Three steps ahead
1478 Words
Lily's pov
The next morning, Lily woke up with one thought refusing to leave her mind.
Wayne.
She stared at the ceiling for several seconds before finally sitting up.
She hated that his name had started appearing in her thoughts so often.
She hated even more that she still didn't understand why.
The warnings.
The wolf tattoo.
The way students went silent whenever Wayne walked past.
And then there was the way he had looked at her during their project.
Like he already knew she was trying to figure him out.
Lily sighed and got out of bed.
Whatever Wayne was hiding, she would find out.
But she wasn't going to make the mistake of rushing into it.
Not yet.
She needed to test the water first.
Downstairs, the house was already alive.
Her mother was moving around the kitchen while her father sat at the dining table with his coffee and a newspaper.
Emma was scrolling through her phone.
And Noah was sitting on the floor beside the coffee table with wires, a small circuit board, and several tiny tools spread around him.
Lily stopped.
“What are you doing?”
Noah didn't look up.
“Creating something.”
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“Exactly.”
Emma laughed.
Their mother turned around.
“Don't disturb him. He's been working on that thing since breakfast.”
Lily walked closer.
“What thing?”
Noah finally looked up with a proud smile.
“A little security system.”
Lily raised an eyebrow.
“For what?”
“Our house.”
Their father lowered his newspaper slightly.
“Don't make it sound like we're expecting an invasion.”
Noah shrugged.
“You never know.”
Lily laughed.
“You've been watching too many spy movies.”
“No,” Noah replied confidently. “I've been learning.”
Emma shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
Noah returned his attention to his little project.
Lily smiled.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Just family.
No secrets.
No mysterious boys.
No strange warnings.
She wished she could keep it that way.
Her father suddenly looked at her.
“You're quiet.”
Lily's smile faded slightly.
“I'm fine.”
“You've been saying that a lot lately.”
Emma glanced at her.
Lily immediately reached for a piece of toast.
“I'm just tired.”
Her father studied her for another moment.
Then he nodded.
“Alright.”
But Lily noticed something in his eyes.
He didn't completely believe her.
She looked away.
Her father was observant.
Far more than she sometimes realized.
Later that morning, Lily found herself thinking about Noah's little project.
He was good with technology.
Really good.
Maybe someday that could be useful.
But not now.
She wasn't ready to involve anyone else.
Especially her family.
If Wayne really was as dangerous as everyone seemed to believe, Lily didn't want her curiosity putting them in the middle of it.
She would handle it herself.
For now.
At school, Lily found Mia, Nia, and Chloe near the classroom.
“You look distracted,” Mia said.
“I'm not.”
“You definitely are,” Nia added.
Chloe smiled.
“Let me guess. School?”
Lily laughed nervously.
“Obviously.”
She didn't tell them the truth.
She didn't tell them she had been thinking about Wayne all morning.
Then she saw him.
Wayne was standing across the hallway with Kane and Darren.
The usual reaction happened almost immediately.
Students moved aside.
Conversations became quieter.
Nobody wanted to get too close.
Lily watched.
Wayne didn't seem bothered.
He simply walked through the hallway like the silence belonged to him.
Lily narrowed her eyes.
Why are they afraid of him?
She had to know.
Their class project continued after lunch.
Lily sat across from Wayne with their materials between them.
For several minutes, neither said much.
She finally broke the silence.
“Can I ask you something?”
Wayne didn't look up.
“You're going to anyway.”
Lily blinked.
“Okay.”
She leaned back.
“Why does everyone act strange around you?”
Wayne continued working.
“Do they?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you're imagining it.”
“I don't think I am.”
He finally looked at her.
His expression was unreadable.
“Then maybe you should ask them.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“They didn't answer.”
Wayne looked back at the project.
“Then you already have your answer.”
Lily frowned.
“That doesn't make any sense.”
“Neither does the question.”
She stared at him.
“You always answer questions with another question?”
“Only when the first question isn't my business.”
Lily almost laughed.
Almost.
Instead, she tried again.
“Fine. Why do people get quiet whenever you walk past?”
Wayne's hand stopped.
For a second, he said nothing.
Then he slowly looked at her.
“You seem to be paying a lot of attention to me.”
Lily's heart skipped.
“I was just asking.”
“Were you?”
“Yes.”
Wayne held her gaze for another second.
Then he returned to the project.
“Then stop asking.”
Lily stared at him.
That answer only made her more curious.
There was something behind his silence.
Something much bigger.
She could feel it.
And she was going to find it.
After school, Lily saw Wayne leave.
She hesitated.
Then she followed.
Not too close.
Not too far.
She kept her distance as he walked down the street.
At first, everything seemed easy.
Wayne didn't look back.
Lily smiled to herself.
Maybe I'm actually good at this.
Wayne turned at the next corner.
Lily followed.
Then he stopped.
Her smile disappeared.
Wayne stood still for a moment.
He didn't turn around.
Instead, he changed direction.
Lily frowned.
She followed.
Another turn.
Then another.
Something felt wrong.
She quickened her steps.
But Wayne had disappeared.
Lily looked around.
Nothing.
“Where did he go?”
She walked farther.
Still nothing.
She had lost him.
Completely.
Several streets away, Wayne stepped into a quiet alley.
Darren was already there.
He glanced behind Wayne.
“The new girl followed you.”
Wayne smiled.
“I know.”
Darren raised an eyebrow.
“You knew?”
“Since the first street.”
Darren laughed.
“And you didn't say anything?”
“Why would I?”
“She was following you.”
“I noticed.”
Darren shook his head.
“You're unbelievable.”
Wayne leaned against the wall.
“She thinks she's investigating me.”
“And she's not?”
Wayne smiled.
“She doesn't even know where she is.”
Darren laughed again.
“You really think she can't figure it out?”
Wayne looked toward the street.
“No.”
His expression changed slightly.
“But if she's going to follow me…”
He pushed away from the wall.
“…she should at least learn how.”
Darren shook his head.
“You're enjoying this.”
Wayne didn't answer.
But the small smile on his face said enough.
That evening, Lily sat on her bed staring at her phone.
She had failed.
She had followed Wayne.
And somehow, she had still ended up exactly where she started.
Now she was even more curious.
She opened her notes and typed:
Wayne.
Underneath it, she added:
Why is everyone afraid of him?
Then:
Who are the Black Wolves?
She paused.
Her finger hovered over the screen.
Then she typed one final question.
What is Wayne hiding?
She stared at the words.
She knew she was getting involved in something she didn't understand.
But she couldn't stop now.
Across town, Sasha sat beside Kane.
She had been quiet for several minutes.
Kane noticed.
“What?”
Sasha looked at him.
“Where does Wayne keep disappearing to?”
Kane didn't answer.
Sasha frowned.
“I asked you a question.”
“And I heard you.”
“So?”
“So nothing.”
She crossed her arms.
“You know something.”
Kane sighed.
“Sasha.”
“What?”
“Not everything concerns you.”
The words hit harder than he intended.
Sasha's expression changed.
“So there is something.”
Kane looked away.
“You're reading too much into it.”
Sasha watched him carefully.
She didn't believe him.
Not anymore.
And for the first time, she wondered if there were things happening around Wayne that even Kane wasn't willing to tell her.
She wasn't going to let it go.
That night, Lily closed her notebook.
She still didn't know Wayne's secret.
She didn't know where he lived.
She didn't know who the Black Wolves really were.
But she had learned one thing.
Wayne wasn't careless.
And if she wanted answers…
she would have to become smarter than him.
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