WHO AM I

UNVEILING THE TRUTH

The following day, Lila couldn't focus on anything. The idea that Renzo's family, and now Noah's, might be involved in some shady business haunted her thoughts. She sat in the school courtyard, waiting for the others to show up, staring blankly at her phone. Her mind replayed every interaction she'd ever had with Renzo. Had he been hiding this all along?

Jasper was the first to join her, plopping down beside her with his usual carefree grin. "You look like you're about to crack, Lila. Need some of my legendary advice?" He winked dramatically, causing Lila to chuckle.

"I don't even know where to start with this," she sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Look, I know Renzo's family being, you know, potential Bond villains is a lot to handle, but let's be real, did we ever think Renzo was completely normal? The dude has a different car every week."

Lila laughed despite herself. "Yeah, he's always been... extra."

"And Noah," Jasper said, leaning in with a mock-whisper, "he'll sort it out. Dude's got more sense in his little finger than most people have in their entire body."

Before Lila could respond, Noah arrived, followed by Kira, Zara, and finally, Renzo himself. He walked toward them with his usual swagger, unaware that everyone was now studying him closely, looking for cracks in his perfect facade.

"So, what's up with this emergency meeting?" Renzo asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he slung his backpack off his shoulder. "Don't tell me you guys planned a surprise party for me?"

Kira, never one to sugarcoat things, spoke first. "We found out about your family, Renzo."

Renzo blinked, his usual cocky demeanor faltering for a moment. "My family?"

"Yeah, your family," Kira continued, arms crossed. "The whole secret business dealings thing, offshore accounts, shady investments. That family."

Renzo's eyes darkened as he slowly took a seat. "You've been digging into my life?"

Noah cut in, his voice calm but firm. "Renzo, we're friends. If there's something going on, we deserve to know the truth. Especially if it involves us."

There was a long pause as Renzo ran his fingers through his perfectly styled hair. He let out a deep breath, leaning back in his seat. "Look, I didn't want to drag you guys into this. My family... it's complicated. Yeah, there's some stuff going on, but it's not what you think."

Lila felt her heart racing. "What do you mean?"

Renzo stared at the ground, looking more serious than Lila had ever seen him. "My dad's involved in some... questionable business, but I've stayed out of it. He's been under investigation for years, and yeah, he's made some deals with people he shouldn't have, including Noah's dad. But it's not like we're running a criminal empire."

"Then why keep it a secret?" Noah asked, his voice tight.

"Because secrets keep you safe," Renzo replied, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and frustration. "In my world, if people know too much, they can use it against you. And I didn't want you guys looking at me like I'm some kind of villain."

Jason, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "Man, we don't care about your dad's shady stuff. But you should've told us. We're your friends."

There was a tense silence as Renzo looked at each of them, his tough exterior seeming to crumble for the first time. "I know. I'm sorry."

Lila felt a pang of sympathy for him. No matter how over-the-top Renzo could be, this was clearly something he didn't want to deal with. But there was still more to this story, and she knew it.

Before anyone could respond, Renzo's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and his face paled. Without a word, he stood up and started walking away.

"Renzo, where are you going?" Zara called after him.

"I... I have to handle something. Don't follow me," he said, his voice strained.

"Yeah, sure, that's not suspicious at all," Jasper muttered sarcastically as they watched Renzo walk off in a hurry.

Lila exchanged a worried glance with Noah. Something about this felt wrong.

"We should follow him," Lila said, her voice steady. "There's more to this."

Noah nodded. "Agreed. Let's go."