A tiny bit of Jachary in here, but really subtle.
Daniel checked his texts one last time as they walked into the building. "Okay, so our recording studio is on the eighth floor, studio number 2."
"We know, Dani." Zach grinned. "We all read the emails and the texts like a billion times, we know where to go."
They walked through the glass doors of the biggest recording studio in L.A. The receptionist greeted them. "Good morning. May I ask who you are and why you're here today?"
"We're a band called Why Don't We, and we're here to work on our new album." Jonah said. "We're with Atlantic Records, if that's any help."
She laughed. "No, I know who you are. I was just joking. You know where to go?"
"Eighth floor, studio number 2." Daniel affirmed.
"Yep! Elevators are down the lobby to the right. If you want to torture yourselves, stairs are that way and to the left. Have fun!" she said, smiling at them.
They headed over to the elevator and pressed the 'up' button, chatting casually. "Isn't it cool how we've only been a band for, like, one and a half years, and now we're in the biggest recording studio in L.A?" Jack observed.
"Pretty dope." Corbyn grinned as he stepped into the elevator.
Zach took a deep breath and entered the elevator last. He always did this, so he would be the last one on and the first one off. His fear of elevators just kept getting worse as he got bigger, and as they moved on to taller buildings, there were more elevators.
Jonah pressed the button for the eighth floor, and up they went. Zach stared anxiously at the number panel at the top of the elevator, watching the number go up.
1.
2.
3.
Zach tapped his foot anxiously. This elevator wasn't tiny, but five people filled it up pretty well. It was close quarters, enough for Zach to feel a tiny bit claustrophobic.
4.
5.
He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans, knowing that they were almost there.
6.
7.
The elevator stopped. Zach waited for the doors to open, but nothing happened.
"What's going on?" Corbyn asked. "Why'd we stop?"
Jonah pressed the button for floor number 8 once more, but nothing happened.
Zach felt his heartbeat speed up. "Guys, what's happening?" He hated how high-pitched his voice sounded.
The lights flickered, and he flinched, blinking.
Jack glanced over. "You good, Zach?"
"Um, yeah. Just... elevators." he mumbled. The guys all knew he had a fear of elevators. They were giant cages held by cables that had one entrance and one exit, how on earth could you go inside and feel comfortable?
Jonah nodded. "We'll get out of here soon, don't worry."
Daniel and Corbyn had found the emergency call line for the elevator, and were talking to the building maintenance. Zach tried to listen, but his heart was pounding so hard that all he could hear was his heartbeat. He tried to steady his breathing, leaning against the wall.
This was the worst it had ever been for the youngest member of the band. The guys had never seen him get this anxious. Sure, he'd been scared of elevators his entire life, but he usually didn't get stuck in them.
Starting to feel a little shaky, he slid down the wall and sat on the elevator floor, resting his head on his arms. It was probably filthy from everyone walking on it, but he didn't care.
"Zach, bro, everything okay?" Jack asked again.
Zach couldn't respond. It felt like he wasn't getting any air in his lungs at all. If he spoke another word, he felt like he would start crying. He was already gasping for air, but nothing was working.
Before he could look back up, he felt Jack slide down the wall and sit beside him, putting an arm around the younger boy's shoulders. "Zach, it's okay. Did you hear the maintenance man? We'll be out in an hour."
"An... hour?" Zach managed to choke out, stiffening. He sat up straight, looking up at the rest of the guys.
"Zach, we're right here with you. It's okay." Jonah said, sitting on the other side of Zach. "Just breathe, we're almost there. Do you wanna play a game or something?"
Zach shook his head, feeling a tear fall down his cheek. His breathing wasn't getting any better, and he was starting to feel a little dizzy. "I can't." he gasped.
They all tried wrapping him in a hug at the same time, but it just made him feel even more claustrophobic. "Stop!" he cried out in panic, feeling everything closing in on him. "Stop, I can't... I can't do it."
"You're hyperventilating," Corbyn said quietly as the boys pulled away. "Just breathe." He tapped on his phone a few times, and a shape appeared, which grew and shrunk continuously on the screen. "Time your breathing to this."
Daniel craned his neck to see the screen. "What is that?"
"It's a breathing guide. It helps you slow down your breathing when you're anxious. Sometimes I use it before shows, just to calm myself down. Just breathe in as it gets bigger, and breathe out as it gets smaller."
None of the guys spoke as Zach tried his best to slow down his breathing. Every so often, a sob would emerge, but he was trying his best to keep calm.
He hated this. He hated being stuck in the elevator, he hated the fact that he needed a visual guide to breathe, he hated the fact that everyone was taking care of him. He'd tried for so long for the others not to see him like a baby, and this certainly wasn't making it any better.
Daniel broke the silence. "I hope they come soon. I have to pee."
Jack groaned. "Daniel, we don't need to hear that. How long ago did you call?"
Daniel checked his phone. "Eleven minutes."
Zach's eyes fluttered. "It's... It's only been eleven minutes?" he whispered.
"Just breathe." Jack said soothingly. "We're right here."
"I know." Zach squeaked, staring at Corbyn's breathing app.
The lights in the elevator flickered again, and Zach recoiled. "I can't do this."
