"Ever since you got off the elevator," she said. "I was waiting to see how long it would take you to look up and see me."
"I almost ran into you."
"You did almost run into me," she said with a smile.
Ryan stood there looking at her, too mesmerized to find any words to say to her. Tonight, she was wearing a black sweater and a pair of tight jeans with black boots. She had on a long silver necklace and matching earrings that contrasted with her dark hair. Casual but still gorgeous.
"You look good," she said.
He swallowed, trying to pull himself together in her presence. He wanted to look calm, but he was freaking out in his head.
"You do, too."
What a boring response. And yet, that's all he could come up with standing there in front of her. Maybe if he was expecting her to be there, it would be different. But he was in the middle of a chapter and wham! Lucy. If he had known she would be there, he would've prepared himself with something to say to her that sounded mature and well thought out. Instead, it was quiet and it would be getting into uncomfortably quiet territory if he didn't think of something soon.
Luckily, he was saved by the "ding" of the elevator at the end of the hallway. Unluckily, it was Andy. He took a few steps into the hallway, swaying like a man walking to his fiancée's apartment would sway. Then he saw Lucy in the hallway — and Ryan. His face changed from happy-go-lucky to "How did I get into this situation?" Ryan was sure he had the same look on his face because he felt that way too.
"Hey," Andy said as he tried — and failed — to casually approach them like it was no big deal. "Great game tonight, Booksy."
Ryan gave him an awkward smile, realizing Andy was trying to be his hype man or something. He had a good game. His new nickname was "Booksy."
He was also standing right in front of Sydney's door. Ryan tried to move out of the way as Andy got closer and backed right into Lucy, her hand grabbing his arm to steady herself. Her touch was as amazing as he remembered it to be. But then he steadied himself and she quickly let go, all with Andy staring at the whole thing. It was an embarrassing mess.
"Is Sydney home?" he asked in a clipped tone.
"Yep!" Lucy said. "We just got back from Green Dot."
"Good, good."
Andy's weight shifted a bit as he awkwardly knocked on the door with an audience of Ryan and Lucy staring at him. This was all so awkward. And it was made worse when Sydney opened the door, her excited face quickly changing as she saw everyone standing in the hall just outside her door staring at her.
"Uh, hey, everyone," she said cautiously. "Didn't realize there was a party out here that I wasn't invited to."
"Not a party, I'm just passing through." Andy quickly ducked into Sydney's apartment. "Hey, so good night, guys."
Sydney's eyes darted from Lucy to Ryan and back again. "Right, so you're all set to get home?" she asked Lucy.
"Yep."
Sydney nodded dramatically. "OK, then. Well, drive safe."
"Drive safe!" Andy yelled from somewhere in Sydney's place.
"Night."
Lucy tried to say it cheerfully, but there was an edge to the word. Ryan didn't want to say anything after that, opting for a nod and a small wave as Sydney closed the door.
And then it was just him in the hallway with Lucy again. Alone.
"So I don't want to hold you up from getting home."
He shoved his hands in his pockets and started looking around the empty space around them because he really didn't know what else to do.
"Oh, you're not holding me up."
Sure, maybe he wasn't. But if Lucy wanted to get away from all this melodrama in the middle of the hallway, he just gave her the perfect excuse to leave, and she brushed it off.
"Actually, could we talk for a little?"
