In His Trap

Ch. 4: Meeting Him

I walk to the full length mirror and stood before it. Everything fades away like ashes so quickly this time – everything except the mirror.

As I stand before it, I do not see my reflection; I see him – the silhouette figure. I can tell he's staring at me, wondering who I am, the same way I do, even if I can't see his face.

Then suddenly, he comes out of the mirror as if he walked into an opened door. He comes too close to me as I felt a little embarrassed under his gaze, though I don't see his eyes...

The alarm clock rings, waking me up. Something must always interrupt my dreams. I wonder why these dreams appear so similar. That creature, or will I say he's a person?

I leave for the bathroom to brush my teeth and I began my morning routine.

•••

I just can't wait to be done with school. It's very stressful, though I didn't do much in school, but I just got home from school so tired and hungry. My legs feels like I walked over a mountain.

I leave to the bathroom as I turned on the faucet and poured in bubble bath into the bathtub of water as I sat in it when it was full and bubbly.

I was so tired that I fell asleep in the bathtub as a phone call woke me up as I jerked and accidentally hit my head against the faucet. I groan in pain while I find my phone through the ringing tone. Funny enough, I didn't even know that my phone was with me.

It turned out to be Alfred calling as I picked up the phone. He then clears his throat when I picked before speaking.

“Hey, Gwen. Could you please open the door for me?” He asked.

“What, why? Are you at my door?”

“It's a surprise. Just open up for me,” he replied.

“Okay.”

I stood up from the bathtub and placed a foot on the bath mat before the other, putting on my bathrobe before heading to the living room.

As I walk to the door, I expected to see him standing at the door post, but what I found were two black gift boxes with a red ribbon tied around each of them. I picked them up as the smaller one was on top of the other, looking around to see if he's around my house as I eventually gave up searching for him, taking the gifts inside and shutting the door with my left foot.

“You got me gifts? You shouldn't have.”

“This is just the beginning, so, c'mon! open them,” he said.

I opened up the bigger box by loosing the ribbon and found a red evening dress in it, though a little skimpy, a black feather boa and a pair of black gloves.

This made excited to open the other box, which was a lot smaller, as it turned out to be a silver bracelet with a lot of diamonds, and the charm shaped like that of a heart.

There were really beautiful. All these must've cost a fortune. He didn't have to do this. However, I wonder how he found me. I don't remember giving him my home address, or did I?

“So, do you like them?” He suddenly asked.

“Yes, they are lovely,” I answered, “but isn't this too much, buying me gifts?”

“I don't know, is it?”

“I mean, these must've cost a lot.”

“Nah, they just cost like eighteen grand... each.”

I gasp in shock as I covered my lips with my left hand, so my jaw wouldn't drop because I didn't even know he had that much to afford something like that, effortlessly.

“What?!” I exclaimed.

This makes me have more questions for him. However, I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable...

“Gwen.”

The way he says my name always make it seem as if he's about to tell me something sensitive, though I can't think of what he'd say that can appear sensitive or flattering at the moment.

“... I want to see you in literally everything,” he said.

“How do you know if the dress will fit?”

“Trust me, it will. And I booked a reservation in that restaurant you had always wanted to go.”

“How did you know?”

“I have my ways.”

“Fine, send me the address to my email and I'll be there.”

“I already did.”

“Oh! Okay.”

“See you, I... Nevermind.”

“Okay... ”

We were in silence for a whole five minutes, which makes it awkward.

“You know, you can cut the call, now,” I said, breaking the silence.

“Oh! Yeah. Bye,” he responded before he cuts the call.

I began to bite my lower lip to stop myself from smiling, as I can't figure out the reason for my smile and heated face, and it even appears as if I'm already blushing.

I went back to my bathtub and sat in it, as I began to read the email he sent a little anxious of what he sent to my email. Despite this, he only sent the address of the restaurant and the time I would come.

•••

I wore the feather boa over my shoulders because the red gown was a little skimpy, showing off my cleavage. If not, I would've left it at home.

It is seven in the evening – the exact time he asked me to come to the most expensive restaurant in the city, which makes me wonder how much he has that he spends it with ease. I somehow feel insecure when I think about it.

I took in a deep breath before going in, as the restaurant was quite empty. I wonder why no one's here. I guess this is the reservation he was talking about.

The place looked a lot different than what I usually see on the photos they post on f*******: and i********:. The tables were beautifully decorated with their fancy table covers, and their chairs arranged so appropriately.

One of the waitresses approaches me with a jotter, a pen, a flat blue book and what looks like the restaurant menu. She looked like she's in her late twenties, as she had her hair tied like a bun. Her smile was really welcoming when she opened the jotter.

“Good evening. Are you here for the reservation?” She asked.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Okay, may I know your name, please?”

“Gwen Matthew.”

“Okay.”

She looks through the blue book she held before raising her head to smile at me once again.

“So, you're sitting in a table for...”

“For... ”

I began to feel dizzy. I wonder why...

wonder why...

wonder...

“Gwen... Gwen?” Alfred calls my name as if I zoned out.

I surprisingly find myself on a chair, sitting opposite Alfred. I don't even know how and when he got here.

“It's me, Alfred,” he said.

“I know that. It's just... Nevermind.”

“Care for some... wine? It's non-alcoholic, trust me.”