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Jen was running late, and it wasn’t entirely her fault. Okay, maybe a little. But cut her some slack. This was her first time in New York City, and she'd made the rookie mistake of boarding an express A train. By the time she realized her error, the muffled announcements from the conductor were as clear as mud.
To make matters worse, her alarm had decided to take a day off. It was the first day she was supposed to meet new clients. Jen cringed at the thought of facing her boss's wrath.
She finally reached Oscorp Tower, a behemoth that forced her to crane her neck to decipher its towering name. This wasn't exactly the case she’d envisioned. Her boss had been insistent that she come to New York to help an old friend, but Jen suspected it was more about appeasing a high-paying client. Another rich kid, another mountain of cash to justify her exorbitant fees.
Jen burst through the glass doors, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Despite the adrenaline rush, she forced herself to compose her appearance, smoothing down her windswept hair as best she could. At the reception, she collected her badge, a small piece of plastic that felt like a lifeline in this intimidating skyscraper. The receptionist directed her to the far end of the hall, where a bank of elevators awaited. Fifty-two floors. Great.
Jen sprinted past security, heart pounding in her chest. The elevator doors were already closing, their metallic jaws snapping shut inches from her outstretched hand. A mere five minutes stood between her and professional disaster. Panic surged through her as she spotted a lone figure inside. A desperate wave and a forced smile were met with an icy stare. The doors slid shut, leaving her stranded and fuming.
"Jerk!" she muttered under her breath.
Desperation fueled her as she lunged towards the closing elevator doors. With a split-second decision, she jammed her arm into the gap, the sensors whirring to life as they detected her presence. The doors groaned open just in time.
"Phew! Thanks for that!" Jen sneered, relief washing over her as she stepped into the elevator. She punched in "52" and leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
The man inside chuckled, a sound that seemed oddly out of place in the confined space. "Well, I didn't exactly see you coming."
Jen was about to fire back a sarcastic reply when she noticed the sunglasses and the cane. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she stammered.
The man ignored her apology. "Could you press '52' for me, please? Seems they forgot to add Braille to this model."
"Of course," she replied quickly. "I'm actually heading there too."
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them as the elevator hummed along its metallic path. The lights flickered once, twice, then died completely, plunging them into an inky blackness. Panic surged through Jen as she fumbled for her phone, its dim screen offering a feeble glow in the darkness. No signal. Of course.
The man beside her shifted, his presence a looming shadow in the suffocating space. A cold sweat broke out on Jen's forehead as the elevator lurched to a sudden stop, the silence amplified in the darkness.
"Ugh, this is great," Jen muttered, her voice echoing in the confined space. She activated the flashlight on her phone, its beam cutting through the inky blackness. Desperate, she pressed the emergency call button, the high-pitched ring filling the silence. But there was no answer, just an endless loop of automated promises. Panic began to creep in as she tried again and again, the futility of her actions slowly dawning on her. Her heart raced, a drumbeat against her ribs. She needed to calm down. Green wasn't going to help anyone, especially not in an elevator with a stranger.
"Don't worry, we'll get out of here," the man next to her said after the last ring of the emergency call went silent, startling her out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, okay, it's gonna be okay," Jen replied, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. "You got this, Jen. You can do it. You got this." She paced back and forth in the cramped space, repeating the mantra like a broken record.
"Nice to meet you, Jen, I'm Matt," the man introduced himself.
Jen jerked her head up, her flashlight beam landing squarely on his face. He didn't flinch. Of course, she realized, he was blind. How could she have forgotten? She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.
"You were talking to yourself, and I couldn't help but hear," he smirked.
"Right, yeah, sorry," she winced. "I'm Jen Walters. Nice to meet you, Matt."
Matt hummed in response, his silence heavy in the darkness.
Jen's breathing quickened, shallow and ragged. The claustrophobic confines of the elevator were closing in on her. Panic, a cold, clammy hand, was tightening its grip. She tried to focus, to remember the breathing exercises, but her mind was racing.
Matt sensed her growing distress. His hand, warm and steady, found her shoulder. "Breathe, Jen," he urged, his voice a calm anchor in the storm. "Slow, deep breaths." She tried, but her body seemed to have a mind of its own, trembling uncontrollably.
His other hand enveloped hers, his fingers strong and reassuring. "I know it's scary," he said softly, his voice carrying a comforting weight. "But we're going to get out of here. Trust me." His words, like a lifeline, reached through the fog of fear.
Jen felt a sense of calm wash over her at his words. His voice, steady and reassuring, was a lifeline in the darkness. She took deep, measured breaths, the panic slowly receding with each exhalation.
"That's it," Matt encouraged, his voice a gentle anchor.
As she focused on her breathing, a sense of control returned. She looked up at him, the beam of her flashlight illuminating his face. In the dim light, she saw a man struggling with his own fear, his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed. He was just as scared as she was.
"So, how did you end up becoming a lawyer?" Jen asked, breaking the silence. She was curious about the man trapped with her in this metal box. There was an air of mystery about him that intrigued her.
Matt chuckled. "Well, it's a long story. Growing up in Hell's Kitchen, you don't exactly have a roadmap to law school. But I always had a sense of justice, a desire to help people. Law seemed like the best way to do that."
Jen nodded, understanding. "I can relate to that. I always wanted to make a difference, to fight for what's right. Law seemed like a natural fit."
Finally, the elevator jolted back to life, the lights flickering on as the car began its ascent. When the doors slid open on the fifty-second floor, Jen stepped out, relief washing over her.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around," she said, her voice a little breathless. "Wait, is it okay to say that?" A blush crept up her cheeks.
Matt chuckled. "It's totally okay. See you around, Jen."
He flashed her a smile before disappearing down the hallway. Jen stared after him, her heart pounding. There was something about him, a certain magnetism that drew her in. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She was late, very late. With a determined look, she turned and sprinted towards her boss's office.