3Authors' note: this story is written from two different points of view, Jason's and June's, each is clearly indicated and labled at the beginning. Enjoy reading and review review review!
A river in Egypt.
Jason
I don't know who coined the phrase 'denial is a river in Egypt' but whoever it was must have had June in mind for river or not she was swimming deep, and it was driving me up the wall. I don't mean to sound cocky, but I know the difference between a girl playing hard to get and a girl running for her life; June most certainly fit into the later category. I had no idea why she was so scared of me. Okay that's not entirely true, I have a vague idea, I just don't know how to make her see that running away wasn't helping matters and that denying the attraction that sparked between us wasn't going to take the feelings away. If only she could stand still for a minute, I might be able to talk some sense into her beautiful but stubborn head.
Sighing I dropped the pencil I was holding onto my desk and yawned; good thing bosses are not telepathic or mine will never pay me for overtime, all I had done was think of June the entire time I was supposed to be doing some important work, work which I need to get back to. I reminded myself wearily, rubbing my eyes and failing in my attempt to stifle another yawn, I looked down at the papers on my desk.
"Shoot!"
Apparently I hadn't just been thinking about June, I had been sketching her as well and the result of my unconscious flight into art work was looking up at me from the back of the report I should have been correcting. It isn't often that my mind runs away from me but whenever it did I had a habit of drawing on almost any available surface. At such times I wasn't even aware what I was sketching or even that I was sketching and disconcerting though the thought was, it was at times like this that I almost believed I had a split personality.
I reached for the eraser, it would not do to let anyone else see this, they would think I was obsessed with the girl! And yet I could not bring myself to erase the image it looked so much like her, from the clear baby like eyes that marred with confusion whenever I was in the vicinity, to the full lips she gnawed at whenever she was feeling embarrassed, even the curly locks of long dark hair that framed her delicate face added an endearing beauty to it that her slightly large nose could not distract. The sketch was an exact match except for one detail, the one wing that rose from behind her right shoulder. Does drawing someone as an angel mean you are obsessed with them? I can't imagine why I choose to draw her as an angel, that I didn't do it consciously was besides the point, maybe it was the air of innocence she carried about her, or those mesmerizing eyes that shone with childlike delight when she laughed, or that smile that made you want to smile back… whatever it was it drew me to her and I planned to find out what it was.
A quick glance at the wall clock told me I had run out of time, it was five minutes to 7.00pm and I needed to leave, I looked back down at the portrait on my desk and debated with myself, I could take it with me and complete it, but that would mean I would have to start all over again and I doubt I would be able to do it as well or I could erase it. Just as I lowered the eraser I had a brainwave.
Leaving my desk, I took the sketch with me and marched out of my office, down the stairs and to the photocopying machine at the end of the typing pool which was a floor beneath my office and coincidentally the same floor where June worked. There was no one around a fact for which I was grateful, No lengthy explanations to nosy gossips. One of the advantages of working in a busy office was that you learnt to do things for yourself; operating the photocopying machine therefore posed no challenge and two minutes later I had a copy of the sketch, satisfied I headed back to my office.
I picked up the rest of the report and shoved it into a folder, I'll sort it out later when I got home, then I picked a few more odds and ends I thought I would need then left the office once more. This time I headed in the opposite direction, using the stairs was fine if you were moving one or two floors but twenty floors was too much to ask from my exhausted self.
The elevator was empty when it came up; I stepped in pressed the button that would see me deposited at the lobby then leant back and waited. First came the weightless feeling that comes whenever the elevator begins to move; when it seems like the floor dropped off from beneath your feet and your stomach is logged somewhere in your throat. I didn't particularly enjoy riding elevators but they were a necessary evil.
Two floors down the elevator stopped and the doors opened and to my eternal surprise June walked in. Finally alone at last! My mind exulted even as my breath caught in my andheart began to race, Now if only this elevator could stall or something...
'Blanket!' June's frustrated voice filled the small space, and I stared at her in confusion, Blanket!? But she wasn't even looking at me; I doubt she had recognized me, which explains why she stepped into the elevator in the first place; she was pawing frantically through her handbag obviously searching for something, all the while muttering angrily.
'You lost your blanket?' I asked incredulously
June:
Holy crap! I swear my heart stopped beating the moment I heard that voice. call it deity, the Gods, the Higher Powers… whatever, they were they were out to get me, I am yet to figure out what did to deserve getting stuck in an elevator with HIM?. Okay just stay calm, I tried to reason with myself but I already knew I was fighting a lost battle, whenever Jason stepped anywhere within a mile radius of me I was anything but calm, bumbling, mumbling and idiotic was a better description.
I drew a deep breath to steady myself then turned to look at him with what I hoped was a calm composed expression which faltered the moment I set my eyes on him. Damn, he looked good! He always looked good. Jason was a total TDH (tall dark and Handsome) guy and he knew it too. It showed in the way he carried himself with confidence, the manner his clothes were tailored to fit his well built body, today he was dressed in a dark blue suit, a white shirt and no tie, the clothes moulded themselves to his athletic frame emphasising his broad shoulders, lean hips and well formed calves, that he worked out was plain to see and I had no doubt that that tailored coat hid a six pack. His face was framed with curly short hair, a neatly trimmed beard lined his chin and strong jaws drawing attention to those sensuous lips that were curled in a smile that should be declared illegal considering the effect it had on rate of my heart beat, And those eyes! I could gaze into their dark stormy depths forever, pathetic aren't I?
"June... are you alright?" He asked waving a hand before my face.
