Tumblr Request: Tori and Jade are trapped in an elevator and Jade is claustrophobic?
"We are not carrying these boxes down fifteen flights of stairs!" Tori pushed the down arrow beside the elevator. "I don't care how much exercise you want to get."
"I'm just saying that it isn't healthy to take the elevator all the time." Jade glanced unsurely at the heavy metal doors.
"It's fine to take it every now and then; besides, you are far from out of shape." Tori said shifting the box awkwardly in her arms.
"That is because I take the stairs." Jade laughed nervously.
"Are you okay?" Tori looked over Jade. "You look paler than usual."
"I'm fine." She snapped. The stainless steel doors pulled open and Tori shrugged.
"Okay, well, let's get these boxes down to the car." Tori stepped onto the scuffed tile in the elevator. Jade hesitated before following her. She walked all the way to the back of the empty elevator and pressed her back against the wall. Tori punched the L button and the doors closed softly. Jade started breathing heavily as the elevator lurched downward. Tori glanced over and her eyes widened.
"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked. Jade closed her eyes and nodded her head rapidly.
"I'm fine!" She grated through her teeth. The elevator jerked downward and stopped moving. The lights went out and dim emergency ones came on. Tori stumbled forward and dropped the box in her arms. Jade's eyes snapped open and her jaw dropped.
"Oh, God." She clenched her fists around the cardboard so hard that she broke through it. "No, no, no, no, no!" Her voice slowly started rise in volume. She threw the box to the ground and started pacing the small area.
"It's okay Jade, I'm sure they'll realize the elevator isn't working and they'll fix it." Tori tried to reach out to Jade but she slapped her hand away. She didn't even hear her.
"Why does this always happen to me?" She asked herself and slammed her hand into the elevator wall.
"I have to get out of here." She kicked the door. "I'm never getting out of here." She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Tori stood in front of Jade and watched her fall forward and drop her head into her hands. She was sobbing quietly.
"We'll get out of here." Tori dropped to her knees. "It's going to be okay." She put her hand on Jade's shoulder and her head shot up, nearly smacking Tori in the face.
"I can't breathe!" She yelled clutching at her chest. Both girls looked frightened as Jade's rasping breathing filled the box.
"Calm down. It's okay, everything is fine. Just please relax." Tori grasped at Jade's shirt as her eyes bugged out and she gasped for breath. Jade's eyes were focused past Tori's head and she grabbed Tori's wrists.
"Why are you touching me!" She screamed and threw Tori off of her. "I need to get out of here." She stood up. "And you keep touching me." She seethed.
"I – I'm sorry." Tori rubbed her arms and backed up.
"You're the reason I'm in this fucking space." Jade growled. She kicked the wall again and hissed in pain. "I hate you." Her words were dripping with venom. She slipped to the ground again.
"Get me out of here." She ordered and curled into a ball. Tori fought to hold back tears as she leaned back against the wall. She suddenly remembered her phone and pulled it out of her pocket. She quickly made a call down to the front desk of her apartment building and told the manager that the elevator was stuck.
"They'll get on it right away." Tori said slowly as she pushed her phone into her pocket. Jade grunted and squeezed her hands over her ears.
"I'm so sorry I made you get on the elevator, Jade, I'm so sorry." Tori sat on the floor and counted the seconds until the lights flickered back to full strength and the motor to the elevator started running. It surged downward and she heaved a sigh of relief.
"Okay, we're at the lobby." Tori shook Jade's shoulder. She unclamped her hands off of her ears and sat up. Her make up was running and she looked awful. Tori wiped at her face to fix her make up and helped her stand up. She lifted both boxes into her arms and as soon as the doors opened Jade rushed out into the lobby. She took several deep breaths and Tori walked past her.
"Tori wait!" Jade ran to catch up with her as she reached her car and threw the boxes into the back seat. "I'm sorry!" Tori whirled around to face her.
"No, I'm sorry, I didn't know you hated me! Why are we dating if you hate me so much? Why are you moving in with me?"
"You don't understand. I am severely claustrophobic. That's why I never take the elevator. When I was five I got stuck in one for six hours before anyone even knew anything was wrong. I can't stand being in small places." Jade stepped closer. Tori's mouth dropped open.
"Oh." She said.
"I am so sorry I snapped at you. I don't hate you at all. You're my best friend. I love you." Jade reached out and took hold of Tori's hand. She pulled her closer and kissed her.
"I didn't mean any of that. I just freak out, and I was so mad that you wanted to get on the elevator. And I was so angry that you were seeing my fear." She sighed. "I'm just sorry."
"It's okay, I should've realized. We'll take all fifteen flights of stairs from now on." She smiled.