Voir Dire (N.H.)

twenty-five

There were 13 floors in the  Capitol Records building on Hollywood & Vine. But with the way the elevator was creeping at snail speed, Kelsey felt that it was more like a hundred as she made her ascent to what was likely one of the most terrifying meetings of her life.

She wasn't sure she'd ever felt her heart beat as quickly as it was right now. Not when she'd taken her LSAT. Not when she'd found out Sam was cheating on her or about her parents affair. Not even when she'd seen Niall with Krystal.

This felt like the definition of fight or flight. Her palms clammy with sweat, her stomach twisting in knots, her heart thudding with such force that she felt it might jump out of her chest- right there in the Capitol elevator. Kelsey wanted to believe that this was her body's preparation for a fight. A fight for the man that she loved. But she knew the reality of the situation was that every cell in her nervous system was screaming at her to run.

She'd thought about it this morning. Running. She'd imagined pulling up to Niall's house, yelling at him from the window of her four-door Honda Civic to get in. And they'd drive. They'd drive far away from Los Angeles. Far away from Niall's management or the paparazzi. And they'd end up in some little cabin in the woods of Washington and they'd stay there for awhile, away from the media, the fans, and everyone that was trying to tear apart their relationship.

But then she'd realized how entirely stupid that idea was. These weren't some assassins out to kill them. She wasn't a fugitive. And running, no matter how tempting it was, wasn't the solution to anyone's problem. Not Niall's. And not Kelsey's.

So she'd thrown on a black blazer and her most professional set of black heels. She'd stood in front of the mirror in a power pose, telling herself that she was doing the right thing. She was looking after the man she loved, and that no matter the result of the meeting, that love would still exist.

When the elevator doors open with a ding, Kelsey felt her breath catch. Because here she was. And there was no running now. She spotted the familiar red head of Mr. Michaels' secretary, perched behind her desk with a blank stare. Her head turned towards Kelsey as the elevator door opens.

"This way Miss Benton," she stated, standing from her spot and leading Kelsey towards a set of double doors. The doors open to reveal a large board room, which only amplifies Kelsey's anticipation of the meeting.

"Mr. Michaels will be in shortly. Please have a seat."

Kelsey nodded, taking a seat at a large black leather backed chair near the center of the room. Her hands shook as she clasped them on the table in front of her taking a deep breath in an attempt to slow her still racing heartbeat. This would all be over soon.

"Miss Benton, thank you for meeting me," Kelsey looked up to see the snide smile of the bald man as he entered the room, her attention drawn to the manilla envelope held firmly in his right hand. He took a step closer to the long glass table which nearly took up the entire contents of the room and pushed those seated at it near the full pane glass windows giving way to the Los Angeles landscape outside and the bustling streets of traffic below.

Though sunlight streamed in freely, Kelsey couldn't help but feel like it was one of the darkest places she'd ever been, as if the fear of what was to come floated off the trimmed navy blue suit of Mr. Michaels and filled the air.

"You say that as if I had a choice," Kelsey responded coldly, staring directly into the dark eyes of Mr. Michaels. He didn't flinch, pulling back the black leather chair directly across from Kelsey to take a seat.

"Why Miss Benton, you always have a choice," his lips pressed together and pulled towards one side, as a look of satisfaction filled his face. "But you don't always make the right one."