Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 4: The Hidden Note

ANIYA's POV

The days after the performance were a whirlwind, each moment a blur of questions, uncertainties, and, surprisingly, excitement. I couldn’t stop thinking about the show, about Adler’s movements, his effortless grace, the way the audience responded to him—everything about that night replayed in my head, like a song on loop. But it wasn’t just the performance that haunted me. It was Rio’s words. They felt like a riddle I was meant to solve.

Was Adler hiding something? The question gnawed at me, like a dark shadow in the corner of my mind. I wanted to dismiss it, to ignore it, to tell myself that Rio was just trying to play mind games. But his voice, low and steady, kept echoing: *“The people you admire the most are the ones who have the most to hide.”* What did he mean? And why did I feel like there was some truth in his warning?

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I sat in the library, trying to focus on my textbook, but I could barely concentrate. My fingers drummed against the hard cover as I glanced around the room, hoping to find some distraction. I had only just returned from my last class, and my mind was already wandering back to the last few days.

I couldn’t escape the image of Adler’s focused eyes when he danced, the way he gave me that brief but sincere smile. There was something magnetic about him, something that drew me in, and yet… Rio’s presence couldn’t be ignored. I felt like I was being pulled between two worlds, two very different men. Adler, who seemed to embody everything I admired, and Rio, whose darker, more dangerous aura seemed to call to me in a way I didn’t understand.

But as much as I tried to focus on my studies, one thing stood out more than anything else: the mysterious love note. The one I had found in my locker a few days ago, the one that had made me believe Adler had written it for me. The handwriting had looked so familiar, yet different, and the words—*“You’re the rhythm to my heart”*—had felt so personal, so intimate. But who was it really from? And more importantly, why had it been left there in the first place?

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The bell above the library’s entrance jingled as the door opened, and I looked up to see Lily walking in, her ever-present smile lighting up the room. She spotted me immediately and made her way over, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Hey, Aniya!” she greeted, sliding into the seat next to me. “What’s up? You’ve been looking a little lost in thought lately.”

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “I’ve just been thinking. About... well, about everything.”

Lily raised an eyebrow. “Everything? Sounds like a lot. What’s going on?”

I hesitated. It felt weird, talking about this—about Adler and Rio, about the weird feeling I had every time Rio spoke to me. But I trusted Lily. She was my best friend, the person who always knew how to make sense of things, even when I couldn’t.

“I don’t know,” I said finally. “I guess I just feel... pulled in two different directions. Like, there’s Adler, and then there’s Rio. And Rio’s been saying these things that I don’t know how to interpret. He says stuff like... like ‘people hide their true selves,’ and ‘you only see what they want you to see.’”

Lily’s face softened, and she crossed her arms, her tone serious. “And what do you think? Do you believe him?”

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my mind. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just his way of trying to get into my head. But... I don’t know. Part of me wonders if there’s some truth to it.”

Lily leaned in, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Okay, but why would you believe Rio over Adler? I mean, Adler’s the one you’ve been following for ages, right? He’s the one who makes you feel... I don’t know, *seen*.”

I bit my lip, feeling a rush of heat. “Yeah, I guess. But... what if Adler isn’t who I think he is? What if there’s something he’s hiding? Rio made it sound like he’s not as innocent as he seems.”

Lily looked at me, her gaze unwavering. “An, listen to me. Rio’s trouble. I’ve seen the way he acts, the way he plays people. You can’t let him get to you. You know Adler, right? You’ve seen how he is, how genuine he is when he dances. Trust that. Don’t let someone like Rio mess with your head.”

I nodded slowly, her words sinking in. But still, the doubt lingered.

Before I could respond, Lily changed the subject. “Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to tell you something. I was talking to Sofia today—y’know, the gossip blogger? She mentioned that there’s some weird rumor floating around. Apparently, Rio’s been doing some… *unsavory* things lately. People are starting to talk.”

My ears perked up at the mention of Rio’s name. “What do you mean ‘unsavory’ things?”

Lily shrugged. “I don’t know the details, but she said there’s talk about Rio getting involved in some shady business—things that go beyond just his rivalry with Adler. It’s all rumors, but... well, Sofia has a way of getting the truth.”

I felt my stomach twist into knots. What could Rio possibly be involved in that was so bad? Was it possible that what he had been saying about Adler was a way to distract me from his own dark secrets?

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Later that evening, I was walking back to my dorm when I noticed something strange. As I approached the entrance, I saw a small envelope wedged under my door. It was plain white, no name or return address. My heart skipped a beat as I crouched down to pick it up, my hands trembling. Inside was a single piece of paper with something written in the same handwriting as the note from my locker.

*“The truth will always find its way to the surface, Aniya. Don’t ignore the signs.”*

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. This was the second time—was someone watching me? And what truth were they talking about?

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As I stood there, holding the note in my hand, the weight of the moment hit me. Whatever game Rio was playing, I had no choice but to follow it. Because now, I had to know the truth. I had to understand who was really hiding something—and why.

And one thing was certain: this mystery wasn’t going to stay hidden for long.

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End of Chapter 4

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