Ellery's POV
The silence in the car was stifling. Why does every car ride with him have to be so awkward?
"Mr. Mercuer, you know you didn't have to take me home. I could've ridden the bus."
"Let's be friends." He said out of nowhere. "We may have had our differences, but let's be friends."
What is he saying? He wants to be friends? He treated me like trash for the past few weeks and now he wants to be friends? Did he swallow too much water when he was helping me get out of the pool? This guy needs to sort out his priorities.
"You're my boss. I don't think would be appropriate for us to be friends."
"Don't you think being friends will make the working environment better?"
"Hmm, I didn't think it like that. But still..." I trailed off, not wanting to state the obvious.
"You're afraid of what people would say?"
"No-no...yes."
"Don't worry, no one will say anything."
"I highly doubt so...it doesn't feel right."
"Why don't we start out with something little? Like first names. You can stop calling me Mr. Mercuer. Call me Charles now."
"Charles." I said, feeling the word around my mouth. "I guess this isn't so bad."
"We're here." He announced.
I looked outside the car window and realized he was right. I've been so focused on the conversation that I didn't even notice we had arrived at my apartment.
"Will you be okay getting in?"
"Yes." I said as I reached for the car door handle.
I opened the door, but before I got out of the car, I turned around and face him. "Thank you for tonight. For saving me."
I turned around and got out of the car. I stood on the hard pavement for a second, before I felt a searing pain in my right ankle. I lost my balance and fell down.
Well, there goes my cool exit.
"Ellery! Are you okay?" Charles yelled behind me.
I heard him fumbled with his seatbelt before his car door opened. He ran over to my side and I looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I thought it would be fine."
"Let's get in the car first. I'll find a place to park then I'll help you go up."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for the trouble."
"You don't have to be. Friends are supposed to help each other out." He said, making me blush. With the dark lighting, I hope he didn't see me.
He picked me up from the ground and put me in the car again. Charles got in the car himself and found a place to park.
He opened his door and walked over to mine and opened it. He puts one arm under my legs and one behind my back, making me shiver.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Let's go then." With one breath, he hefted me up from the car seat.
"Oh!" I said in surprise.
He chuckled.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"Nothing." He said. "Let's just go."
I put my arms around his neck to keep myself from falling and his shoulders were so wide, I could barely connect my hands. I looked up at his face, still amazed that someone can look this good. No wonder he's so egotistic and cocky all the time.
We walked into the lobby of the apartment and he walked in the direction of the elevator.
"It's out of order." He finally said.
"Huh? What?" I was pulled back into reality. I didn't realized I was staring at his face so contently.
"The elevator."
"What about it?" I asked, still confused about what he was talking about.
"I'm saying it's out of order."
"Oh." I looked over towards the elevator and he was right. On the doors was a sign I knew too well by now.
Out of Order. Please use the
stairs over there.
———>
"Again? This is the third time this month. We'll have to take the stairs over there." I said, pointing to the door leading to the stairs.
"Okay." Charles said, making his way towards the door.
"Will it be okay though, I live on the third floor. It's a lot of stairs."
"I'll be okay. I'll just think of it as exercise."
"Why don't you piggy back me instead? It'll be easier." I suggested.
"That would work too." He said, setting me on the ground. He squat down and I wrapped my arms around his neck again. He took my legs and stood up.
"Aren't I heavy?" I asked when we reached the second floor landing.
"You're the heaviest by far. All the other girls I've carried, they're so much lighter."
"You've carried others?"
"Of course. All the time."
"Oh."
"I'm joking." He laughed a hearty laugh, filling the whole stairways.
"What?" I said in surprise. "Charles Mercuer, owner of a multibillion company, jokes around?"
"I'm human, aren't I?"
"To be honest, when I first met you, I didn't think you were anywhere near a human being."
"Wow, that hurts."
"I'm seeing many new sides of you today." I said.
I put my head down on his broad shoulder. The surface was wet and cold. I had an instant flashback of what happened earlier and I blushed.
Feeling bad and thankful, I blurted out, "would you like to come in for a cup of tea before you leave?"
"Sure. That'd be really nice."
We reached the third floor and no sound of heavy breathing came from him. He was joking earlier, I giggled.
"Is there something funny?"
"It's nothing. My place is on the right, over there." I said, pointing to my flat.
"I know where it is."
"Oh, yeah. That is still really creepy by the way."
"I was hungry. Give me the key."
"Okay. Hold on a second." With a lot of fumbling, I finally managed to get out my key.
Charles opened the door and turned on the lights. He carried me into the apartment and he sat me on the couch and sat down himself.
I stood up in my god feet and walked into my room. "I'm going to change and then I'll make us some tea."
"Okay."
I went into the bathroom, took a quick hot shower, and put on some pajamas. I walked into the living room and Charles was sitting there, staring at me in awe.
"Please tell me how you managed to walk without falling?"
"I wasn't in a lot of pain to begin with. It just hurts a lot at the beginning, but the pain subsided."
"You made me carry you all three flights of stairs."
I shrugged, "I wanted to test if you would carry me or not."
"Not cool."
"Why don't you go take a shower and get changed. You might get sick if you don't take one." I laughed.
"You're not trying to get me into bed are you?" He said, getting up and walked towards me.
"Oh my gosh no, Mr. Mercuer." I said, making a stink face. "I might've fell into a pool earlier, but I'm pretty sure I didn't hit my head on the way down."
He was still walking towards me, almost pushing me up against the wall. With my last ounce of strength, I pushed him towards the bathroom.
"Take a shower and leave your clothes outside of the door. I'll dry it so you don't have to wear wet clothes."
"How will I know if you'll bring my clothes back to me?"
"I swear I will give it back." I said, putting my hand on my heart. "I swear."