Trapped

3

t h r e e

"Not exactly how I had envisioned spending my weekend-trapped here. We came here in large numbers to work on our philosophy dissertations. Following that, it was intended to head to Bryson's cabin and spend the weekend there." I started, gaining his full attention.

"Bryson? Are you dating him? "I shook my head when he asked.

"I made the decision to use the restroom just before we left. My friends probably assumed that if I wasn't in their car, then I must have been in somebody else's."

I shrugged as he asked, "So essentially you're telling me, your friends left you behind."

It appears to be that way.

"In the end, I didn't go anywhere with anyone. Evidently." I stated the obvious when I said.

"Evidently." When Chris responded, my brows furrowed.

"Are you mocking me?" He shook his head when I asked.

"I'm not mocking you in any way. Just confused, really." My eyebrow shot up at his response.

"What part didn't you not understand? The scenario pretty much tells itself." When I told him, he gave me a small eyeroll.

I turned to face the window as he replied, "I'm confused on the part where your friends didn't come back for you."

"It's whatever. Not for the first time I've been disregarded." I said while giving him a direct glance. "You think that they were hazing me?"

He made an arrogant shrug. Of course, I wouldn't hear back verbally.

He responded, "Maybe it was an oversight and they all accidentally forgot about you." I rolled my eyes. Like all of them could "accidentally" forget.

"Perhaps they all 'simply forgot' about me by omission. And I wish I had the self-assurance to guarantee that they wouldn't hurt me in that way. I've been mentally replaying this bullshit until it hurts to think about it. The only explanation I can come up with for myself is that they're looking in the wrong place." I said and his eyebrow rose. He knew that I had more to say. "Both their location and the reason for their absence remain a mystery to me. When I finally leave this place, I might want to consider whether they have a valid reason. And maybe later, my friends and I will get a good laugh at the time spent in this place."

"Really?" he questioned, and I shrugged.

"I suppose so. They would all probably like hearing about the time I got stuck in the library with the -" I cut myself off.

I wasn't sure how I was going to conclude it. I couldn't say anything without it sounding rude. The perpetrator, the drug user, the mentally ill, the fatherless boy. I've heard everything.

"You stopped, why? You were doing wonderfully." He said, never breaking his gaze from mine.

"I got off track." I lied. "How about you? What are you doing here?"

"I came here to read," he said, and I nodded.

"Good for you." I responded, picking my coffee back up and taking another sip.

"My house is devoid of books. The ones who are there are only there to denounce me "I turned to face him. I smirked. Looks like I'm going to be able to get him to warm up to me. Nothing, a bit of mind games, won't fix.

"It's fine; you aren't obligated to tell me. When we leave here, we'll just go our separate ways." I said and he uncrossed his legs.

"Speaking of which. I'm not sure how you'll frame this when we finally leave, but could we just tell our own storylines? You can tell your story, and I'll just slip out of this place." he said, and I just took a long sip of my coffee before setting the mug down on the table.