What Can You Not Buy With Money?

“How is nothing working?” Burgess angrily demanded as he tried the emergency button again, pressing it with his thumb violently. “All who're responsible better get ready to pack their belongings, because I’m firing them all.”

I was at the corner, my knees tucked below me as I rested my chin on them. I watched him sadly as he folded his arms and sat across from me, scowling. I began, “I’m sorry. About getting angry about your…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Burgess muttered. “I understand. I’d be furious if the roles were switched. But then again,” Burgess looked at me from the corner of his eye, “I probably wouldn’t have cared for you if you were like me.” He crawled over to me. “To be honest with you, I’ve never been in a serious relationship before. So I don’t know how to act, other than making a woman feel sexually interested.” He brushed a stray hair from my eyes, his arrogant face full of charm and seduction. “You need to do your part and teach me.”

It was my turn to smirk. “Fine. If we’re going to be serious with each other, We need to lay down a few rules.” It was my turn to take charge and I went up on my knees so I’d be looking down on him. “First, we don’t sleep with anyone but each other.” The blood danced in my face as I reddened, causing Burgess to snicker. “All right then. And rule two, we need to go on dates. Last time I checked, that’s a norm.”

Burgess narrowed his eyes. “On second thought, screw these rules. I think we should just enjoy the spontaneity. Bureaucracy is starting to make me feel sick. The overly sweet taste is revolting.”

I laughed. “That’s what romance is, a giant ball of sugar coated drama.”

“It fits you perfectly.”

I folded my arms. “And you’re as cuddly as a porcupine.”

“But I’m as sexy as a cheetah.”

I snorted, covering my face as I tried not to laugh.

“What?” Burgess demanded.

I shook my head, keeping my face down so he couldn’t see that I was dissolving into fits of giggles.

We lost all of the remnants of conversation, so we sat in silence as the New Year Countdown went by.

I was tired as we sat in silence. I was close to falling asleep until Burgess moved next to me, the rustling of clothes stirring me awake. “Huh?”

“Nothing,” Burgess answered. “You can put your head on my shoulder.”

I hesitantly did, feeling his muscled arm tense as I closed my eyes. “Thanks.”

“I couldn’t afford it if you fell over and hit your head. You could sue me,” Burgess answered.

I snickered. “I think filing sexual harassment charges would be more than enough.” I felt cold, as though there was a draft. The heat wasn’t working in the small elevator so I shivered unintentionally.

Burgess took off his jacket and wrapped it around me, and placed his arm around me to keep me warm. “Tell me about yourself.”

I sat up straight and gave him a questioning gaze. When he looked at me with that serious light glowing from his face I shrugged. “Okay… what do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

I smiled nervously, playing with the zipper of his jacket as I tried to think of something. “I like to read. English was my favorite class in school. My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables…”

Burgess listened, his eyes shining with fascination at every word I said. When I didn’t elaborate on anything else, he pressed. “Go on.”

“I always wanted to play the saxophone,” I surmised. “I love jazz music the most, especially music from the twenties.” My face went bright red and I forced a laugh. “But enough about me. What about you?”

“I talk about myself all the time,” Burgess let out a breath of air as though trying to push away the dust from his eyes. But the proud glimmer was in his voice. “I enjoy classical music. I play the piano.”

“Really?” My eyes widened in awe, I couldn’t help but be filled with wonder. “How long?”

“Since I was three,” Burgess smirked, patronizing and haughty. “And when I was in college I was the youngest student to be in the varsity basketball team.”

I forced a sigh. Was it possible to be so perfect? I was frustrated, feeling like an ant compared to Burgess.

“Bump,” Burgess stretched and put his hands behind his head as he leaned against the wall, his ego thoroughly petted and leaving him with a satisfied beam.

“My favorite color’s turquoise,” I began randomly.

“Interesting. Mine too,” Burgess raised an eyebrow. “What’s your favorite dish?”

“Spaghetti and meat sauce. Yours?”

“Crème brûlée of foie gras with Tonga beans,” Burgess recited coolly.

I moved my feet awkwardly as I tried to think of something else to ask. “Republican or Democrat?”

“Republican,” Burgess answered without hesitation. “I may not be old enough to vote, but I lean conservative.”

“Oh.” I was a dedicated liberal, often leaning toward democratic. This was the beginning of a problem.

“Don’t tell me you’re a democrat,” Burgess sneered as he waited for me to answer.

“I just have opinions that go progressively.” I defended, and gave him a look. “Why, you got something against them?”

Burgess had a sinful grin, dangerous and deadly like a snake’s bite. “I was a McCain supporter.”

I raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “Yeah, and Obama won.”

“Obviously, but it was all due too—” The elevator interrupted the beginning of our debate, shaking us as we sat. “Get down,” Burgess took my shoulders and had me pressed against the cold floor, hugging it as I felt us rocking fatally.

My breath quickened as I felt us lurch down a few inches, my pulse so quick I thought I would hyperventilate.

“Sh,” Burgess soothed as he whispered in my ear. “We just need to keep our weight as laid out and even as possible.”

After a few more rocks of the large box pendulum, everything was still.

“Are we going to die?” I morbidly whispered, fearful that my very voice could disrupt everything and we would plummet to our death.

“No, we won’t.” Burgess rubbed my head, his hand soothing and gentle.

A bang cracked into our ears, and suddenly we swerved down. The elevator's creaks caused chills to rush through me and I began to panic.

“Hold on,” Burgess ordered, hugging me tightly.

I let out a cry as I felt my stomach flop as we began to fall, my entire body full of terror as I no longer felt the ground underneath me.