Tonight Is All We Have

2 - Starbucks and stuck elevators

I smile at the Starbucks lady at the counter, handing her a couple of crumpled notes for my coffee. Taking a deep breath, the mystifying aroma of coffee beans hits my nose as I smile.

I take a sip of my coffee, so hot it burns my tongue, just the way I like it. I grin to myself, observing the people who are entering the café. A Chinese lady rocks her baby to sleep, warm in a bundle of blue blankets. A tall man wearing a tux speaks in hushed tones to a gorgeous woman next to him, looking harried. A handsome guy of about my age pays for his hot chocolate, his dark hair ruffled like he'd just raked his fingers through it.

I place my cup of coffee on a table as I tie up the shoelaces of my Converse. When I'm done, I grab my coffee and head for the exit of Starbucks. The Chinese lady hands over her baby to a tall guy while she pays for her tea. The man in the tux wraps an arm around the lady next to him, her face lighting up as he does so. I look around for the guy with the amazing hair, not knowing why, but he's nowhere to be seen.

I sigh, leaving the café and walking through the crowd of people who clutch expensive purses and hold their noses high in the air. I squeeze through a couple who are arguing, their voices beginning to rise, and the lady throws me a look of contempt as my coffee spills a little on the side of my cup.

I hurry away before she makes a scene, raising an eyebrow at her rudeness.

I enter the elevator, taking a sip of my coffee and just before the elevator doors close, someone enters. I look up from my coffee, surprise settling on my features as I recognize the guy as the same one from Starbucks.

On closer scrutiny, I take in his fine features and elegant bone structure. He has killer cheekbones and an amazing jawline, and I almost die because I'm a total sucker for high cheekbones. I blush when I realize that I'm staring, but I can't drag my eyes away.

He brushes his hair away from his face with elegant fingers, and my heart beats faster as he turns to me with piercing blue eyes. I look away, embarrassed at being caught staring him, but he doesn't say anything so neither do I.

The air in the elevator is thick, and I begin to boil in my denim jacket. Isn't the elevator supposed to stop a while ago, and the doors open? I realize with a sinking feeling that the elevator has, in fact, stopped. But the doors haven't opened.

The guy is looking around, obviously thinking along the same lines as I am. I take a hesitant step forward, and press the button on the wall for the doors to open, but it doesn't.

My heart begins to beat faster than usual, and I panic. I make the mistake of looking down the glass window of the elevator, and realize that we're high.

Really high.

My fear of heights cloud around me like poison, and as the guy gets out his phone and begins calling someone, presumably for help, I let my back slide to the ground. I sit leaning against one wall of the elevator, my knees up to my chin and my head buried in my legs.

However, a second later the guy taps my shoulder. I look up, my eyes filled with fear of being stuck in an elevator so high above the ground, but when my gaze meets his intense one, I feel comforted. Up close, tiny flecks of silver lay in between the blue of his eyes, like dolphins in an ocean.

When the guy speaks, his voice is deep and strong, and he has a British accent! "Hey, you okay?"

I swoon as he speaks, even though he just said three words.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I try to smile reassuringly, "Fear of heights, " I try to explain, but clearly I'm not okay and we both know it. However, I don't expect him to sit on the floor next to me, but he does.

We sit in silence for a short while, but this time I break it. "Are you from around here?"

I surprise myself by asking such a bold question, but I'm honestly curious. And when he chuckles, I breathe out in relief, because clearly he doesn't mind me asking.

"No, I actually just moved here." He sees the confusion on my face, so he further explains, "I'm British, but I've lived in California for a while."

I nod, and he tilts his head to the side, a few strands of straight dark hair falling across his forehead. "Where'r you from?"

I have to fight the urge to swoon at his accent again. "Yeah, I've always lived here." I laugh, and his face breaks into a stunning smile.

"Well, at least now I know one person from around here!"

I smile, realizing that while we have just conversed about where we live, I don't know his name. He seems to realize this as the same time as I do, and we both begin to speak at the same time.

"What's your-"

"Hey, you haven't told me-"

We laugh, and I notice that he's doing an amazing job at distracting me from my fear of heights. I realize this and thank him, and just as he begins to speak again, the elevator doors open and a bright shaft of light hits into the elevator, and the guy and I squint.

However, he's up from the floor in an instant, and holds out a hand to pull me up. I accept, placing my much tinier hand in his, and as he pulls me to my feet I notice the muscles in his arm flex.

I blush when I catch myself staring, but thankfully he's looking into my eyes and not at my cheeks. A subtle cough drags my attention to a guy standing out of the elevator with a sleek black phone in his hand and a pair of RayBan sunglasses perched on the top of his head.

He looks from me to the guy standing next to me, then smiles apologetically. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, guys. Our elevators are having a bit of a problem right now, but that doesn't excuse this." He steps forward and thrusts a pair of vouchers into the guy who's standing next to me's hands, "Thank you for your patience, and this is for the inconvenience we caused you. Vouchers for your next visit." He smiles, and I smile back as he walks away, my heart beat having returned back to normal as a result of having being released from the elevator.

Also, it might have a little something to do with the guy standing next to me. Although, would I really mind if he wasn't?

The guy taps my shoulder, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry, just zoned out for a while." I smile, and he pushes his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Hey, thanks so much, again." I say, and he looks into my eyes.

"No worries, um..."

I laugh, "Its Kaylie, " I tilt my head, "Your name is?"

His voice is deep when he replies, "Hayden." His eyes turn intense, "Hayden Williams."

._._.

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Question of the chapter:
Have you ever gotten stuck in an elevator? 😂