crescendo

Beginnings

OLIVIA
After trudging up the stairs silently with this stranger, I finally get the courage to speak.

"What's your name?"

"What's yours," he says back.

"Olivia."

"Sean."

"It's nice to meet you," I try to say politely.

"Oh, but we haven't truly met, now have we, Olivia."

"No, I suppose we haven't," I almost whisper, confused.

"What's your story? What makes you, you?"

"I seem to have lost the answer."

"Really? How? Tell me your... life story, let's say."

"It's a long story... and you probably don't want to hear it anyway."

"I do want to hear it. Also, does it look like this journey is going to go any faster at this pace? Hah, I didn't think so." And so I tell him everything.

"Wow... you really have lost the answer, haven't you?"

"Yeah... I don't know. Everything just seems so out of my control these days. Sometimes, I wish that I could keep my life out of the firm grip of reality."

"I know the feeling," he says with a sigh, "I know it all too well..."

"Well, what do you think? What should I do?"

"You barely know me," he laughs.

"Exactly."

"Oh. Just know you don't have to listen to me."

"Just tell me what you think."

"Okay, well even with the loss of your partner, it seems like you're free now, right?"

"I guess. Is this what free feels like?"

"I'm not sure. Freedom isn't really my strong suit. Ask me about pressure or suffocation, I'll know all the answers to your questions... Anyways, what do I think? Well, I think endless options is not freedom, it's paralysis."

"I think you might be on to something Sean."

"Really? Because I heard that on a home renovation show."

"Oh, you think that's funny, don't you?" I laugh and push him slightly backward.

I scream and yell, "Race you to the top!"

"Oh, you're on!"

I rush up the stairs as fast as I can with my suitcases, suddenly having a burst of energy.

Then my foot slips just as I pass the door to the 6th floor. Panic courses through my body as I feel myself falling backward. But I don't fall. I don't fall.

"Am I dead," I ask out loud.

"Nope. I caught you."

Sean is holding me in his arms.

"At least you were trying to have some fun."

I scoff and say, "Yeah."

He helps me get up and collect my stuff. We start to walk again.

We finally get to the 7th floor and Sean opens the door.

"Here we are milady! Home sweet home."

The corridor has a nice, hotel carpet with mirrors and pictures on the walls.

"You're in 7b,  right?"

"Yup."

"Cool. I'm in 7d, right across from you."

"Alright, thanks for your help. I should probably go inside now and get some sleep."

"Yeah, well nice to meet you!"

"You too."

I start to walk inside.

"Wait," I kind of shout.

"Would you like to have breakfast tomorrow at that cafe down the street?"

Sean smiles at me and says, "That would be great. It's a date! See you tomorrow!"

"Bye!"

I open my door and sit down on the floor, exhausted, yet exhilarated.

"I have a date! I have a date," I whisper excitedly.

I flop onto the bed and think about breakfast.

DEAN

After Tom is out of the room, I start to get ready to leave.
"Room key, phone, wallet, jacket... that's everything," I say to myself.

I walk down the hallway to the elevators and I press the button. I watch the doors open as the elevator dings.

When I get to the parking garage, I realize we didn't bring a car.

"What we're you thinking idiot... First you forget a gift and now you waste more time. Smooth, Dean, smooth."

I order an Uber and while I wait, I look at gifts online. I find a little shop a few blocks away that sells customized serving platters that you can get engraved on the spot.

"Perfect. Not too expensive, but personal enough not to seem last minute," I think to myself.

When my Uber arrives, I get in and tell the man where to go. When we're at the shop, I pay and get out.

I go inside, get the gift, get it engraved, then get another Uber to the bar.

At 'Smith's Bar', I'm there carrying a wrapped item and slight embarrassment.

I open the door and see Jack getting up from the bar where Tom is sitting.

I'm about the walk over when I see him walking towards a woman. A woman that is not his fiancé. I woman that I have never seen before. I thought it was his sister or something. Also, a lot of guys get a stripper for their bachelor parties so I wasn't sure.

But from the way he kissed her, and the way he followed her into the bathroom, I think he had definitely seen her before.

ISABELLE

I wake up in the middle of the night in an anxious sweat. I get out of bed and go to bathroom. Nausea envelopes me as I try to walk to the couch. I sit down and close my eyes.

As the hours drip by, I stare blankly out the window as the sun peeks over the buildings.

It's almost 6:00 a.m now.

I walk over to the bathroom again and look at myself in the mirror. Smudged makeup and bed head aside, I look okay, I guess.

I start to get ready and order some breakfast. When it arrives I eat half, save the other half for tomorrow, and put it in the fridge.

It seems like the day will be uneventful, but I never knew something so small could cause such chaos and madness.