Embarrassment flooded through me when I realised I had been staring pointedly a him for the last minute, gawking actually, hastily I looked away and tried to remedy the situation and in true June fashion I made it worse
"I …am fine, why shouldn't I be fine? No need to worry yourself…I am okay…" I was rambling, a bad habit I know, but I did it whenever I was nervous.
"No need to be nervous June" he cut through my mumbling "it's just me"
"Who said I am nervous?" I squeaked.
"You don't need to say it, I can tell from the way you have been eyeing that display unit, do you find my company that disagreeable you can't wait for this ride to be over?"
There was a tinge of hurt in his voice that got to me, and for a fraction of a second it felt like he really cared what I thought about him, but he didn't, he couldn't why would a guy like him care what I thought?
"No, I hate Elevators" I lied, "they scare me" ten floors to go
"Really? And here I was thinking you were scared of me." His mocked in a self depreciating tone.
"I am not scared of you" I declared, trying my best to sound unfazed but the tremor in my voice was evident. This was turning out to be the longest elevator ride in my entire life! And an awkward one at that, a quick glance at the display unit said I had five floors to go, hurry up! I can't take anymore of this.
"Then why do you keep running away whenever I try to talk to you?"
I whirled about to look at him, he pushed away from the way from the wall and began to cross the short distance between us, panicked I backed away trying to put as much distance between us but in the confined space it was a futile effort and I backed myself up against the wall, this was not good, not good at all.
He stopped right in front of me the tips of his shoes a mere inch from mine, and I stared at them not wanting to and look up meet that penetrating gaze.
"June, look at me…"he coaxed, that deep voice was almost irresistible but I was determined not to give in, I could let him win! Childish of me I know, but whenever I was around him my IQ took a nose dive and I was incapable of acting logically.
"June-"
I never got to hear the rest of what he intended to say because just at that moment, the elevator jolted to an unexpected halt. And then lights went out and we were plunged into darkness. It was pitch black; I could have waved my hands right in front of my face and not seen a thing!
Dear God! My breath caught in my throat as blind panic unfurled through my mind, the darkness was closing in, I couldn't see, I couldn't breath, I couldn't think. I wrapped my arms around myself in a vain attempt to calm myself and to stop the shaking, but it wasn't any use, I was trembling like a leaf in a storm. The fear clawed at my mind and froze my innards filling me with cold dread. I couldn't help it the terror spurred out of control and I started screaming.
'GET ME OUT OF HERE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!'
Jason:
"JUNE! CALM DOWN!" I shouted but she paid no attention.
She was screaming and failing about in the darkness, my nose was still throbbing painfully where one of her wild feints into the dark had hit me.
"GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT-" she continued to scream, the sound deafening in the confined space. Who would have thought the self contained June was petrified of the dark?
When the lights had gone out and the elevator stopped, the jarring motion had caused me to drop the file I was holding and grab for support. Being right in front of her I had leaned forward and placed both hands on either side of her head to brace myself. I couldn't see a damn thing! And for a few seconds we were frozen in silence. Then I heard June's laboured breathing, it sounded like she was suffocating. Concerned I had leaned closer, but just as I opened my mouth to ask if she was alright she hit me! Right on the nose, the pain caused me to stagger back in shock. Before I could recover she started screaming.
Nothing I said could calm her down; I don't think she could hear me above the sound of her shouts; her failing was getting more frenzied. Thumbing sounds came from her general direction and I guessed she was pounding at the wall in an attempt to get out. I needed to get her to calm down before she hurt herself, but how? and I still couldn't see!
I ventured cautiously in her direction but in the end it wasn't cautious enough because in the dark I could not accurately judge where she was and she managed to land several blows including a particularly painful kick to my shins before I managed to grab hold of her and contain her wild thrashing.
"June! Relax, close your eyes, you are going to be fine, just relax" I spoke urgently into her ear my voice strained as a result of the efforts I was exerting to hold her still.
Far as I could tell I had managed to envelope her in a bear hug, effectively pinning her hands to her side and pulling her back against my chest, her hair tickled my nose causing me to draw my head back I opted instead to rest my chin on the top of her head. She was still kicking and struggling and holding her still was proving to be harder than I had imagined. She was a lot stronger than she looked.
Gradually she calmed down, her struggling ceased and the screams softened to sobs. Loosening my hold I prepared to let go of her but on sensing my intention she panicked.
"No!" She gasped "Don't let go…" Turning about in my arms, she warped hers around my waist, buried her face in the lapel of my coat and clung on. "…I am scared." the last part came out as a whispered plea. One that tugged at something deep within me.
I stood frozen for a few seconds, not quite sure how to react. It was one thing to hold her when she was screaming and fighting, it was quite another to hold her now. Seemingly on their own accord my hands moved, one to span her waist and pull her closer and the other found an anchor in the tangled tresses of her hair which I used to cup the back of her head and hold her against me.
Heaven on earth! That is the only way I could describe how holding June in my arms felt, it was like a dream come true, the feel of her soft female body pressed close to mine filled me with a sense of bliss I find impossible to define. Her scented perfume was playing havoc with my senses, the slight trace of lavender and cinnamon seemed to fog my mind and desire flooded through me. Tightening my hold on her and pressing her closer still. I gently brushed the hair from her face, mentally cursing the lack of light; I would have given anything to be able to look in her eyes.
"Its okay" I whispered back "I won't let go…' truth was I couldn't let go, I could hold her like this for the next .Century. Chuckling slightly at my thoughts I continued "just close your eyes and relax. Everything is going to be fine"
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