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She rested her head against my shoulder. Lightning struck my skin in that moment, the way she felt against me, helpless, like she needed me, was intoxicating, I could almost forget about the puzzle as she rested for a few seconds then started leading the way.
I almost tripped over my feet when I followed her, then was reminded that I was that guy, the one that would have followed her anywhere.
But she was that girl.
The one who didn’t want to be followed.
My mood took a hit to the gut as we continued walking and finally made it back to the path neither of us wanted to take.
Wow, what a stupid metaphor.
Both of us staring into darkness and despair, knowing we had to walk through it but unable to even lift a foot for fear of what was on the other side.
Have I mentioned I hate Max? And puzzles? And now apparently mazes?
“Come on, Ace.” Bri held out her hand. “Partners stick together.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask about boyfriends and girlfriends, because despite a busy life and being so young—I thought we were forever.
I wanted to stick by her.
And she was too private to do anything other than flee. Too afraid to tell me what was really bothering her, too untrusting with her heart. Maybe that’s what really hurt the most. I gave her all of mine, but she didn’t trust me enough to give me even a fraction of hers. I knew that now. It sucked.
Pathetic when I really thought about it, the only current way I could keep her was under work duress and money for her student loans.
Oh, and an insane boss. That too.
It wasn’t really how I saw our future before.
“Partners,” I repeated. “Stick together.” I followed her down the dark maze and nearly shit my pants when things started making noises out of the shrubs, I refused to look left or right and only kept my gaze straight ahead, at her.
She held her head high and walked, it seemed to get darker and darker until finally it broke out into complete sunlight right in front of the warehouse with the escape room.
We had one minute to spare before getting eliminated.
Dustin was waiting on the other side, he looked down at his cue cards and muttered, “And out of darkness comes light.”
I’m not sure if he was saying it to encourage himself and his own trauma or if he was saying it to us. Honestly, it had to have taken every ounce of energy in his entire being to not throw those cue cards onto the ground or burn them on site and start cursing the entire company. Props to him. Respect.
“Now.” He switched cue cards, tucking the first ones behind the others and clearing his throat.
Bri leaned in close to me. “He’s really sweating a lot.”
It was literally dripping down his face, and the man was only breathing and standing, that was it. “Probably had flashbacks from the test phase.”
“Ahhh.” She nodded. “Makes sense, the bears.”
“Feast your eyes”—Dustin coughed, making both me and Bri jump in place—“on the Emory Escape Room where you will deal with haunted customers, disloyal employees, dirty rooms, grumpy bosses, and gasp…” Ah, he did gasp how admirable. Maybe one day he’d get an Academy award. It was good to have dreams. “…bad coffee in the break rooms.”
“Should we gasp for effect?” Bri asked. “To make him feel better?”
I put my hands over my mouth and muttered loudly, “Glory be, they have coffee here?”
“Mama said when I move to the big city, they’ll even give you a ten-minute break!” she added in a southern drawl.
Dustin glared at us.
He didn’t find us amusing, not one bit.
