A Lover's Trap

Empathy Manipulation

I landed on something...squishy. I carefully move away from whatever I landed on and bump right into Maeve.

"You really came."

A bit startled, I took a step back,and felt a hand underneath my foot. I take a deep breath and greet Maeve back.

"Of course I came. Do you I look like a liar to you?" I joked.

"Most boys portray as liars at the start. You don't seem like one anymore,no."

"On a more serious note Maeve, what do you do since you live...alone?"

"Survive."

I ignore her complete and utter vague trend and question her some more.

"What does that mean to you? Surviving?"

"Staying alive. As you can see I am successful."

I almost laugh at her tendency to state the obvious. She then walks closer to me.

"But being successful is hard." She lowers her voice and looks me in the eyes.

"Well I understand that...Where do you live?"

"This. This right here." She gestures the room we are in. "Is my home."

I hold back a gasp of surprise,but I still have questions to ask this girl. I have not forgotten the thing I stepped in. Of course, before I can speak, Maeve continues to talk.

"Come with me. I need to show you many more things. There is so much you should know about me Lawrence."

I nodded and followed her through the basement. How she stayed her unnoticed for god knows how long? I have no idea. Yet I continue to follow this girl through a gross and dark high school basement. Suddenly, a light turns on.

I watch Maeve open a door and gesture me to sit with her at an old couch.

"I have no other place to go."

"Y-You have places! Get to a social worker or something! You can't spend the rest of your life here! That's absurd!"

"Do you think I am absurd Lawrence?" She says with a much sadder tone.

Feeling bad, I shake my head no.

"I don't have any friends."

"I can be your friend...if you want me to" I shyly add.

"My family was lost along with my normal kid social circle." She continued.

"I was very lonely." She added with a hint of venom in her voice.

"Are you getting angry?" I ask,worried.

"Lawrence." She comes very close to me. Too close. Uncomfortably.

"You're a bit...close..." I add.

"Be my best friend. I want  to follow you everywhere. I want to be in your company. Please Lawrence. Don't tell anyone about this place either. I trust you."

Feeling overwhelmed by all the sudden requests, all I can do is nod until she steps away from me.

Maeve holds her hand to her heart.

"For the first time in a long time. I am looking forward to tommorrow."

I beg to differ.

I watch as she throws a blanket onto the lump that I landed on. I know exactly what it is. And Maeve doesn't seem to be phased one bit.

What did I drag myself into?