Veil Of Secrets

Torn Ties and New Faces

Selene's POV

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I wake up, groggy but determined to make sense of everything. The past few days have been a whirlwind of confusion, and Reno's behavior is driving me insane. I get ready for school, throwing on my favorite outfit in an attempt to feel a little more in control. As I head downstairs, I expect to see Reno waiting for me like he always does, but the space outside my door is empty.

"Mom, have you seen Reno?" I ask as I grab a piece of toast.

"He already left, dear," she says, not looking up from her newspaper.

I frown. Reno and I always walk to school together. Why would he leave without me? My stomach twists with worry as I head out the door, walking the familiar route alone. Something is definitely wrong.

When I reach the school gates, I'm immediately swarmed by people. Boys, mostly, because of course, being popular means being the center of attention, even when I don't want to be. I scan the crowd, looking for Reno, but he's nowhere to be found. The unease from earlier tightens its grip on my chest.

I spot one of his friends, Jake, and hurry over. "Hey, have you seen Reno?" I ask, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

"He went straight to class," Jake replies, looking surprised. "Didn't even stop to talk to us."

That's weird. Reno always hangs out with his friends before class. I thank Jake and make my way to my first period, my mind racing with possibilities. Has he been avoiding me since I saw him getting out of Renzo's car? What's going on with him?

I step into the classroom, and there he is. Reno, sitting at his desk, staring ahead like he's lost in thought. I'm about to go over to him when the teacher walks in, followed by someone I never expected to see.

"Class, we have a new student joining us today," the teacher announces. "Everyone, meet Matteo."

My heart skips a beat. Renzo? Here?With a fake name ? I look over at Reno, expecting to see anger or shock on his face, but he just looks... resigned. Like he already knew about this.

What the hell is going on?

The teacher tells Renzo to sit next to me, and I can't believe my luck. Or rather, my misfortune. As Renzo makes his way to the seat, our eyes meet. His gaze is intense, unreadable. Reno glances at us, but quickly looks away when I try to catch his eye.

Renzo sits down, and I lean over, whispering harshly, "What are you doing here?"

He shrugs, his expression cool. "Just wanted a change of scenery. Coincidentally, it's here."

"Bullshit," I mutter, but he just smirks and turns his attention to the front of the class.

By the time the bell rings for break, I feel like I'm about to explode. I need to talk to someone who isn't part of this insane triangle. I find my best friend, Sophia, and drag her to our usual spot behind the school.

"Soph, you won't believe what's been happening," I say, my words tumbling out in a rush. "It's like my life has turned into some twisted soap opera."

"Whoa, slow down, Sel. What's going on?" she asks, her eyes wide with concern.

I take a deep breath and start from the beginning. "So, I met Ren....Matteo a while back. He's been... well, complicated. And then there's Reno. We kissed at that party, remember? But lately, he's been acting like he doesn't even know me."

I pause, trying to organize my thoughts. "Then there was the whole thing with the punch and Reno getting kidnapped. I thought Renzo was behind it, but now I'm not so sure. And Reno is avoiding me, and Renzo just showed up at our school like it's no big deal."