WHO AM I

THE SILENT STORM

Later that night, Lila couldn't shake the feeling that everything was spiraling out of control. She had agreed to meet Eli, but she hadn't told anyone. Not even Noah. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to hide it, but something about this situation felt... off.

As she approached the park where Eli had told her to meet, she kept her eyes peeled. The dim streetlights cast long shadows, making the place feel even more deserted than it already was. She pulled her hoodie tighter around her, hoping to blend into the night.

There, sitting on a bench, was Eli. His face was lit up by the glow of his phone, but when he saw her, he immediately pocketed it and stood up.

"You came," he said, relief in his voice.

"Of course I came," Lila replied, though she wasn't entirely sure why. "What's going on, Eli? Why all the mystery?"

Eli sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's... complicated. I didn't want to drag you into this, but it seems like you're already in the middle of it."

"In the middle of what?" Lila asked, her anxiety spiking.

Eli glanced around, as if making sure they were alone, then lowered his voice. "Asher's not playing games anymore, Lila. He's serious this time. He's going to come after you, after Noah, after everyone."

Lila's heart sank. "Why? Why would he do that?"

Eli hesitated, his expression torn. "Because he's always had it out for Noah. And now, you're a part of Noah's life. You're a target by association."

Lila felt her stomach twist. She'd known Asher was dangerous, but this? She hadn't signed up for this. "What do you expect me to do, Eli? Run?"

"No," Eli said quickly. "That's exactly what he wants. He wants you to be scared, to feel trapped. But there's something else you need to know. Something about Noah..."

Lila's breath caught in her throat. Eli's eyes darted back and forth, and his hesitation made her panic.

"What about Noah?" she demanded, her voice barely a whisper.

But before Eli could answer, there was a sound behind them—a soft rustling, like someone stepping on a leaf. Eli's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. Lila spun around, scanning the shadows.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered, her heart pounding.

Eli grabbed her arm, his grip tight. "We need to go. Now."

But it was too late. From the darkness, a figure emerged, stepping into the dim light of the streetlamp. Asher.

Back at Noah's house, the group was still going over Kira's plan. Jasper was pacing back and forth, tossing out ideas while Renzo looked increasingly irritated.

"So we're just going to lure Asher into some kind of trap?" Jasper asked, his eyebrows raised. "How is that going to work?"

Kira smirked. "Simple. We make him think he's in control, but we set him up for a fall. We leak fake information, feed him what he wants to hear."

Noah leaned back in his chair, nodding thoughtfully. "It could work... if we're careful. But we need to make sure we don't tip him off."

"I'll handle the fake info," Cathy volunteered, her fingers tapping away on her phone. "I know exactly what to send."

Jasper shook his head, still skeptical. "You really think we can outsmart him? This is Asher we're talking about. He's like a criminal mastermind."

"Well, it's that or we wait for him to come after us," Renzo said bluntly. "I'd rather go down fighting."

Noah rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Lila hadn't responded to his last few texts, and he hadn't seen her leave. Where was she?

"Has anyone heard from Lila?" he asked suddenly, breaking the conversation.

Kira frowned. "No, she said she had to go home early."

Something didn't sit right with him. He stood up, grabbing his jacket. "I'm going to check on her. You guys keep working on the plan."

Jasper and Renzo exchanged glances but didn't argue. Noah was already out the door before anyone could stop him.

Back in the park, Lila's heart was racing as Asher stepped closer. Eli moved in front of her protectively, but Asher just smiled that same unsettling grin.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?" Asher said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I didn't expect to find you two here."

"What do you want, Asher?" Eli growled, his fists clenched.

Asher chuckled, stepping closer. "What I've always wanted. To watch Noah's perfect little world crumble."

Lila felt a chill run down her spine. She was frozen in place, unsure of what to do. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Another figure was approaching.

Her heart leaped when she realized it was Noah. He was running toward them, and in that split second, everything seemed to slow down.

Asher's smile faded, replaced with cold calculation. "Looks like the gang's all here," he muttered, taking a step back. "But this isn't over. Not by a long shot."

And before anyone could react, Asher disappeared into the shadows, leaving them all standing there, shaken.

Noah reached Lila's side, his chest heaving. "Are you okay?"

Lila nodded, though her mind was racing. This was far from over. Asher was planning something big, and they were running out of time to stop him.