Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 5: Unraveling Secrets

The morning air was cool as I walked across the campus, still clutching the mysterious note I had found outside my dorm. Every step felt heavy with the weight of the words, the eerie feeling that someone was watching me, waiting for me to figure it all out. Who was leaving these notes? Was it Rio? Or was it someone else entirely?

I couldn’t get over the feeling that this was all connected—the note, Rio’s cryptic words, and the unsettling rumors Lily had told me about. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to pretend that everything was fine and that Rio was just a troublemaker trying to stir things up. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more at play. Something dangerous.

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As I reached the student center, I spotted Lily sitting on a bench near the entrance, flipping through her phone. Her expression was serious, as if she was waiting for me to arrive. When she saw me, her face brightened, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

“Hey, Aniya,” she greeted, standing up to meet me. “How are you holding up?”

I paused, biting my lip. “I don’t know… these notes, Lily. They’re freaking me out. And Rio… I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Lily frowned, her eyes narrowing. “What exactly did the note say?”

I handed it to her, watching as she read through it carefully. Her brow furrowed deeper as she finished. “Okay, that’s definitely creepy. But I told you, Rio’s bad news. He’s probably just trying to mess with your head.”

“I thought so too,” I admitted. “But there’s something about the way he says things. It’s like he knows something I don’t. Like he’s trying to get under my skin on purpose.”

Lily looked at me, her gaze searching. “What do you mean? Has he been—”

Before she could finish, I noticed someone approaching from the corner of my eye. It was Adler, walking toward us with a confident stride, his usual relaxed smile in place. But today, there was something different about him. Something in the way he held himself, like there was more to him than I had realized before.

“Hey, Aniya, Lily,” Adler greeted us, his voice warm but a little distracted. He looked at me, his eyes softening. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

My heart skipped. “To me?”

He nodded, glancing at Lily before turning his focus back to me. “Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I’ve noticed you’ve been… off lately. Something bothering you?”

I felt a sudden rush of warmth flood my chest, but I quickly masked it with a forced smile. “I’m fine. Just… you know, school stuff.”

Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Are you sure? You don’t seem fine.”

Adler’s gaze flickered between us, and I could see the hint of concern in his eyes. “If there’s something going on, you can talk to me, Aniya. I don’t want you to feel like you’re dealing with this alone.”

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I wanted to tell him everything—about the notes, about Rio, about the strange feeling I couldn’t shake. But part of me hesitated. What if he didn’t believe me? What if he thought I was overreacting?

Lily, ever the intuitive one, picked up on my hesitation. She shot me a pointed look and then turned to Adler. “Actually, there is something Aniya’s been dealing with. Maybe you can help.”

I felt my face heat up as I shot Lily a glare. “Lily…”

But Adler was already looking at me, his expression gentle. “What’s going on, Aniya?”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation settle heavily on my shoulders. I could either confide in him or keep it to myself. For some reason, I found myself trusting him more than I had trusted anyone in a long time.

“There’s… been some weird things happening,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve been getting these notes, and I don’t know who’s leaving them or why, but they’re… unsettling. And Rio keeps saying things, cryptic things, that make me think there’s more going on than I realize. It’s all just… it’s starting to freak me out.”

Adler was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity I hadn’t expected. He seemed to be weighing his words carefully, as if deciding how much to say.

“Listen, Aniya,” he said quietly, his voice steady but serious. “I don’t know what’s going on with Rio, but I’ll tell you this: he’s trouble. And if he’s leaving you notes, or if he’s trying to mess with you, you need to stay away from him.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “But what if he’s telling the truth? What if I’m missing something? What if—”

Adler stepped closer, his expression softening. “I know Rio. I know the games he plays. And I can promise you—he’s not someone you want to get tangled up with.”

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of doubt. His words sounded so certain, so reassuring. But what if Adler was just trying to protect me because he cared? Or was it something else? The doubt clawed at me, refusing to let go.

Before I could respond, Adler gave me a small smile. “Just… keep your distance from him, okay? You’re not alone in this.”

I nodded, though I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface. Adler’s warning felt genuine, but part of me couldn’t stop wondering if Rio’s cryptic messages weren’t just a distraction from something bigger.

As Adler turned to leave, I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion. There was no doubt in my mind that Adler was trying to protect me, but I also couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that I didn’t have all the answers yet. Was Rio really just playing games, or was there something deeper, something more dangerous, that I was missing?

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The rest of the day passed in a haze. Classes, lunch, and studying all blurred together as my thoughts kept returning to the same place—the notes, Rio, and the unsettling feeling that there was something I was overlooking.

That evening, I sat down at my desk, the latest note laid out before me. As I read it again, my mind raced with possibilities. What truth was Rio talking about? And why did it feel like the pieces of this puzzle were just beyond my reach?

I had to find out. But how? And at what cost?

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End of Chapter 5

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