Love Admits Deceit

Into The Trap

As Mia and Emma walked into the school, Emma gave a quick, sheepish "Thanks again for the lift," to which Mia responded with a nod before heading off in the opposite direction. Their schedules didn’t overlap this morning, and Emma wasn’t exactly complaining. She preferred to be invisible, and Mia’s bright, and shy  presence sometimes made that a bit difficult.

Emma trudged into her history class, immediately beelining for her usual spot in the back corner, where the sunlight never quite reached and no one really bothered her. As soon as she sat down, she let her hair fall like a curtain over her face, hoping that it would be her shield against whatever chaos the day would bring.

The class droned on as usual, with Mr. Henley’s voice managing to sound both monotonous and confusing at the same time. Halfway through his rambling about some ancient battle no one cared about, the door swung open. And then, like a scene out of one of those over-the-top teen dramas, Ethan strolled in. Majestically. It was the only way to describe it, really, as if he was walking in slow motion with wind machines blowing his hair back. All the girls instantly went into swoon mode, sighing, giggling, and whispering like they’d never seen him before—even though he was late to class practically every day.

Mr. Henley didn’t even bother to scold him. He just sighed, gave Ethan a bored wave, and continued with his lecture, as if a minor celebrity had just graced the classroom with his presence.

Emma slouched lower in her seat, determined to ignore Ethan and the collective sigh of the female population. She stared at the board, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Ethan was making his way toward her row. She heard whispers, gasps, and then—of course—he took the seat right beside her. Because why wouldn’t the universe decide to torment her today?

Emma turned her head slowly, already annoyed. Ethan, of course, smirked like he’d just won some kind of prize. She narrowed her eyes at him and immediately turned back to the front, hoping that if she pretended he didn’t exist, he might disappear. No such luck.

Then, out of nowhere, she felt a burning gaze on the back of her neck. She turned slightly and locked eyes with one of Brittany’s minions, who was staring at her with a look that could only be described as homicidal. Anger, annoyance, irritation—it was all there. The girl’s expression practically screamed, "How dare you breathe the same air as Ethan!"

Emma could almost hear the dramatic inner monologue playing in the minion's head, as if she was plotting some devious revenge. Suspense hung in the air, as if the girl might suddenly leap across the room at any moment. Emma raised an eyebrow, half expecting a villainous laugh to follow. Maybe Ethan wasn’t the only one starring in his own show.

As soon as Mr. Henley wrapped up his rambling history lecture and left the room, the girls remained glued to their seats, eyes still fixed on Ethan, who—despite showing up late—had managed to fall asleep halfway through. He looked completely unbothered, as if the class itself had bored him into unconsciousness. The girls, however, didn’t seem to care. They continued to stare at him like he was some kind of untouchable god, whispering and giggling among themselves.

Emma, on the other hand, wasted no time. She grabbed her things and slipped out of the classroom, eager to put some distance between herself and Ethan’s fan club. Heading down the hall, she made her way to her locker, hoping to prepare for her next class in peace.

But as she turned the corner, there they were—Brittany, her minions, and the girl from earlier. They were clustered near her locker, glaring at her like she had committed some unspeakable crime. Brittany, with her perfect blonde hair and always-too-bright smile, didn’t need to say anything. The look on her face was enough: a mix of jealousy, irritation, and something close to fury. Her loyal minions mirrored her expression, like a pack of wolves just waiting for their leader’s signal to attack.

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes, trying her best to ignore them. She opened her locker, grabbed her books, and slammed it shut, not in the mood to deal with their petty drama. She could feel their eyes boring into the back of her head as she walked away, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of looking back.

What Emma didn’t know was that her day, already full of unwanted attention, was about to take an unexpected turn—one she would never have seen coming.

At lunchtime, Emma avoided the crowded cafeteria, opting for the quiet sanctuary of the bathroom instead. She pushed open the door, slipping into one of the stalls and closing the door behind her. She leaned against it, taking a moment to breathe. The cold, echoing silence of the bathroom offered a welcome break from the stares and whispers she’d been dodging all day.

But the moment of peace was short-lived. The bathroom door creaked open, and Emma tensed. She instinctively stayed quiet, unsure of who had come in. The clattering of heels and familiar voices made her freeze—it was Brittany and her minions.

Emma barely dared to breathe, remaining perfectly still in the stall. She listened intently as their voices filled the room.

“Did you see Mia this morning?” Brittany’s voice was sharp, laced with contempt. “She really thinks she can just hang around with that pathetic loser Emma . She’s pathetic.”

"Well like they said birth of the same feather flock together ,” one of the other girls sneered. “But don’t worry, she’s getting what she deserves right now.”

A third voice chimed in with a dark laugh. “Yeah, locked up in the janitor’s room. That should teach her a lesson for trying to be Emma’s friend.”

Emma’s heart stopped. Locked up? Mia was in the janitor’s room because of her? She felt a sick wave of guilt wash over her as Brittany continued.

“Serves her right,” Brittany said coldly. “Let’s see how eager she is to be friends with Emma after a few hours in there.”

The girls giggled cruelly as they gathered their things, their voices echoing in the bathroom. Emma heard the door creak open again as they left, their footsteps fading down the hall.

For a moment, Emma couldn’t move. The shock of what she’d just heard paralyzed her. They had done this to Mia, all because she’d dared to be her friend. Her hands trembled as she stood, pushing open the stall door. Her mind raced with panic—Mia could be scared, trapped, desperate. She had to find her. Now.

Without thinking, Emma rushed out of the bathroom, her heart hammering in her chest. The halls felt endless as she sprinted, her only focus on reaching Mia. She couldn’t let this happen, couldn’t let Brittany’s cruelty win.

But as Emma disappeared around the corner, Brittany and her minions watched from the shadows. Brittany smirked, satisfied with the chaos she had set in motion.

“She fell right into our trap,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming with malice.