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The Assignment's Partner

Chapter 1: Can Anything Else go Wrong Today?

Natalia

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me", I say as I walk through the crowded coffee shop on campus.

I woke up late today, well, later than usual. It is hurricane season in Florida, and there was a storm last night. The storm knocked the power out, so I couldn't charge my phone. My cell phone died and the alarm didn't go off. So... Yeah, it has been an eventful morning so far, and I have endured it without any coffee.

Waking up late messed with my morning ritual. I am not a morning person, so it takes a lot for me to get up early and still be a pleasant human being. Every morning, I must take a long warm shower as soon as I wake up, brush my teeth, get dressed and then make my coffee and drink it while watching comedy stand ups on my phone. Yes, I do have a small coffee maker in my dorm. I'd rather do that than spend seven dollars or more at the expensive coffee shop here. What can I say? I am a broke girl with an expensive taste.

Today I got myself a large caramel macchiato. I know, I treated myself and I don't feel guilty about it. I deserve the expensive overrated drink after the surprising events that unfolded this morning.

Smelling and taking a quick sip of my super hot coffee makes me want to take back what I said about it being overrated. This is worth the seven dollars and some change I paid the barista.

Waking up late is the smallest problem I've faced today so far.

A student who lives in the dorm next to us did something or was involved in some type of misunderstanding with the law. Cops came into the building, and then, detectives were interrogating everyone. So guess who got stopped as I was heading out of my dorm? Of course, me! That made me even more late.

After providing information, I was free to go, and on my way to the coffee shop an idiot riding his bike passed through a puddle and splashed me. Now I have dirty water and mud on my black Converse, beige leggings and gray mini skirt. The mud managed to get on my Army green tank top and jean jacket too.

Squeezing through the crowd, still saying excuse me, I try to head out, and it seems impossible to do so with my big backpack and my coffee… but finally, I am able to get out of the coffee shop's chaos.

Even though I am already running a couple of minutes late to class for my taste and I hate to make a bad impression, especially for a professor, I must stop by the restroom first, to clean my shoes and clothes. There's no way I am entering a classroom with all the attention drawn to me, looking like I was in a mud wrestling contest or some survival game competition.

I head to the restroom and as soon as I get in I grab a bunch of paper towels, get them wet and try to clean myself. Great, now I am even more wet... Oh well. I get out of the restroom and instead of taking the stairs like I always do (I try to get as much cardio as I can whenever I can) I opt for the elevator.

The elevator's doors are almost closing, so I run and manage to get inside. When I enter in a rush, I am faced with a guy holding a cup from the same coffee shop I got mine from. He looks at me for a second, a frustrated kind of look, and then, he tries to get some coffee stains off his, if you ask my opinion, overly dress shirt. Who dresses like that for class? Only staff... but he looks too young to work here.

The doors close and there is no need for me to push the button of the floor I am heading to because the guy has already done so. The dude seems too preoccupied with his coffee stain and I can sense his bad mood. I turn to the side so that I am not facing the doors. Instead, I face the other wall in front of me.

The guy is leaning against the wall across from the doors. He is standing far back in the elevator and I stay up front, with my shoulder next to the buttons.

I look at him and give him a sympathetic smile. "Bad morning?" I ask him, trying to lighten both of our moods. He sighs and without looking at me, he says "well, it wasn't until you passed by me in the coffee shop with that huge hiking backpack, half knocking my cup of coffee and spilling its hot content all over my white shirt."

Whoa! "I spilled your coffee? What are you talking about?"

He keeps rubbing on the stain with a wet napkin and just shakes his head, looking irritated. I stare at him waiting for an answer, but he sure takes his time replying. He looks at me for the second time, at least this is the second time I notice him doing so, and says "yes, you did. But how would you even know this? You were rushing through the crowd with that monster bag on your back." He shakes his head again, with annoyance.

"I'm sorry. Okay? I had no idea. I am running late for my class on the first day... And Like you, I also had to clean my clothes because someone did to me what I did to you... Different circumstances and liquids, but anyway, it's been a crazy morning."

The guy doesn't look or speak to me after I tried to apologize to him.

"Do you work here?" I ask, feeling uncomfortable. He lets out a sarcastic chuckle. "No, like you, I am also running late for my class on the first day, all thanks to this." He points at his almost faded coffee stain and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, again. I don't know what else I can possibly say for you to understand I didn't mean to ruin your morning." He sighs. "Don't say anything at all. How about that?"

