Liam

The day after Adam and I got stuck in the lift, I meet up with Emily in a coffee shop near my office for lunch. It was her day off, but Sarah was working, and Kayleigh was at school, so she was free. We tend to grab lunch like this every couple of weeks to catch each other up on gossip and all the latest things that are going on in our lives. It’s not always that easy to gossip when we are with Sarah and Kayleigh too. Kayleigh is at the age where she picks up on every little word, so we have to much more careful what we say around her.

I fill Emily in on everything that happened in the lift last night, she gushed at how sweet I was for how I took care of Adam and how I was ‘his hero’.

“It was so nice Em, we just fit together, you know?” I said to Emily as I finished giving her all the details.

“But you didn’t ask him out or get his number?” she seemed confused.

“How could I, what sort of creep would I be if I asked for his number after he’d been through all that,” although I really wanted too.

“I guess you’re right, so, but you are going to ask him out when you see him again?”

I should be used to how blunt she is by now, “Em!”

time

“What? You’ve liked him for ages and now you know there might actually be a chance.”

“He didn’t actually say he was gay,” did he?

“Most straight guys don’t spend two hours with another guys arms wrapped around them,” she pointedly said. I couldn’t let myself get my hopes up, not yet. I really do like him, and now I’ve got to know him a little I just want to find out more. To get the chance to hold him again, although preferably not while stuck inside a lift I joked to myself.

I had to get back to work so Emily and I parted company, but not before she told me, “Ask him out!”. I know she only wants me to be happy, it’s sweet but could I really just ask him out? Could I really risk him rejecting me? I know he’s all I’ll be thinking about this afternoon now though.

Adam

I was exhausted after I got back to my flat and barely made it to my bed before I fell asleep. As if work hadn’t been exhausting enough, I think the panic attack really knocked the wind out of me. By the time I wake up the next day its already the afternoon, I look at the clock and the time is 3pm. I’d slept for 15 hours! I’m not due at work today so at least I don’t have anything to rush about for.

My head is killing me, I think from sleeping too much. I decide what I need is a walk to clear my head. I get showered and dressed and head out. I put my headphones in and ring Abi while I’m walking. After just a couple of rings she picks up, “Hey, you didn’t let me know when you got home last night,” she answered accusingly. Ever since I was kicked out, she’s sort of stepped in as a bit of a mother hen sort of role and always likes me to let her know when I get home safe after a night at work. She hates me traveling home so late my bus.

“Sorry, Mum,” I exaggerate and I’m sure she knows I’m rolling my eyes, she laughs.

“Did you get lucky or something on the way home, wait, are you only just getting home now?” she’s all excited and it makes me laugh.

“Calm down, no I didn’t get lucky,” she lets out a disappointed “oh”.

I explain about everything that happened last night after I got back to my building and apologise for not texting her to let her know I got back safe.

“Oh Adam, that sounds awful, are you ok now?” ever the concerned friend, I’m so glad she’s always in my corner.

“Yeah, Liam was really good about it, I feel so embarrassed though, he tried to let go of me once I’d calmed and I just clung on like a needy kitten.”

“Aww, but he didn’t push you away though, did he? Did you get his number?”

“I was too exhausted to even think of getting his number,” I grumbled.

We continued talking as I walked, saying goodbye as I start to get back to my building. Just as the call ends, I reach my hand for the entry door and the front of my building, and it happens again, a now familiar hand rests on top of mine.

I turn my head, and Liam is stood beside me, this time he’s wearing his suit and has a huge grin on his face.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” I say to him while matching his infectious smile.

Liam

I was expecting to see him again so soon, but I can’t help but smile when I do. He hasn’t seen me coming so as we both approach the entrance to our building, I decide it would be cute to repeat our previous encounter again. He reaches for the door handle, and I time it just right to again land my hand on top of his. It feels warm and soft, I want to lace my fingers with his and hold on tight.

He turns to me and smiles back, “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he jokes.

I haven’t let go of his hand, I don’t want to let go but I know I probably should.

“Hi”

“Hi”

“How,” we both start to say at the same time making us laugh, I gesture for him to go first with my other hand.

“How are you?”

“Not bad, are you doing better now?”

“Yeah, I was so exhausted after last night that I crashed out for so long,” he was blushing now and it was so cute.

There was a pause, neither of us seemingly knowing what to say to each other. I could Emily’s voice in the back of my head telling me to ask him out, or to ask for his number, why couldn’t I just say something?

As if reading my mind, Adam blurts out, “Would you like to go out some time?” he starts to shy away from then, I think he startled himself with his own forcefulness. He pulls his hand away from mine and hurriedly backtracks on his words, “Sorry, of course not, forget I said that,” he looks like he’s going to bolt so I put my hand on his shoulder, look him in the eyes and reply, “I’d love to.”

The End