WHO AM I

UNSEEN MOVES

As the days passed, Lila couldn't stop replaying Eli's confession in her mind. Sure, he said it wasn't illegal, but the way he hesitated... something didn't add up. And the way Renzo had suddenly appeared, always with that smug grin plastered on his face—it was like he knew something she didn't.

Sitting in class, Lila absentmindedly twirled her pen, trying to focus on the math problems in front of her. But her mind was somewhere else. The tension between Eli's secret and the strange behavior of Renzo, Zara, and Stacy had her on edge.

"Lila? Earth to Lila?" Cathy's voice broke through her thoughts, snapping her back to reality.

"Huh? What?" Lila blinked, realizing Cathy had been talking to her for who knows how long.

Cathy gave her a pointed look. "You've been spaced out all day. What's going on? Trouble with Eli?"

Lila glanced around the classroom, half-expecting Renzo to pop out of nowhere. "It's just... there's a lot going on. Eli's dealing with some stuff, and I don't know if I should be worried or not."

Cathy raised an eyebrow. "You mean more than usual? Girl, you've been on high alert since, like, forever. Maybe you're overthinking it."

"Maybe..." Lila muttered, but deep down, she knew she wasn't. "But it feels different this time. There's something going on with his uncle's business, and now Renzo's acting all weird."

Cathy chuckled. "Renzo's always weird."

"True." Lila smiled briefly. "But I can't shake the feeling that there's something bigger going on. And I hate being kept in the dark."

"Well, if there's one thing I know," Cathy said, leaning in like she was about to reveal a secret, "it's that you always find out the truth. You're like a human lie detector."

"Or a magnet for drama," Lila sighed, tapping her pen nervously against her notebook.

Just then, the classroom door swung open, and Jasper strolled in late, as usual. He flashed the teacher a charming smile, which earned him a stern look but no punishment—Jasper always managed to get away with everything.

"Sorry, had a...uh, dog emergency," Jasper explained, making up the excuse on the spot. As he sat down next to Lila and Cathy, he leaned over, whispering, "Guess what?"

"What now?" Lila asked, half-expecting some ridiculous story.

"Renzo's planning a party. Apparently, it's going to be huge. Think 'Gatsby' but with less sophistication and more chaos."

"Sounds like Renzo," Cathy said, rolling her eyes. "But why is this news?"

"Because," Jasper leaned in closer, dropping his voice, "there's a special 'guest' coming to town. Someone connected to Eli's uncle."

Lila's stomach did a flip. This couldn't be a coincidence. "What guest?"

Jasper shrugged. "That's the thing—no one knows. But rumor has it, this guest has a lot of money and power. And they're coming for a reason."

Lila felt her heart speed up. Something was definitely brewing, and it was bigger than just Eli's secret job. It felt like the first domino had just fallen, and everything was about to come crashing down.

"Lila?" Cathy nudged her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just..." Lila trailed off, already forming a plan in her head. "I think I need to go to that party."

Cathy and Jasper exchanged glances. "You hate Renzo's parties," Cathy pointed out. "Why would you—?"

"I need to find out what's going on with Eli," Lila interrupted. "And if there's someone connected to his uncle coming, I want to be there."

"Well, count me in," Jasper said, winking. "I never say no to a party."

Cathy sighed. "Guess I'm coming too. I have to see how this disaster unfolds."

Lila smiled, grateful for her friends. But deep down, she knew that this party wasn't just about fun and games. It was about answers—answers she desperately needed. And she had a feeling that once the truth came out, nothing would ever be the same.

The pieces are moving, and the next chapter holds more than Lila could have ever imagined. Will she get the answers she seeks, or will this party unravel even more secrets?