The Bad Boy's Rose

Nineteen

N I N E T E E N

It was the next day, I found it difficult to sleep with the thoughts clouding my mind. It's frightening how fast time is going.

Something seemed wrong, the three of them blame Zeref for everything yet they seemed to defend him as well. Fraser told me Zeref isn't a murderer- he was attempting to defend Zeref who supposedly is X.

Additionally. Fraser tried to tell me I knew Zeref, however, Robin didn't let Fraser complete his sentence- that pulled a few of my nerves.

I walk into one of the local cafés around my neighborhood. I noticed Hunter sitting down near the further back with Kayden.

The café was rather full, there really wasn't space for anyone to sit in.

Words didn't leave my mouth, I was astounded. His tousled brown hair was fluorescent because of the light from the light above - his chiseled jaw was clenched as he kept a straight face. His eyes held a look of deception as he lowered his gaze to his laptop he was typing away in.

The only vacant seat was next to that guy, he seemed to be preoccupied with his laptop.

I walk over to where he was, before placing my bag down I decided to ask him if I could sit next to him.

"Hey, is anyone sitting here?" I ask him, he looks up. His eyes glimmer due to the iridescent light above.

"No, do I know you?" He asks his face morphing into a look of confusion.

I take a seat in front of him, "I don't think so, we've never met." Even though he looks very familiar, I shook the thought away from my head.

"I'm Zeref." He informs me, placing his hand forward as a sign of greeting, my eyes widen as I looked at him.

No freaking way, it's just a small world isn't it?

"Z-Zeref." I stammer, my jaw was close to falling off the table.

He furrows his eyebrows, "Is there something wrong?" He asks delicately, how could he be Zeref if he's so nice.

"No, not at all."

I shake his hand. "I'm Isabelle," I tell him as he widens his eyes.

"I-I have to go." Zeref stutters, grabbing his laptop along with him.

"Why?" I enquire, glancing at him.

He doesn't respond, he sends me a longing glance before taking off. Should I go after him? I don't believe it.

I don't believe he's X.

Looks like I've been lied to.

I notice Kayden watching my table, I ignore his glance and look outside of the café. I should go after Zeref.

I quickly rush outside. I notice Zeref beside a black Mercedes, I can't let him get away.

"Zeref!" I shout, he doesn't meet my glance as he places his bag inside his car.

"You can't talk to me." He whispers. "Someone's watching us." Who's watching us? I look back at the café, I remember Kayden was there watching us.

"Who?" I ask him, he doesn't respond as he shuts his car door.

He rolls his windows down, he writes something on a piece of paper before handing it to me.

After rolling his window back up. He reversed his car, taking off towards the long road near the café.

I look at the piece of paper.

You must've heard. About me being X. I wanted to tell you so much but I couldn't do it here with someone watching.

If you'd like to meet. Come to city lake.

- Zeref

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I remember coming to City lake for the search of the first ever clue, I wish I never bothered searching for the clues. As X said, once you start the game- you can never end it.

I notice Zeref sat on the bench near the lake.

"So. Why did you leave off like that?" I ask him, taking a seat beside him.

"As I said. Someone was watching us." He mutters before giving me a ghost of a smile. "You really haven't changed." He states softly.

"I'm confused, we've never met," I tell him, he shook his head.

"Don't you remember? When were we like ten? You were my best friend."

I look at him perplexed. "No, I've never been to this town- I just moved here this year." Zeref's smile falters.

"I see why you don't remember." He mumbles. It makes sense. I don't remember anything about my childhood.

It was all washed away. After my mother passed away, everything else was a blur.

"Izzy. That's what I used to call you." He smiles, his smile was contagious. It was as if he was smiling with his heart.

"So should I tell you what you want to know?" He enquires, I nod my head as he sighs.

"I guess," I respond, I wanted to know more about how he knew me but I guess he wanted to tell me what on earth is going on.

"My brother and his friends assume that I'm X and I understand their reasons." Zeref starts off. What could he have possibly done for them to assume such a thing?

"I was friends with Hunter, Kayden, Robin, Cassiel, Fraser, and Isaac." Robin didn't mention this part to me at all, he completely left out Zeref's name.

"I wasn't there when they all received that text message from X. I was out of town- so they didn't know who to assume who X was, so they assumed it was me," Zeref explains. I felt so bad. Was everything just blamed on him?

