than usual."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but no. The elevator stopped."

"It... what?"

"It stopped...?" I could hear the fear and Panic! creeping into her voice. "As in, we're not moving at all?"

"Yeah. And the power went out."

I guess she opened her eyes, because then I heard a loud shriek, which rang off the metal walls of the elevator.