Cappuccino

Elevator.

Driving my bike through these streets I passed a couple months ago on a daily basis, felt rather peculiar. Viridade Inc. was the end destination, though this time around I would arrive there with a completely different purpose and a different knowledge of whom I would find behind those tall walls and windows.

I remembered being quite nervous on my first day and how I struggled to find a biking rack. My eyes scanned over the parking lot, and only then did I connect the dots that the black Opel Astra closest to the entrance that always seemed to be parked in the same spot belonged to Harry's. This vague memory of our first dinner reoccured to me when he brought me home and it took me by surprise, for I had imagined him to be driving around a typical Range Rover. It was only now that I registered it.

Not that it mattered. Maximus had already proven to be different.

Taking the stairs, I made my way up the main floor and stopped at the reception desk. A redhead sat behind it while her face was caked with make up, almost certain I could hear her pores scream for help. "Hello good afternoon, what can I help you with?"

"I'm here to see Maximus MacQuoid."

"Name?"

"Amelia Kraus."

It felt like ages before she figured out whatever she needed to check, which let me to believe she was new here. I should've just kept my badge that Summer which allowed me to take the elevators freely. "It seems like you don't have an appointment, I can set one for you if you'd like." I rolled my eyes in annoyance, though she was just doing her job. Fishing my phone out of my purse, I opened a text box with Maximus' name at the top of the display.

I heard the sound of elevator doors sliding open, and before I had really progressed what I was doing I ran towards it and jumped in while I almost collapsed with the wall.

"Security!" The redhead yelled across the hall.

Turning around and adjusting my clothes I watched as the doors were sliding closed. Regaining my breath, I tried to understand what had come over me as security began to run towards me to try and catch me.

By the time they reached me the elevator started to accelerate to level nine and then it dawned on me I should've just texted Maximus and waited like any other person would have done. As I was going up, the serenity of being alone in this box calmed me down for the storm I was aware was possibly to come. It didn't last long for I was interrupted by the sound of my phone going off.

René
You left before I was awake this morning. I'm sorry about yesterday, I don't know what came over me :(

I didn't have enough time to properly respond as the elevator came to a halt, scanning my eyes over the display, it signified I reached level four. I was hoping that whoever stood behind those doors weren't any of the guards coming after me. My stomach almost dropped to the floor as the person came into view, though I blinked twice when those luscious curls appeared.

"Are you saying there's someone in this building potentially dangerous, running around free?" Maximus looked distressed, the creases in his forehead prominent.

He was focused on what was spoken through the phone which meant he had yet to notice me as he stepped in. "Keep me updated, please. My father is not present today, so all goes through me. Thank you Eric."

As soon as he finished up the call and stuffed the phone away, he looked up at me, noticing me for the first time. His concerned demeanour was lifted instantly with a smile that overcast it, though I couldn't feel satisfied being the one responsible for lifting his mood when I was the source for causing distress in the first place. "Amelia, hey. I didn't think you were here already." The doors closed behind us after he pressed to floor nine, presumably out of habit. He stepped forward and tenderly kissed my cheek.