WHO AM I

SUBTLE RICHES

The days following Renzo's dramatic arrival at school were filled with whispers, side glances, and lots of tension. He had quickly become the topic of every conversation—his wealth, his charm, and most annoyingly, his magnetic pull toward Lila.

I could tell Noah wasn't thrilled, but being Noah, he didn't say much. He kept things cool and calm on the surface, though I could see the way his jaw clenched when Renzo's name came up.

Lila, on the other hand, was caught in the middle. She didn't want to seem ungrateful, but Renzo's over-the-top gestures were starting to weigh on her. There were the invitations, the gifts—small things, but enough to make her feel like she was being dragged into a world she didn't quite fit in. And Noah? Well, Noah wasn't one to make flashy moves. He never tried to "win" Lila over; he just... was there.

"Hey," I called out to Noah one afternoon as we were walking to the courtyard, "you good? You've been quiet."

Noah shrugged, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Just thinking."

"About?" I pushed, knowing full well it was about Renzo.

"Nothing important," he said, avoiding eye contact. But then, after a long pause, he added, "I don't like him."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't say?"

Noah stopped walking and leaned against a wall, looking thoughtful. "It's not just that he's rich. It's how he uses it. Like it's the only thing that matters."

"Well, that's the thing with people like him, isn't it? They throw their money around to make everyone notice them," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, but that's not everything," Noah replied, his voice quiet. "Some things are more important."

I studied him for a moment, sensing there was more to what he was saying. He wasn't just talking about Renzo—there was something deeper. But before I could ask, a sleek black sports car pulled into the school parking lot. It wasn't Renzo's limo this time. No, this car was way cooler, sleek and polished.

I squinted, trying to make out who was driving. "That's a new one."

Noah barely glanced at it. "Yeah, it's nothing special."

Nothing special? The car looked like it cost more than everything I owned combined.

Just then, Cathy ran up to us, wide-eyed. "Did you see that? Who owns that car? Is it a teacher or something?"

Noah didn't answer, just shrugged. "It's just a car."

"Just a car?" Cathy laughed. "Are you kidding? That thing's probably worth, like, a million dollars!"

Noah smiled faintly. "Maybe not quite that much."

Cathy stared at him, puzzled. "How would you know?"

Noah didn't respond, and I realized then—Noah knew exactly how much that car was worth. He wasn't just guessing. There was something he wasn't telling us, but I didn't press it.

Later that day, we were sitting under the same old tree where Lila and I always hung out. Noah was leaning back against the trunk, flipping through a magazine. Lila was scrolling on her phone, probably trying to avoid whatever new "message" Renzo had sent her.

I noticed something peeking out of Noah's backpack—something that definitely didn't belong in a regular school bag.

"Hey," I nudged him, "what's that?"

He glanced down at his bag and then casually pulled out... a designer wallet. Like, seriously designer. The kind of brand you'd only see in those ultra-fancy stores. I stared at it, my jaw dropping. "Since when do you carry stuff like that?"

Noah shrugged, clearly not interested in the conversation. "It's just a wallet."

Lila looked up, her eyes narrowing. "Noah, that's not just a wallet."

Noah blinked, finally realizing that we were both staring at him. He sighed, tucking the wallet back into his bag. "It's nothing."

Lila and I exchanged glances, but neither of us said anything. It was starting to click. There was a side to Noah we didn't know about, and it had something to do with that car, that wallet... and who knows what else. But Noah wasn't the type to flaunt it. He didn't need to.