Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

As the elevator doors opened, a lone figure in black sat motionless in the middle of the open space. Nicholas had his arms wrapped around his knees, his head buried deep.

If it were anyone else, I might have assumed they were crying. But Nicholas wasn't the kind of man to shed tears over a fight.

Pete was nowhere to be seen. For a moment, I hesitated. Should I step out?

The elevator doors began to close after being unable to detect a need to stay open. Everything before me was compressed by the closing doors.

I stood frozen, watching Nicholas through the narrowing gap until the doors sealed shut, leaving him outside my view.

I exhaled deeply, my thoughts in turmoil. Should I go check? After all, this was my place. But where was the other person from the fight?

My heart tightened at the thought. What if Pete was beaten up so badly that he had been tossed aside somewhere, out of sight?

I shook my head, snapping back to why I was even here. I reached out and furiously pressed the button to open the elevator doors again. What a day!

front of me as if he had teleported here.

out my name, a

cut at the corner of his mouth, and the bruises on his face tightened. The veins on his forehead throbbed under the pale elevator light. It made him look

say more, but no sound came. We stood less than three feet apart, staring at

a hoarse whisper escaped his throat. "Let

Nicholas's hug was crushing, his arms coiling around me as if he might

I didn't even have time to refuse. Even as

closed my eyes, my

couldn't help but

the tight space. The glossy walls reflected his lonely silhouette and all the times I had chosen to

pushed him away, quickly pressing the button to reopen the doors, and shoved him

please have some self-respect. Do you need me to arrange for someone to take you

a once-over. In his current disheveled state, he wasn't fit to be seen by

looked around the area around us. "Where