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.

wrapped herself with her shaking arms to hold herself. Her

if all the tough facade she had shown him earlier

had left for real.

to L City

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

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

answer. All of them just looked

However, she started to panic after she didn't hear anything about her grandparents for the whole day. She went to the neighbors and asked them about her

them at first. She tried

grandparents had passed away and it

all of a sudden. With their age, it took their lives

fight it through and they didn't want to

the story, she

City. She didn't believe that any sickness could

would not

days she mourned until she decided

to Ellie's house and saw her sitting on the bed, holding her knees, her head buried between them and crying

wondered why it was so hard for her to accept

breakfast platter on the table in front of

at him, surprised,

red and swollen, but she couldn't keep her tears

"Did you forget what I told you last night? No matter what happens, I will be with you. You

with

didn't know if she should trust

sounded really tempting when he told her

took over

what to do.

had left a huge traumatic mark on her. She had

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

it, but she was happy when he was

about what she was feeling, but she knew that she cared