"I tried telling Robin I wasn't X, he simply shook his head in disappointment and told me to never speak to him and his friends." He sighs. "From that day on, everyone ignored me as if I was the plague." Zeref finishes.

"And till this day, they all think you're X?" I look at him astounded. He nods his head as if he was ashamed to be labeled such a thing.

"X is using this as an advantage, I don't know who X is, whether X is a male or female. But he/she is using my name as a pawn." Zeref tells me as I widen my eyes.

"X could be a girl?" I exclaim. The thought never crossed my mind. Who could be X then?

"I feel like I've been framed and it hurts to say this but I think it's one of my own friends who are X." He whispers.

"It can't be." I stammered, none of them seem like they're the type to do such a thing.

"It has to be, X knows things that only my old friends knew about me." Zeref remarks. X knew where I was at all times when I was with each of Zeref's former friends.

"You're right." I mutter, "X sends these messages whenever I'm with any of your former friends- so it has to be one of your former friends." I gasp.

"So who do you think X is?" He questions. I look at the lake in front of me- Hunter and Kayden were here before. Hunter also knew I was here somehow.

Kayden knew I was meant to be here as well. I remember when I was searching for the first clue, Kayden had stopped to give me a plastic rose.

He told me not to worry, he said it's a plastic rose- it won't die.

Kayden can't be X, Quinn had shot him twice. Quinn herself is working with X. Hence Kayden can't be X if Quinn wanted him dead.

Hunter was the one to give me the third clue. The necklace which stated until the last petal falls. He was there at his own party which X had intervened in.

I remember X texting lights out. When the lights turned off at that party. The necklace Hunter had given me was ripped off my neck. Isaac had gone missing that night as well.

Once the lights were back on, Hunter was next to me.

I remember wanting to search for Isaac, I was going to go down to the attic to find Isaac. But Hunter had told me not to worry about Isaac- he didn't let me go search for Isaac instead he stopped me.

After I avoided him I ended up finding Isaac in Hunter's attic, bleeding to death.

Hunter could be X.

Isaac couldn't be X, he got wounded by X himself.

Cassiel, he could be X. But I was told Cassiel has no idea about the game. But then how did Cassiel know about X and how X killed Valerie?

I can't believe I'm saying this but Fraser, Fraser could be X. Fraser was stammering when he said Zeref was X, he told me Zeref wasn't a murderer. It was as if he didn't want to say Zeref was X.

Then it leads to Robin. Robin could be X, Robin and Cassiel said X could send messages at certain times. When I got the text from X, Robin was looking at my phone.

Also when Robin, Cassiel, and Fraser were in the room telling me how Zeref could be X and Quinn could be writing the messages- straight after I got a message from X.

X couldn't have been watching us, it meant that it could be one of the three.

X stated that he writes his messages and that I should find the rest of the clues. X wanted me to break Cassiel in order to find the fourth clue.

So Cassiel is off the list of being X since X wants me to break Cassiel's heart.

That leaves three people who could be X.

Fraser, Hunter, and Robin.

"I don't know, but I know it's not Kayden, Cassiel, and Isaac," I tell Zeref.

"So you're saying X is either Robin, Hunter or Fraser." Zeref looks at me.

"I guess I am, there's evidence that each of them could be X," I state.

Zeref's and my phone vibrate at the same time.

We both look at each other confused. I pull my phone out from my pocket, Zeref mirrors my actions.

It seems that I can't say I'm Zeref anymore :( - X.

"I don't understand, is X trying to reveal himself?" I ask Zeref, he shrugs his shoulder.

"I don't think he's trying to reveal himself, he might've only sent that to the both of us- the others probably think I'm X still." He tells me as I nod my head.

"So what do we do? How do we find out who X is?" I question.

"I know it's wrong to go through people's things, but I feel like you and I should go through Robin's, Hunters and Fraser's laptops and phones," Zeref says tensely.

"So we could see if they're sending messages through their laptops and phones?" I look at Zeref.

He nods his head, "I guess so. It seems like they're doing it from one of the two."

"I know it's violating privacy but it makes up for them literally invading our life," I say as Zeref nods his head in agreement.

"Who should we start off with?" Zeref inquires.

"Hunter, he's hosting a party tonight," I respond.

Hunter being X is just a possibility, I really hope he isn't X.

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