A Love Trap

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're probably right."

The girls hung out until it was time to get off work. Ashley meanwhile didn't seem to want to leave.

Ellie looked at her, seemingly puzzled. "Why hasn't he come to pick you up?"

'Isn't he normally punctual? He's always here at five o'clock sharp. It doesn't matter if there's a rainstorm or a hurricane—he has never been late. Not even a minute late.

Even if he needed to work overtime, he would have asked somebody to come and pick her up.

What's going on?

Did he forget?'

Ashley turned, wanting nothing more than to leave. She really wasn't in the mood to talk about it.

This didn't go unnoticed by Ellie's sharp eyes. She squinted then raised her voice, "Ashley, stop!"

'Ahhh, ' Ashley thought to herself. 'Why do we need to talk about it now? I'm not ready to talk about it just yet.'

She slowly swiveled and put on a fake smile. "What is it, Ellie? Nina and Cheryl have already left. Let's get our things and leave too."

Ellie ignored what she said and asked her instead, "What's happening? Isn't Andrew coming to pick you up? Did you two have a fight?"

Ashley pressed her lips together and said, "Why would we fight?"

"Then what's the matter?" Ellie wouldn't let it go.

"Just forget about it," said Ashley, her face turning ugly.

Ellie approached her so she could hug her. Then in a soft voice, she asked, "What happened? You used to tell me everything. We never keep anything from each other. Why won't you tell me now?"

She was almost sure that they did have a fight. But they didn't look like the type of couple who would fight.

As Ashley let herself be enveloped in Ellie's arms, she felt her sadness surge inside her. She murmured, "Ellie, let's go home first. We can talk there, okay?"

first. We can talk

sleep over

as she put her head on Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie,

listened to her and gave her whatever she

a

best friends for that

already taken him off her mind. Ashley was way

of the cake shop and left together arm

take the bus back. We can buy some groceries in the supermarket and cook our dinner at

want,"

best, Ellie," she said as she

course. You're

was hard to miss

got out of the car.

focused on Ellie that he couldn't even see that she

whoever was

put on a sweet smile and said, "Ellie, I've

took a peek at the distracted Ashley and cleared her throat. "I'm

was

her face. She took a step forward so that she was in between them. She eyed Francis and said, "What are

that the voice was familiar as soon as he heard it. He turned his head only to see Ashley. "Oh, Ashley. I didn't

to pick Ellie up," he said nonchalantly.

I

hand while Francis was a playboy

would only end up hurt if she gave him

to protect Ellie from him.

know that they had already been together. They had already slept

give Francis a

hid behind Ellie and looked

kind

deal with him. She was so