Chapter 6 Unanswered Questions
787 Words
I couldn't shake off what Aiden said. "Don't trust him right away." Why did it seem like everyone around me had something to say about Cas, but no one gave me a straight answer? As I entered the classroom, I was greeted by the usual noise of my classmates. But the first person to approach me? Cas, of course. "Good morning, Ate Yurie!" he said cheerfully, sitting down beside me. I didn't know if I was just tired or if I couldn't pretend anymore, but I couldn't muster up the energy to respond enthusiastically. He noticed, and his eyes narrowed. "Is something wrong?" he asked. I looked at him, and for the first time, I tried to read him – to see if I could find any hint of deception or secrets. But Cas was still Cas – playful, mischievous, and seemingly transparent. _But was it really possible for him to be this way?_ "Nothing," I replied. He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue either. --- Throughout the day, I couldn't help but notice that Cas seemed different. At first glance, he was his usual self – but when I thought about what Amanda and Aiden said, I couldn't help but be more observant. So when class ended, I decided not to go home yet. Instead, I followed Cas. I didn't know why, but I wanted to know if there was any truth to what others said about him. I followed him out of school and saw him turn into a narrow alley near campus. This wasn't the way to the jeepney stop, so I immediately felt suspicious. I peeked around the corner and watched him enter an old building. What was he doing here? I swallowed hard. I knew I shouldn't be meddling in his life, but I couldn't help myself. I carefully approached the door and peeked inside. And what I saw almost stopped my heart. Cas was standing in front of a group of men. But this wasn't his usual playful self. These men were older, and they looked like they weren't students at our school. One of them, a man with a scar on his cheek, seemed to be the leader. "Where is it?" he asked Cas coldly. Cas, who was usually cheerful, looked serious and uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, but I need a little more time," he replied. "You said that before," the scarred man said. "You know we don't like waiting, right?" I felt a chill run down my spine. What was this? What had Cas gotten himself into? A little while later, the man pulled out a small envelope from his pocket. "I'll give you a week. If it's not done by then, you know what will happen." Cas took the envelope and nodded. "I understand." And after that, he walked away. I quickly hid behind the wall, trying to calm my racing heart. As he walked away, I quickly slipped out of the alley, trying to process everything I had just seen. Cas? Involved in something shady? I suddenly felt worried for him. But more than that, I felt a new question nagging at my mind. What had I gotten myself into? --- When I got home, I couldn't shake off what I had seen. So when the next day came, I couldn't take it anymore. I talked to Aiden. I found him in the library, as usual. He was sitting quietly, wearing earphones, but I knew he wasn't really listening. I approached him and sat down in front of him. He looked up at me, seemingly curious about why I had suddenly appeared. "Aiden," I began. He didn't speak, but his gaze told me he was waiting for me to continue. "Do you really know Cas?" He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of question is that?" "Be honest. Is he hiding something?" Instead of answering, I noticed his hand clenched into a fist on the table. I knew he knew something. "Don't push it, Yurie," he said coldly. "Why not?" "You don't need to know." I felt a surge of frustration, but I tried to calm down. "Aiden, I saw him yesterday." His jaw tightened when I said that. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice lower. "He met up with some men in an old building near campus," I replied. "They looked shady. And it seemed like he was in trouble." He was silent. But when he spoke, I knew his words carried weight. "You shouldn't have meddled in this." "Aiden, Cas is my friend. If he's in trouble, I couldn't just ignore it." He sighed. "If you want to know the truth, Yurie, don't ask him directly. He won't admit it to you
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