Chapter 6: Beneath The Mask
554 Words
Lena’s breath hitched as she reread the message on her phone screen.
Meet me behind the music hall after practice. We need to talk.
It was from Adrian.
Her heart pounded. After everything that had happened—the rivalry between him and Damian, the strange connection she felt with both of them, and the whispers that never seemed to leave her mind—what could Adrian possibly want to talk about now?
She glanced across the classroom. Adrian sat near the window, his face unreadable as usual. He hadn’t looked her way all day, but now he was the one reaching out.
The final bell rang, and students spilled into the hallways, their chatter filling the air. Lena quickly packed her things, ignoring the curious looks from Charlotte and Ethan.
“You okay?” Charlotte asked, stepping beside her.
“Yeah,” Lena lied. “I just… I have to go.”
Charlotte didn’t push further, but her knowing gaze lingered as Lena slipped through the crowded hallway, making her way toward the music hall.
⸻
The setting sun cast long shadows over the back of the building. A soft breeze rustled the trees, sending a chill through her.
Adrian was already there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His golden-brown hair caught the fading light, making him seem almost unreal.
“You came,” he said without looking at her.
“I figured I should.” Lena folded her arms, trying to steady her nerves. “What’s this about?”
Adrian exhaled, his gaze shifting to her at last. “I need to tell you something. And I need you to be honest with me.”
Lena swallowed. “Okay.”
A long silence stretched between them before he finally spoke.
“What exactly… do you feel when you’re around Damian?”
Lena stiffened. Of all the things he could have asked, she wasn’t expecting that.
“Why are you asking?” she deflected.
Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Because I know what it’s like to be caught up in something you don’t understand. I need to know if you feel it too.”
Lena hesitated. She thought about the way Damian’s presence seemed to wrap around her, the way his voice sent shivers down her spine, the inexplicable connection she felt even when they were apart. But she also thought about Adrian—his quiet protectiveness, the way he looked at her as if he saw something no one else did.
“I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it’s not just him, Adrian. It’s you too.”
His eyes darkened. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
Lena frowned. “What do you mean?”
Adrian pushed off the wall, stepping closer. His voice was low, urgent. “There’s something about him—something dangerous. And if you feel that pull toward both of us, then…” His fingers curled into a fist. “It means you’re involved in this, whether you want to be or not.”
Lena’s pulse quickened. “Involved in what?”
Adrian hesitated before finally whispering, “The whispers. The ones you hear… they’re not just in your head.”
Her breath caught. “How do you know about them?”
He held her gaze. “Because I hear them too.”
- Writer
