“Dante and his girlfriend both think they know everything about me.” I widen my eyes at what just came out of my mouth. “Shit. I’m sorry. I have to go.”
I break away and run into the lobby. I have one foot in the elevator when Dylan catches up with me.
“What did they say to you?” His eyes are feral as they lock onto mine.
I step fully into the elevator and push fifteen, but Dylan jumps in before the doors close on him. “Jasalie. What did they say to you?”
Trying to think of how to respond, I watch each number light up when we pass the floor. Two, three, four, five, six…it’s quite a good system, really. Lets you know exactly where you stand.
“Are you going to tell me, or do I have to get more and more annoying?” Dylan moves so that he’s standing in between me and the elevator panel.
Now I can’t see where I am.
“Dylan. I just…”
The elevator stops and the doors open. I go to hop out, but Dylan stops me.
“We’re not getting out until you tell me what they said to you.”
I look at his determined expression. God, he must be a force on the football field.
I sigh and sit down on the floor. “If we must do this like this, let’s do it then. Might as well take a seat.”
The elevator doors close, and Dylan presses stop so that we won’t move.
“Ever been stuck in an elevator before?” he asks me.
“Not until this moment.”
“Me neither. I heard it can be pretty freaky. Can feel rather claustrophobic.”
“Kind of like you have no control?” I ask.
“I imagine kind of like that.” He watches me carefully as he sits down across from me.
And I open up and tell him about meeting Maura, Chrissy, and Harlow. And how Dante surprised me.
“Did you meet Sky?” he asks me.
“Yes. She introduced herself to me. She’s super nice. And she really cares about you, too.”
His eyes warm like this fact matters to him. I get the sense he doesn’t have many people he trusts in L.A.
“Sky and Colton are in love for real, unlike Harlow and Dante, or Chrissy and Taylor. I didn’t realize they’d be so quick to dissuade you from me.”
“I don’t think it was really about you,” I say. “Harlow’s just kind of…”
“They’re jealous,” he says. “Of us. Because we’re happy. Dante’s always kind of an ass.”
“I think he was more trying to be protective of you,” I say.
“Dante’s got a good heart, but he’s always jumping in where he’s not supposed to. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to do that. I just don’t want him thinking I’m using you. Because he’s really reading me wrong if he thinks I’m like that Natalie person.”
“Yeah, he tends to do that. I’ll straighten it out with him.”
Dylan puts his hand on my thigh. I close my eyes and lean closer to him. I’m not sure I trust myself anymore. My palms are sweating like something big is about to happen.
