WHO AM I

UNRAVELING THREADS

The next few days passed in a blur, with Lila constantly looking over her shoulder, her heart racing every time a new text came through. Noah was tense too, and although they tried to keep things normal around their friends, the pressure was mounting.

At lunch, Cathy, Jasper, and the others were completely unaware of the chaos swirling beneath the surface.

"So, are we all hitting up the movie marathon this weekend, or what?" Jasper asked, tossing a grape into his mouth and nearly choking when it bounced out.

Lila shook her head with a small laugh. "How do you manage to turn eating into an extreme sport?"

Jasper grinned, wiping his mouth dramatically. "Talent, my dear. Pure talent."

Cathy joined in, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. I call it 'dangerous to society.'"

Lila was about to reply when her phone buzzed again, causing her to freeze. She glanced down, feeling Noah's eyes on her as she read the new message:

Unknown Number: Tick tock, Lila. Time's running out.

Her stomach lurched, and she quickly turned the phone face down, forcing a smile as she looked back at her friends.

"Everything okay?" Cathy asked, clearly noticing the shift in Lila's expression.

"Yeah, totally fine," Lila lied, her voice a little too high-pitched to be convincing.

Noah, sitting beside her, nudged her leg under the table—a silent reminder that they couldn't let on what was really happening. But Lila could feel the noose tightening, the weight of the secrets they were trying to unravel threatening to suffocate her.

After School: The Confrontation

Lila walked out of the school, her thoughts swirling in a haze. Noah had texted her to meet him in the parking lot, but as she approached, she noticed another familiar figure standing by his car—Renzo.

Her heart skipped a beat. Renzo had always been charming, always a little too smooth for her liking, but something about him being here now felt... wrong.

"Hey, Lila," Renzo greeted her, flashing that usual smile that could melt hearts in an instant. "I was hoping to catch you."

"Hey," Lila replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "What's up?"

Renzo leaned against the car, casually folding his arms. "I've been noticing some things lately. You and Noah seem pretty tight these days. More so than usual."

Lila's pulse quickened. "We're just friends, Renzo. Nothing weird about that."

Renzo chuckled softly, but there was an edge to it. "Right. But just so you know, Lila, people talk. And sometimes, they know more than they let on."

Before Lila could respond, Noah appeared from behind his car, his expression unreadable as he approached.

"Renzo," Noah said flatly. "What are you doing here?"

Renzo straightened up, smiling casually. "Just catching up with Lila. Is that a problem?"

Lila felt like she was caught between two worlds. Noah's eyes locked onto hers for a brief second, and she knew they couldn't let Renzo in on what they were investigating.

"Nothing's a problem," Noah said, his tone tight. "But Lila's busy. We've got some things to take care of."

Renzo's smile faltered just slightly, but he shrugged it off. "Alright then. See you around, Lila."

As Renzo walked away, Noah and Lila exchanged a look—both knowing this was far from over.

Later That Evening

Noah paced back and forth in his room, his phone clutched in his hand. Lila sat cross-legged on his bed, the tension between them palpable.

"We can't keep doing this," Noah muttered. "Renzo's getting suspicious. And if he finds out what we're up to—"

"I know," Lila interrupted, rubbing her temples. "But we're in too deep to back out now. Whoever's behind this is watching us. They're toying with us, and I'm not going to let them win."

Noah stopped pacing and sat down next to her. "We need to find out who's sending those texts. Fast."

Before Lila could respond, her phone buzzed again. She hesitated, but Noah gestured for her to check it.

Unknown Number: You're running out of time, Lila. Tick tock.

Her heart raced as she handed the phone to Noah. His eyes darkened as he read the message.

"We need to be careful," he said quietly. "Whoever this is, they know more than they're letting on."

Lila nodded, feeling the weight of the situation settle heavily on her chest. She had no idea how much deeper this rabbit hole would go, but one thing was clear—they couldn't stop now.

With each passing day, the stakes were rising, and soon, they would be forced to face the truth—no matter how dangerous it turned out to be.