"Zach, it's going to be fine."
He shook his head. "What if we run out of air in here?"
Corbyn shook his head. "You still believe that? Elevators aren't airtight. There are vents in the ceiling."
"Why's it so hard to breathe then?" Zach mumbled, blushing.
"You're just nervous. What if we sing for a bit together, then maybe you can relax a little." Jonah suggested.
"Uh... okay." Zach said, still trying to get a grip on his breathing.
"Let's start with... On My Way." Daniel suggested, trying to find a song that didn't made Zach sing right away, and didn't make him sing too much.
He pulled out his guitar and strummed away. Jonah leaned back against the wall and began to sing.
"When you dream of free, then that's where I'll be. You know I'm not too far, you should wait on me..."
Jack began to sing beside him, and Zach leaned against the older boy, feeling the vibrations thrumming satisfyingly through his chest as he sang.
Corbyn's part came up, and Zach realized he was next. He took a couple deep breaths as he launched into his part.
"Don't worry, I'm on my way." he sang shakily. He grimaced a little at the sound of his wobbling voice, but the encouraging smiles around him were enough to keep his voice up.
"Don't worry, I'm on my way." he sang again. He felt his voice crack a little on 'way', but it was still stronger than his first time.
"Like a shooting star, I crashed into your galaxy." His voice was starting to smooth out by now, and he felt Jack's body loosen a little when he heard Zach's voice come back stronger.
"Don't worry, I'm on my way." he sang for the final time, feeling his body release some of its tension. This was actually working! He tapped his foot to the music, grooving to the song until it finished.
"Hey, that was good!" Jack said, squeezing Zach's shoulder.
Zach felt a twinge of pleasure at the compliment.
Daniel checked his phone. "We totally forgot to call the audio engineers and the producer! They're waiting for us upstairs."
"On it." Jonah said, whipping his phone out. Zach grunted as Jonah's elbow knocked him in the gut.
They all listened quietly as the call went. When it ended, Jonah turned to the guys. "They said not to worry, it's not our f-"
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Zach inhaled sharply, and he felt Jack's protective grip tighten a little. "No, no, no..." he muttered, feeling the panic rise in him again. It felt like the darkness was closing in on him, creeping into his skin. He shifted uncomfortably, trying his best to breathe as his lungs closed off.
"It's okay, Zach." Jack whispered into the younger boy's ear, gently stroking his arm.
Jonah turned on the flashlight function of his phone, and the rest of the guys followed. Zach shivered. The lights looked eerie and menacing, glowing in the dark.
Daniel called the elevator service again. "Hi, sorry, the lights went out. We're completely in the dark now." When he hung up, he spoke the the boys. "They're going to try to get the lights back."
Zach felt his leg shaking, trying his best to breathe again. It felt like he was drowning-- like the waves were pulling him under and he was plunging deeper into the darkness every time. Even though they were in the darkness, the room was starting to spin.
Someone was breathing really loudly, really quickly. It sounded like they were crying, and if Zach could catch his breath he'd ask them to be quiet.
It wasn't long until he realized that someone was himself. He was shaking so badly that Corbyn's phone fell out of his hand and dropped to the ground.
"Zach. Breathe." Jonah encouraged, picking up the phone and putting it back in front of his face.
"No, I can't do this!" he whimpered, hating how childish he sounded. "I can't take this anymore."
"Zach, everything will be alright. Just breathe, they'll get us out of here soon, I promise." Jack murmured into his ear. Usually, the older boy's words were the most comforting to him, but right now it wasn't working. Nothing was.
"We're doing okay, it should be about half an hour until help gets here." Corbyn spoke in the darkness.
The lights flickered back on, and Zach visibly untensed, letting out a shaky breath as everything came back into view.
Jack squeezed his arm. "See? It's all going to be okay."
Zach nodded, feeling the pressure in the room lighten. He managed a half- smile. This time the older boy's words worked. He could make it through this, as long as he wasn't alone. He smiled as he saw the four boys around him, the four people he knew he could trust through thick and thin.
"I really have to pee now." Daniel said.
"Shut up!" the other boys chorused.
They resumed singing, and this time it was getting easier. By the end of it, they were comfortable enough to be sending Snapchats and adding to their Instagram stories. Corbyn and Jack tweeted about it, and the fan response was incredible.
Zach stayed sandwiched between Jonah and Jack, feeling all the panic slowly drift away.
The elevator repairman came sooner than expected. Zach couldn't help but grin as the doors were pried open to reveal that their elevator was just half a foot away from the eighth floor.
"We're sorry about that, it was probably a hydraulics issue." the repairman said. "You guys were okay in there?"
Zach grinned. "Yep, we're all good."
"Thank you for your help." Jonah said to the repairman as they walked towards the studio.
Daniel sighed. "Can I please go to the bathroom before we start?"
Jack rolled his eyes, but a smile betrayed him. "Hurry up, we're late enough as it is."
Zach casually walked over to the windows at the end of the hall, smiling when he saw the bright, open city. "This is going to be good." he said to himself.
"You bet it is." Jack appeared behind him, hugging him from behind. "This is only the beginning."