Him

2

"Are you alright?" He asked and I didn't answer, I just looked away. I was on my way up to the 16 floor and he was going to the 18th.

I felt so uncomfortable that ordinarily I would've just clicked on a closer floor and just taken the stairs the rest of the way but it was too late now, i'd made a bad expression and leaving now would only stain it even more.

The elevator came to a stop with a ding. I got out of the elevator to see Mary already standing there.
"You have to report to level 18" she said and I turned around. The elevator door was held open for me by the boy.

"Looks like we're going to the same place." He said and I avoided looking at his face.
"Looks like it." I said Cooly.

"Do you know me?" He asked and I turned to him, unsure of his question and the reason behind it.
"Are you someone important I should know?" I asked, the tone was a lot harsher than I intended but the boy's presence made my body feel like like it was getting stabbed my multiple needles simultaneously. That feelings might have been caused by the amount of sweat I was producing.

"You look familiar." He says and I raised a brow. "Shouldn't you be asking yourself if you know me."

The elevator dings.
"I suppose. Figured the answer would be the same."

When the elevator door opened The President was revealed I did holding a small cake and blowing a whistle. His employees surround him, all with whistles in their mouth and holding balloons.

"Welcome Ellis." They said in unison.
"Thank you." Ellis said before going towards his father and planting a kiss on the man's cheek.

I noticed immediately how uncomfortable he was with his surprise. His smile that seemed so false that I felt bad for haven't noticed it.
He must've been nervous.

He wasn't even ready physically when he entered the building today so to assume that he was any different emotionally would've been a stretch.

"Ms Chavis you came. this is Amelia Chavis. Amelia this is my son Ellis."

I couldn't even fake a handshake this him, I'd already ruined this.

"It's nice to meet you." I said before walking away.
"Everyone get ready I've made reservations." The president said before grabbing Ellis arm and following behind me.

The president sat us down in his luxurious office looking over Manhattan and then sat opposite us and began speaking.

"You're brother is facing some difficulties and I'm not doing so create either. I can walk around this building and pretend that I'm well but the truth is that I'm not and pretending is only making it harder for me to heal." The president said and this news raddled me. I had no clue that the President wasn't healthy.

Before I could form my thoughts into questions to ask the older man he continued.

"Ellis I know this isn't your strong suit, when you were a child your lemonade stand went bankrupt because you kept forgetting to charge people for the lemonade and kept using the money to buy your friends ice cream."

"It wasn't that bad. I got enough for my bike." Ellis said and his father laughed wholeheartedly.

"After about 6 months. My point is that this is going to be a challenge for you and I know you know it is but I'm glad that you accepted my offer." The president said placing his hand on his son's.
"When is Theodore going to be back?" Ellis asked and the president puts a hand behind his head. He strokes his neck.
Sure sign that he didn't know anything for certain.

"In 5 months."

"That's not too bad." Ellis said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"5 months isn't bad." He said almost as if he was reassuring himself.
"But, why did you pick me to do this?, wouldn't Noah and Francis be much more knowledgeable about something like this?"