WHO AM I

PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

The tension from the parking lot hung heavy in the air as they all sat silently in Noah's car, driving back into town. Lila's mind was racing. Who was that man? Why had he targeted her? What was Renzo's role in all of this?

Jasper finally broke the silence. "I gotta say, for a guy who thinks he's a mastermind, that was the worst Bond villain I've ever seen."

Noah shot him a sideways glance, though a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Jasper, this isn't a movie."

Jasper leaned back, throwing his hands in the air. "Says you! This is classic suspense thriller material. Some mystery guy, vague threats, cryptic messages... all we need is a dramatic rooftop chase scene."

Cathy chuckled nervously. "Yeah, let's hope we don't get that far."

Lila sighed, staring out the window. "He said it was a warning. But for what?"

Noah kept his eyes on the road, his jaw clenched. "We'll figure it out, Lila. You're not in this alone."

Renzo's smirk flashed through Lila's mind, and her stomach turned. What was he playing at? And why did he seem to enjoy all of this so much?

"By the way, does anyone else find it super creepy that Renzo just happened to be there?" Cathy asked, crossing her arms.

"Renzo enjoys mind games. He probably thinks he's pulling some big move by showing up," Noah replied darkly. "But that guy—the one in the car—I've never seen him before."

Lila felt a knot of anxiety twist in her stomach. "I have no idea who he is either. I've never seen him in my life."

Jasper rubbed his chin in mock seriousness. "Well, it's always the ones you least expect. Maybe he's your long-lost billionaire uncle."

Cathy snorted, and even Noah couldn't help but smile. Lila rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Jasper?"

"I'm just saying! It wouldn't be the weirdest thing in the world. Look at you! Mysterious stalkers, fancy cars, strange warnings—you've hit all the checkboxes for 'mysterious heiress.'"

Lila's laugh caught her by surprise. "Jasper, if I'm an heiress, someone forgot to tell me about the fortune."

"Yeah, someone owes you a private jet by now," Cathy quipped.

The tension in the car broke slightly as everyone chuckled, the weight of the situation lifting, if only for a moment. But beneath the surface, Lila's nerves remained on edge. Whoever that man was, he wasn't finished. She could feel it.

Later That Night

Lila tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she jumped, reaching for it.

It was a text from Noah.

Noah: "Don't overthink it, okay? We'll figure this out together."

A small smile tugged at her lips. He always knew how to calm her down, even when things felt impossible.

Lila: "Thanks, Noah. I don't know what I'd do without you."

His reply came almost instantly.

Noah: "Good thing you don't have to find out."

Lila sighed, her heart feeling lighter. She couldn't face this alone, and Noah was always there, making sure she didn't have to.

The Next Day

School was... awkward. As soon as Lila walked through the doors, she felt eyes on her. Whispers followed her down the hall like a shadow. She couldn't tell if it was paranoia or if people were actually talking about her, but either way, it made her feel like crawling into a hole.

"Did you see how she came in today?"

"Maybe it's true. Maybe she's into some shady stuff."

"She's probably a secret criminal or something."

Lila pulled her hoodie tighter around her, her face flushing with embarrassment. Great, as if mysterious stalkers weren't enough, now she had rumors following her too.

At least Noah, Cathy, and Jasper were still by her side. And when they met up in the lunchroom, Jasper immediately started spinning wild stories about the unknown man.

"I'm telling you guys, mark my words, he's a secret billionaire trying to recruit Lila into some underground organization," Jasper said, dramatically lowering his voice like he was in a spy movie.

Cathy rolled her eyes. "Sure, and next you're gonna say he's got a secret lair under the school gym."

Jasper gasped. "How did you know?!"

Even Lila couldn't help but laugh. Noah chuckled as he shook his head. "You watch too many movies, man."

But despite the jokes, Lila still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that the man's warning was just the beginning. Something bigger was brewing—she could feel it.

As the lunch bell rang, Lila's phone buzzed again. She opened the message and froze.

Unknown: "Time's running out, Lila. I hope you're ready for what's coming."