love or loyalty

coat

As much as I hate to admit it, I wanted the kiss to last. 

I took a breath and forced our lips apart. I could see a smirk building on his face. We kissed. He kissed me on the lips. Not to mention the fact that it was raining. I felt like I was in some kind of romance novel. But, I liked it.

I swerved as he leaned in for another kiss. In the position when he was ready to kiss me, he froze. With a guilty expression on my face, I stared at him. 

"Since it's raining, we should get some cover." I smiled awkwardly and said. 

He was still standing in the same spot, eyes closed. He appeared uncomfortable that I didn't kiss him back, almost as if he has never been rejected before. 

"Where do you want to go?" Lorenzo asked, getting ready to call his driver.

I looked around and recognised our location. "Oh! This area is familiar to me. They serve delicious fried chicken here" I exclaimed with excitement.

I could sense he was trying to hide his coldness, and guilt started to creep in. After all, I had left him out in the rain for almost an hour. When I looked at him again, he wasn't even trying to hide his discomfort anymore. He was shivering so much that he couldn't control it. I took off my coat, revealing my dress as I placed the coat on him, noticing how he seemed to appreciate the warmth despite it being almost half his size. I gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

His lips were almost blue as he looked at me, and he asked, "Where did you get the coat?"

I replied, "Oh, from the store around the corner."

Lorenzo was a regular customer at the stores around the corner, where the wealthy and boujee often shopped. The prices of everyday products were inflated to exorbitant levels in these stores.

"You could afford this coat?" Lorenzo chuckled after seeing the ridiculous price tag hanging behind it. He realised I couldn't, and that I didn't buy it either. I must of forgotten and ran out the store with it.

When Lorenzo saw my face, his giggles faded. "Did you steal it?" concerned, he asked. 

The silence said it all. 

"I'm hungry," I said, attempting to shift the conversation's focus. 

I dragged Lorenzo to the fried chicken place yet again. The place appeared to be deserted, and there seemed to be only a few people around. 

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Lorenzo asked, hoping I did.

"I haven't been here in two years, but I'm sure it's somewhere." I said while looking for the place. 

When I turned around to see the elevator, I remembered that the restaurant was on the fifth floor, while we were on the second. I dragged Lorenzo to the elevator once more. 

I waited in the elevator with Lorenzo after pressing the elevator button. He seemed to be staring at me. I shifted my gaze to his. He gave a kind smile. It seemed strangely soothing. 

"What are you staring at?" I asked, hoping he stops cause I was getting unwanted butterflies in my stomach. 

"You're still holding my hand," with a broader smile, he said. 

When I saw our hands intertwined, my eyes widened. I drew back my hand and gazed at the elevator doors. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened. I rushed in, as Enzo stepped in leisurely, his hands in his pockets.

I pressed the button for the fifth floor and stood awkwardly next to him, feeling hungry and eager for the elevator to reach our destination. Suddenly, the elevator started shaking violently, and I saw the concern in his eyes as I glanced at him.

"What the fuck is happening?!" Enzo remarked this as he took his phone from his pocket and dialled a number. 

"The elevator most likely broke down," I stated calmly as I pressed the elevator's emergency button. 

"This stupid place is so old, I'm sure the elevator hasn't been used in ages!" He expressed his displeasure. 

 I tried pressing the emergency button, but it didn't seem to work. 

"I can't make a phone call." Lorenzo expressed his desire to punch the wall. 

"I'll give mine a shot." I said it with optimism until I realised I hadn't repaired my damaged phone. 

Lorenzo asked, "What happened to your phone?"

"It's your fault! If you hadn't bothered me, those girls wouldn't have come after me and smashed my phone. I don't have the money to replace it like you do. You're such an idiot," I shouted, no longer suppressing my frustration and misery. 

I observed him pulling out a cigarette, leisurely smoking it as my gaze fixated on his veiny, large hands. When I met his eyes, all I could perceive was a profound emptiness within them. There was no point in scolding him about smoking in an elevator, we were stuck and probably gonna die anyways. 

Feeling remorseful for my outburst, I understood that the events had been overwhelming. As I noticed him hugging himself, I decided to join him and offer my coat as a makeshift blanket to keep him warm. Although I was also feeling the chill, it was nothing compared to what Enzo must have been experiencing. He seemed to sense my shivering and pulled me closer, cuddling for warmth. Before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep in the comfort of his arms.