A Love Trap

"Ellie! Stop... talking... like that!" he spluttered.

Francis might have been with a lot of women, but he took nobody seriously. Those women knew it and they didn't mind.

But Ellie was different. He never thought of treating her badly.

He could not fathom why she had to hurt herself like that.

He was really upset. Not because of what she thought about him, but because of how she saw herself.

The worst part of it was that she called him "Mr. Francis." The fact that she called him "Mr. Francis"

hurt him the most.

Ellie closed her eyes and pursed her lips. She didn't say anything.

Francis grabbed both her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Ellie, please tell me you're joking." He looked at her, his eyes firm with pleading and frustration. "Please tell me you didn't mean any of what you just said."

Francis' eyes spoke sincerely to Ellie.

She couldn't take another look at him. She needed strength to say what she was about to say, "No, I meant everything I said."

Francis could see right through her lie. He shouted, "Look me in the eye and tell me again! You didn't mean any of that, right?"

Ellie looked into his eyes, her visage as fierce as the crunching in her chest. "I meant it. I meant every bit of it. You may leave Mr. Francis."

Ellie pointed to the door gesturing for Francis to leave.

"Fine!" Francis clenched his jaw and gnashed his teeth in anger.

He let go of her and turned around to leave.

The thud that came from the shutting door made Ellie flinch. As the door closed, the room fell into silence.

Ellie could only look at the direction where he had gone.

herself with her shaking arms to hold herself. Her tears started falling.

facade she

herself now. Everyone had left

why Ellie went to L City was to visit

some time and have a few nice meals with them. But none of that ever happened. What was waiting for her was the news

arrived. She assumed that they went out for some groceries. She wanted to surprise them and didn't call. But when it was getting dark, and they were still not home, she figured that something could

really got an answer. All of them just

she didn't

at first.

the neighbors told her that her grandparents had passed away and it

a cold in their lives, but this sickness caught on them all of

They said that they might fight it through and they didn't want to

hearing the story, she didn't believe

to J City. She didn't believe that any sickness could just take

would not agree to let them leave.

she

her sitting on the bed,

really bad. He wondered why it was so hard for

first." He places a breakfast platter on the table

up at him, surprised, "Why are you

and swollen, but she couldn't keep her tears from falling

forget what I told you last night? No matter what happens, I will be with you. You are not

looked at him with a blank expression.

know if she should

tempting when he told her she

took over Ellie.

didn't know what to do.

mark on

was different. She didn't hate the idea of getting close

she was happy when

she felt lost. She wasn't sure about what she was feeling, but she knew that