I lock my door in a hurry and run to the elevator. I'm so late.
The doors are just about to close, and I'm a few too many steps away.
"Hold it!" I call, desperately, hopefully. A hand sticks between the doors and the doors almost close on it before they slide completely open again.
I step inside, breathless and sweaty as a result of my anti-athletic practices, “Thanks.”
"Katherine?"
I look up.
"Cambriel?"
It's strange to see him. We're so close that I can see the slight wrinkles on his t-shirt. He carries a backpack and wears a Yankees cap.
"In real life," he says raising his eyebrows dramatically. I laugh. He seems so tall here; I would have pegged him for someone who was exactly 6'1".
"So the balcony isn't real?" I ask, moving on from my marvelling at his height.
"It's an in-between space, don't you know that's why so many people jump from them? It's safe. Not connected to life."
"Your reasonings are questionable, Cambriel," I tell him but smiling as I say it. He rolls his eyes, grandly, theatrically.
“Questionable shmestionable.”
The elevator ride is just one floor too long and standing next to him I have absolutely, utterly, nothing to say. He smells nice, and it makes me feel intimidated. He is not just a balcony person... he is a real-life attractive tall, nice smelling boy and frankly, I'm not sure what to think about that.