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.

to hold herself. Her

tough facade she had shown him earlier had started crumbling.

was all by herself now. Everyone had left for real. She was really all alone.

went to L City

have a few nice meals with them. But none of that ever happened. What was waiting for

groceries. She wanted to surprise them and didn't call. But when it was getting dark, and they were still not home, she

of them just looked at her with sad faces

beginning, she didn't care about the way they looked at her. However, she started to panic after she didn't hear anything about

them at first. She tried to

of the neighbors told her that her grandparents had passed away and it had already been a

of a sudden. With their age, it took their lives very quickly. No one had expected its coming.

had before they passed. They told the neighbors not to tell Ellie. They said that they might fight it through and they didn't want to make her worry. They also told them that if the sickness got worse, they would tell

story, she didn't believe

their last visit to J City. She didn't believe

she would not

she mourned until she decided to return

house and saw her sitting on the bed, holding her knees, her head buried between them and

bad. He wondered why it was so hard for her to accept

something first." He places a breakfast platter on the table in front

up at him, surprised, "Why are you

were red and swollen, but she couldn't

what I told you last night? No matter what happens, I will be with you.

him with a blank expression.

she should trust him.

when he told

over

didn't know what to

had left a huge traumatic mark on her.

She didn't hate the idea of getting close to

she was happy when he was around.

wasn't sure about what she was feeling, but she knew that