Love Admits Deceit

Trapped Together

Emma’s heart raced with every step. She checked every corner, every classroom, but there was no sign of Mia. Panic gnawed at her as she sped down the hall toward the janitor’s room. The thought of Mia being trapped there, alone and scared, haunted her. She couldn’t waste any more time.

When she reached the door, she hesitated for a brief second before yanking it open. The room was dim, filled with the faint smell of cleaning supplies. She stepped inside, glancing around. “Mia?” she called, her voice shaky. There was no answer. The room was empty.

Just as she realized something was off, the door behind her slammed shut with a loud thud. Emma spun around, rushing back to the door and twisting the knob. It was locked. Her heart sank as she pulled harder, panic setting in. She was trapped.

Meanwhile, just outside the room, Brittany and her minions stood in the hallway, laughing quietly. Brittany leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, smirking. “I can’t believe it was that easy,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "She really thinks we locked Mia in there."

One of her minions giggled, clearly proud of the plan. “Told you she’d fall for it. She’s so predictable.”

Brittany rolled her eyes, her smirk widening. “All we had to do was spread a few rumors. The fact that she thought she could just run around with us—ugh, she deserves to be locked in there.”

Her mind drifted back to earlier that day, when one of her followers had come to her with the perfect setup. The girl had seen Emma in class, seated next to Ethan, and reported back immediately.

“She was sitting next to him,” the girl had said, practically seething with jealousy. “Like she’s someone important.”

Brittany’s eyes had gleamed with satisfaction. “Good,” she had said, already planning her next move. The fake story about Mia locked in the janitor’s room was born out of that moment—designed perfectly to lure Emma into their trap. And now, it had worked like a charm.

Back in the hallway, Brittany gave the door to the janitor’s room one last look before pulling a small key out of her pocket. With a smug grin, she twirled it between her fingers. “Let’s see how long she enjoys her stay in there,” she said with a laugh.

The group sauntered down the hall, Brittany slipping the key into her bag as their laughter echoed behind them. The trap had been set, and Emma had walked right into it.

Inside the room, Emma leaned her head against the door, eyes closed in frustration. How could she have been so stupid? She had fallen for Brittany’s stupid prank again. Just when she was about to give the door another desperate yank, she heard a groggy voice behind her.

“What the... Where am I?”

Emma froze. She spun around to find Ethan, half-awake, sitting in the corner of the room, rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up from a nap.

Relief flooded her for a moment. Finally, someone else was here! But that relief quickly turned into a mix of confusion and annoyance. “What the hell are you doing in here?” she snapped, crossing her arms defensively.

Ethan blinked a few times, still adjusting to the dim light. He smirked as he leaned back lazily. “I should ask you the same thing. You’re not following me, are you?”

Emma’s glare intensified. “In your dreams, Ethan. What are you doing in a janitor’s closet?”

He chuckled, clearly amused by the situation. "I could ask you that. But if you must know, I was trying to get away from all the drama. This was the only quiet spot I could find."

Emma’s arms remained crossed, irritation bubbling inside her. "Well, you’re stuck here now, thanks to your lovely friends," she muttered.

Ethan’s smirk faded as he realized what had happened. He stood up, running a hand through his hair, a guilty look crossing his face. "Wait, Brittany did this? She locked you in here?"