Wow, what is this guy's problem? "Fine, I will just say one more thing and then I am done. Why would you dress like that to come to class? By the way, this is a rhetorical question. I will stop talking now."

The guy ignores me and I pretend to do the same.

As I drink my coffee, I notice he finally leaves his stain alone and starts drinking his coffee too, while he low key stares at me. I roll my eyes and turn to face the elevator's door.

We hear the sound of the elevator reaching our destination but we don't see the doors opening. I turn to look at "Mr. Moody" and he looks as confused as I am because of the elevator's malfunction. I push the elevator's button to open the doors but nothing happens. We just hear a noise, like there is something preventing the doors from opening. Great, now I am not only late, but also stuck with this snob!

"The universe must hate me today!" I grunt.

The guy pulls out his cellphone and I see the very expensive watch covering his wrist as he brings his hand to his ear to call someone. Well, now I know who dresses like that to school, rich dudes who can afford watches like that.

"Hello. I am calling from the elevator on the East side of building 2 to inform you that it is malfunctioning and we are trapped inside", he says and then he waits for the other person to respond. "It won't open. The doors are not opening for us to get out. It appears we reached the last floor, but it simply won't open", he explains, pausing briefly, while listening to the person on the line. "Alexander Bailey", he says. "Ah, yes, there's another student trapped here too. Give me a second, please", he says on the phone, staring at me now.

Oh wow, he has manners for the staff. "What is your name?" He asks me, and I don't want to look at him while I talk to him, because I am annoyed by him. I look away and say "Natalia Díaz". He repeats my name to the staff person on the line and then he says thanks. After hanging up the phone he decides to share the information with me.

"They are sending help right now, maintenance... Hopefully they won't have to send the fire department to rescue us. They are also going to inform our professors about our situation".

I decide to look at him while he keeps talking, and I just nod. When he is done explaining, I look away and I can feel him staring at me. A few minutes go by and I cannot stand the tension between this guy and me. I have to distract myself. I am also tired of standing here, staring at the stupid doors that won't open, so I sit down on the floor, leaning against the wall I was leaning against before. All of the sudden "Mr. Moody" gets uncomfortable.

The guy starts rearranging his glasses and touching his chin. He switches positions every 2 seconds and I can hear him breathe in an exaggerated manner. I try to ignore him, and I reach one of the side pockets of my backpack to get my cell phone out. What? I don't have a signal here? Now I am actually relieved at the fact this guy is trapped here with me. He had a signal and was able to call for help. I sigh and put my phone back in my pocket. Then, I slide my backpack through my arms and set it in front of me, opening it.

Just as I am about to dig in for one of my notebooks, the dude says to me, almost demanding, "Would you please stand up from that dirty floor?" I look at him confused and amused at the fact he looks like he is in pain at the sight of me sitting on the floor. "What? Why?" I ask, surprised. He actually squats in front of me and waves his hands in the air. "Because it is driving me insane!" He says, trying to control his tone and exhaling. Then, he stands up, running his hands through his forehead and closing his eyes.

I guess he has some type of O.C.D, because it looks like he is stressing too much about me sitting here. I honestly feel bad for him. He doesn't look at me anymore, but I see him sweating and his pale face is now red. His square black framed glasses get foggy and he has his right fist covering his mouth while he stares at his watch on the other hand. I grab my backpack and decide to stand up.

"Happy?" I say, while some of the things inside my backpack spill from it all over the floor. Good thing I already finished my coffee, because I would have probably knocked it down too, since I left the cup on the floor. Alexander (I remember that's what he said to the person on the phone) looks at my mess, and I start picking up the notebooks as papers fly away. He joins me, trying to get my stuff from the floor too.

I can see him scanning through my belongings, snooping around. He hands me the things he picked up and I shove them inside my backpack, closing the zipper this time.

I look back at him; this time his face looks relaxed and he looks…nice... You know, like a nice person. Well, I guess I am trying to overlook the fact he is handsome. He is not hot! He is just someone who cleans up well. He catches me staring at him. His black eyes meet my amber eyes and for a split second I think we almost smile at each other. He runs his hands through his silky, short, black hair and says "thank you!"

I smile and say "no, thank you!" Alexander smirks. "Thank you for getting off that dirty floor." I stand here, perplexed at his comment. "Thanks for helping me pick up my things." He nods and then we hear people's voices at the other side of the doors. They speak to us, asking to please get away from the door so they can work on them. "Yes!" I scream. Alexander looks at me and smiles.

Minutes later, the doors open and we are able to get out. Maintenance keeps working on the elevator problem… and we head toward our destinations.