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.

her shaking arms to hold

felt as if all the tough facade she had shown him

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

L

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

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

them just looked

at her. However, she started to panic after she didn't hear anything about her

avoid talking about them at

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

in their lives, but this sickness caught on them all of a sudden. With their age, it took their lives very quickly. No one

they 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

story, she didn't believe

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

had known, she would not agree to let

mourned until she

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

hard for her to accept that they had spent a night

breakfast platter on the table in front

him, surprised, "Why are you still

swollen, but she couldn't keep her

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

him with a blank

know if she should trust him.

told her she

over Ellie.

didn't know what to

mark on

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

realized it, but she was

sure about what she was feeling, but