WHO AM I

SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT

Noah's heart still hadn't slowed down from the moment he saw Asher in the park. He gripped Lila's hand tightly as they walked back toward his car. Lila was unusually quiet, her face pale under the glow of the streetlights.

"What were you doing there?" Noah finally asked, breaking the silence.

Lila sighed, her breath visible in the cold night air. "I don't know. I just... Eli said he needed to talk, and then suddenly Asher was there. I didn't know what to do."

Noah stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. "Lila, you can't just walk into these situations. You don't know how dangerous Asher can be."

"I know that!" she snapped, pulling her hand away. "I'm not stupid, Noah. I just—I thought I could help."

A tense silence fell between them. Lila hugged her arms to herself, the cold night seeping into her bones. She hated feeling like she was a liability, but Noah's concern was genuine. She could see that now.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just didn't want anyone else to get hurt."

Noah softened, stepping closer. "I get it. But we're in this together, okay? No more solo missions."

Lila gave a small nod, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over. Asher's sudden appearance wasn't a coincidence, and Eli's cryptic warnings about Noah still hung in the air, unanswered.

As they reached the car, Noah paused, his hand resting on the door handle. "Did Eli say anything else? Anything... about me?"

Lila hesitated, biting her lip. Should she tell Noah about Eli's warning? About the secrets that were being kept from her?

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, her phone buzzed. Glancing down at the screen, she saw a message from Eli.

"Meet me tomorrow. There's something you need to know. About Noah."

Her stomach twisted as she read the words. Could she trust Eli? And more importantly... could she trust Noah?

Back at the house, the atmosphere was tense. Kira, Jasper, Renzo, and Cathy were still going over the plan, but it felt like they were missing something—something crucial.

"So, we set the trap and let Asher walk into it," Kira said, tapping her pen against the table. "But what if he doesn't take the bait?"

Jasper, who had been leaning back in his chair, suddenly leaned forward with a grin. "Then we improvise. Besides, he's cocky enough to think we're not smart enough to catch him."

Cathy rolled her eyes. "Because nothing says 'genius plan' like improvising with a criminal mastermind."

Renzo smirked from the corner, arms crossed. "Well, I guess Jasper's genius ideas have gotten us this far."

Jasper winked. "You're welcome."

The group chuckled, but the tension was still there, hanging in the air like a cloud. They were all worried, especially about what Asher's next move would be. And with Lila now tied up in the mess, things had become even more complicated.

As they were debating the finer points of the plan, the door opened, and Noah and Lila stepped inside. Everyone immediately fell silent, eyes shifting between the two of them.

Kira was the first to speak, her voice cautious. "Everything okay?"

Noah nodded, though his expression remained grim. "For now."

Lila gave a weak smile but didn't say anything. Her mind was still racing with questions, and the message from Eli weighed heavily on her.

Cathy could sense something was off. "What happened?"

"Asher showed up at the park," Lila said quietly. "He didn't do anything, but it's clear he's not done with us."

Renzo groaned, throwing his head back. "This guy is like a cockroach. He just won't go away."

Jasper leaned in with a smirk. "Maybe we need a bigger shoe."

Noah shot him a look, but even he couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. "I don't think a shoe's going to cut it."

"Well, we better figure out something fast," Kira added, her voice serious again. "Because whatever Asher's planning, he's getting closer."

That night, Lila lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her phone rested on the pillow beside her, Eli's message still unread. She wasn't sure what to do. A part of her wanted to ignore it, to trust that Noah had nothing to hide. But another part of her—the part that had been burned before—wasn't so sure.

She picked up her phone and hovered her finger over the message. Should she meet Eli tomorrow? Or should she trust Noah, and let the secrets lie buried?

Before she could decide, another buzz shook her phone. It was a new message.

From Eli.

"Tomorrow. Noon. Don't tell Noah."

Her breath hitched as she read it. What was Eli hiding? And why didn't he want Noah to know?

Lila turned off her phone and shoved it under her pillow, her heart pounding in her chest.

Tomorrow, she'd find out the truth. But what would she do with it once she had it?