Imprisoned Love

Chapter 18

Entering the glass building, I came face to face with numbers of business people walking around with the same serious expression written all over them. Every object was perfectly positioned on its place, designed so modern and brand new, pristine clean. I reached the front desk which was occupied by the middle-aged woman who welcomed me with a warm smile. It felt unusual in this place.

''Hi, welcome to Brown Derickson, how may I help you?''

I greeted her back, ''Hello, I was just wondering where do I need to go to reach Mr. Gardner's office?''

''Oh, he's on the sixth floor, turn right when you step out of the elevator and his office is third door on the left.'' She kindly responded and I thanked her very much, as I turned towards the elevators. There were a few of them - it was a ten story building after all.

I made my way through the hallway exactly as I was told to do so. I was faced with a great number of offices and work desks in one place where people were so into their work that they didn't even notice me passing them by. Reaching the door I was looking for, my eyes scanned the name that was put in the middle before knocking - Matthew Gardner, junior associate.

There was a long pause before I heard a ''come in''. Not knowing if I was actually mentally prepared to face him, I stopped wasting my time and bravely entered the office. It was nice and clean - just like the lobby where I was previously at. But foremost, it was much smaller than I might have anticipated.

His face was more than surprised once he looked at me. He had a telephone placed between his ear and shoulder, as he was writing something down the paper on the desk. I closed the door behind me, as I eavesdropped his conversation. 

''Yeah, look Frank, I'll have to call you back, something came up... No, I'll call you once I'm done with these. Alright, bye.''

Matt's face lit up, as he stood up. Nothing about him has really changed, except the part where he shaved his beard. He was still only a few inches taller than me, his dirty brown hair was neatly combed and his gorgeous ocean blue eyes were piercing through me. The white button up shirt he was wearing perfectly sculptured his body. He was never a slim guy, but neither was he bulked with muscles. But seeing him then made me wonder if he'd been hitting the gym recently.

''Tell me I'm seeing things.'' He said, as he stepped towards me.

''I'll have to disappoint you,'' I said, as I flipped my hair in a dramatic way, ''but your dream just came true.''

Matt flashed me a smile before hugging me tightly. He smelled good, I noticed. It'd been a long time since I last saw him, that was for sure, ''I'm so glad you came. I missed you.''

I gasped, as we broke the hug. Our entire friendship, or whatever we have is called, is based on constant mocking and inside jokes. Always has been.

''You missed me? Boy, do you know how many girls would want to hear you say that? I feel honored.''

He chuckled, but his eyes were telling me he was being serious, ''You know you were never like any of them.''

Hearing that, even after such a long time, warmed my heart just a tiny little bit. What we once had was washed away but it didn't change the fact that I still cared about him and the past that was connecting us in a unique way.

''I know.''

As he instructed me to sit down, I complied and got comfortable in the leather white seat. My old friend asked me what had brought me there because, quite frankly, my visit was verbatim unsuspected and random that I'd be asking the same question if it was another way around.