The Lift (A One Direction Fanfiction)

Chapter One

About six buildings down I come across a familiar looking structure with the address I'm looking for. I mentally pat myself on the back for finding it. I'm about to open the door when I notice that the plants outside the building aren't ficus trees. I don't know what these impostors are, but I figure the company had decided since the picture was taken that it was time for a bit of change in their decorative plants. I push the door open and stroll in as the door's bell rings.

There is no one at the front desk. I look around the lobby for some sign of life, but there's not a single person in sight. I walk out of the building again and stand there a bit awkwardly, not knowing what to do. I lift my wrist to look at my watch and then I put it down again. A moment later I check my watch again because I wasn't paying attention the first time.

2:37. Cool.

Buzz. Buzz. I fish out my phone from the front left pocket of my jeans, see that my mom is calling and slide the phone open.

"Hello?" I say.

"Hey, sweetie," Mom replies. "Are you with your father yet?"

"No, Mom, I was just about to go into his building." I decide not to ask her more details about the building; she's got enough to think about already.

"Okay. I just really want to thank you for doing this for me, Erin. It means a lot."

I shift uncomfortably, grateful my mother can't see my uneasiness.

"No problem," I say with false confidence. "I know this is hard for you and I want to help in any way I can."

"That's very thoughtful of you," she sighs. "But this is going to affect you and Katie, as well. You don't have to act strong just for me."

"I'm not acting anything," my voice and temper rising ever so slightly. "I just want everything to be normal."

"And it will be. Once your father signs those papers, we'll have a custody trial, I'll win because he won't be able to get a good enough lawyer and everything will be fine from then on."

"Yeah," I sniff. "It'll all be fine." I solemnly begin to walk back into the building.

"Trust me, honey," Mom reassures. "It'll all be okay. Just be prepared to--"

Silence.

"Hello?" I say a bit frantically. "Mom?" I look at the phone. "CALL WAS LOST". I dial her number again and sit on the front desk.

If nobody's there, nobody minds.

I don't hear any rings. I pull the phone away from my ear and see a "CALL CANNOT GO THROUGH" message flashing obnoxiously in my face.

There must be no service in this building, I think as I walk out the door again. I dial my mom's number and it goes through.

"Sweetie?" she says a bit worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm okay mom," I reassure her. "I walked into Dad's building and lost the signal."

"Oh," she sighs, relieved. "Then just call me when you leave so I know."

"Okay," I say. "And Mom? What were you saying before? You started with 'Just be prepared to-' and then you got cut off."

"Oh," she says hesitantly. "You know, I completely forgot what I was going to say. I must have lost my train of thought."

I laugh halfheartedly, because I know she didn't forget.  

"Okay, call me when you leave your father's office."

"I will, Mom," I say quietly. "Love you."

"Love you, too, Erin. Thank you so much for doing this."