the truth(31)

The classroom buzzed with idle chatter as students shuffled to their seats, the hum of conversation blending into the faint scratching of pens against paper. But Michael wasn't paying attention to any of it.

His gaze remained fixed on Lisa.

Not in a casual, passing glance sort of way. No—Michael was analyzing her, scrutinizing her every move, every word, every shift in expression.

Is she truly evil?

That question haunted him, digging into his mind like a parasite that refused to let go.

Was it really her, or was it her parents?

Michael had never liked her parents. There was something off about them, something he couldn't put into words. The way they spoke, the way they looked at people—he had always felt uneasy around them.

And Lisa… she was strong-willed, stubborn, competitive, sometimes aggressive—but was she actually evil?

Or was she just being controlled, manipulated by people who were far worse?

Lisa caught his gaze.

Her sharp brown eyes locked onto his, her lips pressing together in suspicion.

Lisa:

"What?"

Michael blinked.

Michael:

"Oh, it's nothing, I just zoned out."

Lisa narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't push the issue. Instead, she simply turned back to her notebook, tapping her pen against the desk in rhythmic beats.

Michael exhaled slowly.

She didn't seem evil right now.

She just seemed… normal.

But that doesn't mean anything, Michael thought. Maybe she's hiding something. Maybe she doesn't even realize she's being controlled.

He kept watching.

The way she interacted with others. The way she spoke to teachers. The way she acted when she thought no one was looking.

Every word, every movement—Michael took it all in.

And yet, there was nothing that screamed evil.

Lisa laughed at something Marie said. She rolled her eyes when Ethan made another dumb joke. She focused hard on her notes, brows furrowed in deep concentration.

She was just like anyone else.

But was it an act?

Michael clenched his jaw, frustration building in his chest.

There were no answers. Only more questions.

Lunchtime.

Michael sat at the usual table with his friends, but he barely heard the conversation around him. His thoughts refused to let go of Lisa.

He glanced across the cafeteria.

Lisa was sitting with Marie, Emily, and a few others, casually eating her food like it was just another normal day.

But is it?

Michael tapped his fingers against the table, his stomach twisting into knots.

If she really was evil, wouldn't she act differently? Wouldn't there be signs?

Maybe she was just pretending to be normal.

Maybe she had been hiding her true nature this entire time.

But… what if she wasn't?

What if Lisa was just another person, unaware of what was happening behind the scenes?

What if her parents were the real problem, and she had no idea?

Michael felt a headache forming.

He needed answers.

But there was no way in hell he was going to her house.

Lisa's parents were terrifying.

Not in the loud, angry way—no, it was worse. They were the kind of people who could make you feel small with just a look. The kind of people who always had too much control over everything.

Michael had seen how Lisa acted around them.

The way she stood a little stiffer, the way she barely spoke in their presence, the way she always seemed… different.

That wasn't normal.

That wasn't how a person should act around their own family.

Michael bit the inside of his cheek.

Maybe she's just as trapped as I am.

Maybe Lisa wasn't the villain.

Maybe she was another victim.

But if that was true…

Then why did she act the way she did?

Why was she always so competitive? Why did she enjoy beating people? Why did she sometimes seem so ruthless?

It didn't make sense.

It was like there were two versions of Lisa—the normal one, and the one who seemed just a little too aggressive, too obsessed with winning, too desperate to prove something.

Michael exhaled, his mind spinning in circles.

What was the truth?

And more importantly…

Did he even want to know?

Back in the dungeon, Dakota stared into the fire, its flickering light casting shadows across the cavern walls. His friends sat around him, watching him with amusement.

Lucas:

"Wow, Dakota. You were really paranoid back then."

Ava smirked, shaking her head.

Ava:

"Seriously. It's like your instincts were screaming at you that Lisa and her parents were evil."

Dakota scoffed, leaning back against the stone wall.

Dakota:

"I guess so. But unfortunately, I did listen… and I didn't listen."

Liam frowned.

Liam:

"What do you mean?"

Dakota's expression darkened, his eyes unreadable.

Dakota:

"I wasn't entirely sure if she was evil. I doubted myself. I wanted to believe she wasn't.

His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.

Dakota:

*"I only found out when it was too late. Too late, goddamn it."

Lucas leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

Lucas:

"Too late? What do you mean by that?"

Dakota's jaw clenched.

He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to keep his emotions in check.

Dakota:

"You'll see soon enough, Lucas. Like I told you… you'll see in high school."

He paused, his gaze hardening.

Dakota:

"Goddamn high school."

The group fell silent.

They could feel the weight of his words, the bitterness in his voice.

Whatever had happened back then…

It was something none of them were ready for.

And yet, high school was coming.

The answers were coming.

And whether they liked it or not—

The truth would soon be revealed.

Michael sat in his room that night, staring at the ceiling.

The question still lingered.

Lisa.

Evil?

Or just another pawn?

He didn't know.

And it was killing him.

Because sooner or later, he would have to find out.

And when he did…

He wasn't sure he was ready for the answer.

And he was right, Michael wasn't ready for the answer, he wasn't ready for it at all. And he suffered because of it.