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“And who says I haven’t been in love before?”
“The way you act like you’re anti-love makes me think that you haven’t.”
I roll my eyes and busy myself with checking the available rooms as a man walks up to the front desk.
I’m not anti-love; I’ve just been too occupied with trying to keep a roof over my head to have time for romance. And besides, my experience with my college boyfriend left pretty thick scars.
James was everything that no sane woman would want. But then, I wasn’t sane. I was stupid and decided to date him even when all my friends saw the signs and begged me to stay away from him.
He was an emotional abuser who gaslighted me into thinking that I was the problem.
The ringing of the landline in front of me pulls me out of my thoughts.
I reach for it, bringing the receiver to my ear. I’ve yet to say a word when I hear Lysa’s voice.
“Come to my office now,” she says, and before I can say anything, the call disconnects.
“I’ve been summoned upstairs,” I tell Vivian, heading to see Lysa. But when I get there, I’m surprised to find her chair empty. Why did she ask me to come see her if she was not here?
I decide to wait a while for her, using the time to respond to a text from my mom wanting to know how I was finding my new job. I tell her it’s great even though it’s a lie. Mom worries a lot, and I don’t want her worrying because of me.
After waiting for what feels like an eternity without any sign of Lysa, I was beginning to feel frustrated, so I head back to the front desk.
As I step into the elevator, the doors are about to close when, unexpectedly, a hand slips through, preventing them from sealing shut.
My heart skips a beat as Ethan comes into view, his sudden appearance catching me off guard. There’s surprise written on his face as he sees me.
“Jessica,” he says in a formal tone as he steps in.
“Mr. Reid.” I look ahead, avoiding eye contact.
I clear my throat, swallowing hard. Why do I keep losing my composure anytime I see him? It’s the reason I’ve been trying my best to avoid him for the past week.
The atmosphere in the elevator seems to crackle with an unspoken tension, making it increasingly difficult for me to focus on anything other than the proximity between us.
As the we inch upward, I silently pray for it to go faster, desperately trying to regain my coolness; my eyes focused on the doors.
And just when I feel like I can’t take it any longer, the elevator makes a sudden jolt, sending a shiver down my spine. Not in a good way.
The lights begin to flicker. “What’s going on?” I look up, wondering.
“I have no idea.” Ethan pulls out his phone as he speaks.
And then the light goes off completely!
6
Jessica
The darkness envelops us like a suffocating blanket. Panic claws at the edges of my mind as I struggle to keep my composure.
The air feels thick and heavy with the weight of uncertainty. I can hear my own ragged breaths echoing in the confined space, each one a reminder of my growing fear.
No, this can’t be happening—there’s no way this can be happening. Why did the elevator stop all of a sudden?
“Ethan,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. “What’s going on?” I croak out; the anxiety emanating from me is palpable.
His presence beside me is a small comfort, but the darkness seems to amplify my sense of vulnerability. I can feel his reassuring hand on my shoulder, a grounding touch amidst the chaos.
