He Locked Me in a Dark Room for Her, Then Cried at My Funeral – My boyfriend said he was going to propose to me in a haunted attraction. But the second I stepped inside, he killed the power, slammed the door shut, and locked me in. The claustrophobia I’d been left with after being kidnapped as a child came roaring back, and panic closed around my throat so hard I could barely breathe. I collapsed to the floor and pounded on the door with everything I had. “Adrian… open the door. I’m scared…” Then I heard a sweet, playful female voice from outside. “I can’t believe she actually bought your April Fools’ joke about proposing in a haunted house.” “You won the bet this time. I’m all yours tonight.” The blood in my body turned to ice.
I recognized that voice immediately. It belonged to the livestreamer Adrian had been obsessing over lately. So that was all ten years between us were worth. Just a tool for him to impress another woman. But if I really died in that pitch-black haunted house, what exactly would he have to cry about? *** My heart stopped beating. I lay on the cold floor and watched my soul drift out of my body. Outside the door, Adrian was still laughing like nothing in the world mattered. “Evie, you’re just too timid. Stay in there and tough it out.” “Once you’re desensitized and stop being scared, you can come try all kinds of extreme sports with Chloe and me.”
I hovered beside him as tears spilled down my face. He had forgotten that I had heart disease. I really could die. Chloe started her livestream, angled the camera toward herself and Adrian, and smiled as she greeted her viewers. “This is my guest boyfriend for today.” “Chloe made a bet with him. If he could trick his girlfriend, who has a heart condition, into a haunted house on April Fools’ Day…” “Then I’d be his today.” The chat instantly flooded with W’s and fire emojis. [This dude really did his own girlfriend dirty just to impress another girl.
Man’s ruthless.] [Are you two really gonna sneak off and hook up tonight?] […] Chloe shot Adrian a shy glance and said in a coy voice, “What are you guys talking about? This is just an April Fools’ challenge. I lost, so how could I possibly back out now?” Adrian cupped her face and kissed her on the lips. “No backing out.” I watched them kiss like they couldn’t get enough of each other. My heart had already stopped, yet something inside my chest still twisted in pain. Two weeks earlier, both our families had started pressuring us to get engaged. It was Adrian who had knelt at my feet and promised he would give me a home as soon as he could. I had thought today would be the happiest day of my life. I thought the boy next door I’d loved since childhood was going to propose to me, with flowers, applause, and everyone’s blessings. Instead, what awaited me was his April Fools’ prank. Adrian glanced toward the haunted house. He could no longer hear my desperate screams from inside. He raised an eyebrow at Chloe and gave her a thumbs-up. “Your exposure therapy really works.
Evie’s not even scared anymore.” Chloe lifted her chin smugly. “Obviously. Maybe she’s already having the time of her life in there and has fallen in love with the thrill.” The viewers started urging Chloe to take them exploring through the haunted house too. Adrian took the phone from her and carefully adjusted the angle. As they walked forward, I felt a strange force dragging me along with them. I tried to go somewhere else, but the moment I drifted too far away, I was yanked right back to Adrian’s side.
With their fingers tightly intertwined, Adrian and Chloe pushed open the door to another haunted room. A bloodcurdling scream rang out. Instinctively, I threw myself toward Adrian’s arms, only to pass straight through his body without resistance. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Right. I was already dead. What was there left to be afraid of? I looked up and saw Adrian gently covering Chloe’s eyes. “You don’t have to pretend to be brave today. I’ll protect you.” [Ugh, this PDA is way too sweet.] And I stood behind Adrian, watching him hold Chloe’s hand tightly and shield her with his body. There was a time when he used to protect me that way too.