BEYOND THE SHORE......

chapter:-6

"Hands down it's Fruity Pebbles."

"God no. It's Cinnamon Toast Crunch."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's the truth."

"I think we need to educate you on cereals."

"You're just mad that I'm right."

Jacob shook his head at me, muttering under his breath at how wrong I was. I couldn't help but grin at the fact that a big hockey player like him was sitting here arguing with me about cereal. Yes, cereal. And this wasn't the first argument we have had about food, either.

I mean what person picks Fruity Pebbles over Cinnamon Toast Crunch! A crazy person that's who. And this was also coming from the guy who said tomatoes were gross but liked spaghetti.

Jacob and I have officially been stuck in the elevator for three hours now. My dying phone said it was nearing 11 o'clock at night and no one had yet to come rescue us. At this point I think we both knew no one was coming tonight. The elevator was slowly getting colder making the two of us scoot closer and closer to each other as the night went on.

My whole right side was pressed against Jacob, the heat coming from him making me a bit warmer. The guy was almost like a furnace.

With three hours of being stuck in an elevator the two of us have gotten to know each other better. Any sort of awkward tension was long gone. Conversation flowed easily between the two of us. Learning little facts about the other person, swapping funny university stories, arguing about stupid stuff.

I had to admit, at first I was pissed at being stuck in here, but now I didn't mind it too much. It may have had to do with the person sitting next to me, making me feel less alone. I was glad it was Jacob of all people stuck in here.

The sound of my stomach growling loudly broke me out of my thoughts. Jacob's head snapped towards me as my cheeks burned. I've been able to keep my stomach at bay until now. The fact that I didn't get dinner and only ate an apple for lunch was not helping.

"Sorry," I mumbled, beyond embarrassed.

"Hold on, I think I have something." He grabbed his gym bag and rifled through it. Inside I could make out gear, a pair of skates, even some pucks. "Ah-ha!" Pulling his hand out he held out a nutrition bar.

"A nutrition bar? Really?"

"I thought you were hungry," he countered, sending me a pointed look.

"Yeah but those taste like cardboard." Which they did.

"And?"

Knowing that I wasn't about to get a big juicy hamburger, I sighed, "Fine, nutrition bar it is." I muttered.

"Don't forget a half-drunk bottle of water." Jacob pulled it out from his bag. I looked at it then at him.

"How long has that been in there?" He looked at the water for a moment before shrugging. Great. Judging from the way the bottle was caving in, it had been awhile.

"Here." He extended the bar towards me.

"What?"

"You have it," he offered. I stared at the side of his face not saying a word. He would give me the only source of food we have knowing how hungry I was and sit there hungry himself.

"No." I shook my head.

"No? jennade, just take it." He tried to put it in my hand but I moved it away.

"No, we are sharing it."

"I'll be fine. You eat it," he all but demanded.

"Jacob, you played tonight you must be starving." When he went to open his mouth I interrupted him. "We'll split it and the water. Deal?" There is no way I'm budging on this. Out of the two of us he should be the one eating it after playing a grueling game of hockey.

We stared at one another, both of us not giving in. Jacob was about to learn first hand how stubborn I can be. More stubborn than a mule, my dad would always say. After another minute of intense glaring, he gave up.

"Fine, deal." he said. I did a little fist bump in the air as I grinned in triumph. "Here." He ripped open the nutrition bar and broke it in half, handing me one side. In the dim lighting, I was able to see it actually didn't look too bad. Nuts, oats and something else I couldn't really see.

"Cheers." Jacob held out his half and I tapped it with mine.

"Cheers."

I took a small bite of it, wanting to savor it as much as I could. It wasn't as terrible as I first thought either.

"How is it?" he asked as he took a bite of his own.

"Not bad. Still tastes like cardboard but like fancy cardboard." Jacob let out a loud laugh at my words. Again the sound seemed to wash over my body and settle in my bones. It was the type of laugh that I could hear all day and never grow tired of it.

"Perfect description."

"I mean, it's no hamburger but it will do." He hummed in agreement as we sat there eating our nutrition bars side by side.

"Thanks." I softly nudged his shoulder with mine.

"Anytime."