Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 28: Under Siege

The next morning, I felt like I was walking on eggshells. Adler’s concern had only intensified since seeing Rio’s note, and now he insisted on walking me to every class, never letting me stray far from his side. I appreciated his protectiveness, but the constant reminder of Rio’s looming presence made it hard to breathe.

In the afternoon, Julian and I met up to grab coffee, trying to distract ourselves from everything that had been happening. But as we were leaving the café, Julian’s expression changed. He nodded his head subtly toward the door.

“Don’t look now,” he whispered, “but Rio just walked in.”

I froze, glancing around. Sure enough, there he was, his gaze locked onto me as soon as he spotted us. His lips curled into a slow, unsettling smile, and he started walking toward us, ignoring Julian entirely.

“Aniya,” he said, his voice smooth and unsettlingly calm. “Can we talk?”

Julian stepped in front of me, his posture protective. “She has nothing to say to you, Rio. Leave her alone.”

Rio raised an eyebrow, glancing from Julian to me, as if Julian’s presence was nothing more than an inconvenience. “I wasn’t talking to you, Julian,” he replied, his voice dripping with disdain.

My heart raced, and I could feel Julian’s tension radiating beside me. Rio’s intensity was unnerving, and it took everything in me not to turn and run.

“Rio,” I said, my voice as steady as I could make it. “This has to stop. Whatever you think is between us—it’s not real. It never was.”

His smile faltered for a moment, but then he shrugged, his expression hardening. “I don’t believe that, Aniya. I know you’re scared, confused. But I also know that deep down, you feel something for me.”

I took a shaky breath, my words finally finding their way past the lump in my throat. “No, Rio. I don’t. And I need you to leave me alone.”

Julian stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest. “You heard her. If you can’t respect her boundaries, there are other ways we can make sure you do.”

Rio’s eyes flickered, a flash of anger sparking in them, but he forced a smile and took a step back. “Alright,” he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “If that’s what you want, Aniya, I’ll back off. But don’t expect me to just disappear. I’m always here if you change your mind.”

He turned and walked out of the café, leaving Julian and me standing there, our hearts racing.

Julian let out a deep breath, his fists clenched at his sides. “That guy is completely unhinged, Aniya. We have to do something. He’s not going to give up.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and dread. Rio’s words had seemed so calm, so measured—but that only made them more threatening.

Later that evening, I met up with Adler, Lily, and Julian to talk about our next steps. We gathered in Adler’s dorm room, a small but cozy space that had always felt like a safe haven. But tonight, even that comfort was overshadowed by the tension in the air.

“He’s not letting go,” Adler said, his tone grim. “And now that Sofia’s blog is adding fuel to the fire, we’re dealing with two problems instead of one.”

Lily looked at me, concern written all over her face. “Aniya, maybe you should consider going to someone higher up—maybe even the college administration. This has gone way beyond just a misunderstanding.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. “I don’t want to make things worse, but… I think you’re right. Rio isn’t going to stop unless someone forces him to.”

Julian nodded. “I’ll go with you to talk to the dean. Maybe we can explain what’s been happening and get some kind of protection in place.”

Adler put a hand on my shoulder, his expression filled with determination. “You’re not alone in this, Aniya. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

As we continued to strategize, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, with my friends by my side, we could finally put an end to this nightmare.

The next day, Julian and I met with Dean Hart, the head of student affairs at Southland College. He listened carefully as we explained everything—the stalking, the blog posts, Rio’s unsettling behavior. By the time we finished, Dean Hart looked both alarmed and resolute.

“This is very serious,” he said, his tone grave. “I’ll need to speak with Rio personally and make it clear that his behavior is unacceptable. We can also arrange for campus security to keep an eye on him, and if necessary, issue a restraining order.”

A wave of relief washed over me. Finally, someone in authority was taking this seriously. Julian squeezed my shoulder, giving me a reassuring nod as we left the office.

But as we walked back across campus, I noticed Sofia standing near one of the benches, her phone out as if she were waiting for someone. She looked up, her gaze meeting mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of guilt in her eyes.

She approached us slowly, her expression guarded. “Aniya… can we talk?”

Julian glared at her, crossing his arms. “I don’t think there’s anything left to say, Sofia.”

But I held up a hand, curiosity getting the better of me. “It’s fine, Julian. I want to hear what she has to say.”

Sofia looked down, her confidence wavering. “I didn’t mean for things to go this far. I was just… I don’t know. I got caught up in the story, and I thought people wanted to know the truth. But I didn’t think it would actually… hurt anyone.”

I sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and pity. “Sofia, this isn’t just a story. You’ve been fueling Rio’s obsession, and now people are getting hurt.”

She looked away, guilt flashing across her face. “I know. I messed up. But… if there’s anything I can do to make it right, just tell me.”

Julian scoffed, his voice laced with anger. “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”

I looked at Sofia, considering her offer. Part of me wanted to tell her to stay out of it, but another part of me knew that having her on our side could help turn the tide.

“Take down the posts,” I said finally. “And post a retraction. Tell people the truth, that this whole thing was blown out of proportion.”

Sofia nodded, relief flickering in her eyes. “I can do that. I’ll take everything down tonight.”

With a final, hesitant nod, she walked away, leaving Julian and me standing there in silence. He looked at me, his expression softening.

“You’re too forgiving, Aniya,” he said, shaking his head. “But maybe that’s what makes you better than the rest of us.”

I smiled faintly, though my heart was still heavy. We’d taken a step toward resolution, but I knew it wasn’t over yet. Rio’s obsession wouldn’t disappear overnight, and the damage Sofia’s rumors had caused wouldn’t fade easily.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the campus, I felt a strange sense of calm. The storm wasn’t over, but maybe—just maybe—we were finally beginning to see the light on the other side.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope that, with my friends by my side, we could make it through this together.

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End of Chapter 28

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