Dangerous partners and Unspoken Secrets

Elara stared at her reflection in the mirror the next morning, her heart pounding harder than it should for just a school day.

Today wasn't just about fitting in.

Today, she had to face Ryder West — her project partner.

And with that creepy message from last night still burned into her brain, the pressure felt unbearable.

Her hoodie lay on the bed.

She reached for it, pausing.

"Why do I feel like hiding makes me weaker?" she thought, running her fingers over the worn fabric.

A soft knock came at her door.

"El?" Savannah peeked in, still in pajama shorts, hair a mess of curls. "You good? You're pacing like a trapped animal."

Elara forced a smile. "Just… nervous."

Savannah walked in, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Nervous about school? Or nervous because Mom's being Mom?"

Elara bit her lip. "Both. And… something else."

Savannah raised a brow. "Talk to me, sis."

Elara hesitated, chewing her lip. "What if someone at school finds out who I am?"

Savannah studied her. "Did something happen?"

Elara shook her head too quickly. "No, I'm just being paranoid."

Savannah stood up, grabbing Elara's hand. "El… if anyone comes for you, you tell me. I'll handle it. You get me?"

Elara smiled, feeling some of the weight lift. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Now," Savannah said, smirking, "come downstairs before Mom loses her mind over your 'rebellious teenage' breakfast habits."

Elara laughed softly as they walked down together — but her heart was still racing.

---

Elara slipped into her desk just as the bell rang.

Leah waved from across the room, mouthing, "You good?"

Elara gave a quick nod.

But then Ryder slid into the seat beside her, dropping his bag with a thud, glancing at her with that unreadable smirk.

"Hey, Mystery Girl."

"Hey," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze.

"You ready to work on this thing?" Ryder asked, voice casual but his eyes sharp.

Elara nodded. "Yeah. Whenever."

"Cool," Ryder said, leaning back, watching her for a moment too long. "You always this quiet?"

Elara shrugged. "Guess so."

Ryder tilted his head, studying her. "You know… people who try that hard to stay invisible are usually hiding something."

Elara's pulse skipped. "Maybe I just like being left alone."

Ryder smirked, but there was something darker in his gaze now — like he wasn't sure if she was a puzzle worth solving or a waste of time.

"Alright," he said finally. "Let's meet at lunch. Library?"

"Sure."

As Ryder turned back to his notebook, Elara stared at her desk, heart pounding so loud she swore the whole room could hear it.

---

Nora and Jonah were already waiting when Elara arrived at their usual table.

"Hey, Ellie!" Nora waved. "Come sit! Jonah just showed me the coolest dragon drawing."

Jonah ducked his head, blushing. "It's not that good."

"It's amazing," Nora argued.

Elara smiled, sliding into her seat. "I wanna see!"

Jonah hesitated, then handed her the sketchbook.

Elara flipped through pages of beautiful, dark, intricate art — dragons, castles, fantasy worlds.

"Jonah, this is incredible," Elara whispered, genuinely awed.

Jonah gave her a small, shy smile. "Thanks. Not many people think so."

"They're wrong," Elara said firmly.

Leah plopped down beside them, grinning. "You guys ready for gym? I heard Coach Harris is making us run laps until we cry."

"Yay," Nora muttered sarcastically.

Elara giggled, but her eyes wandered across the cafeteria — and froze when she saw Savannah Chase watching her, whispering something to her minions, all of them laughing.

Leah followed her gaze. "Ignore her. She's all talk."

But Elara wasn't so sure.

---

Elara showed up at the library a few minutes early, her stomach in knots.

She found a table and set her books down, taking a deep breath.

"Look at you, early and everything," Ryder's voice came from behind, making her jump.

He dropped into the chair across from her, pulling out a notebook and pen, his dark eyes flicking to her face.

"So," Ryder said. "What do you wanna do? I'll work if you work."

Elara blinked. "Yeah. Let's… get it done."

They talked about the project — a history assignment on ancient civilizations — but Ryder kept watching her between sentences, as if trying to figure out what she was really about.

"You're good at this," he said finally, glancing at her notes.

Elara shrugged. "I read a lot."

"Yeah? Like what?" Ryder asked, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed but eyes sharp with curiosity.

Elara hesitated. "I don't know... just books that take me away from everything."

Ryder tilted his head, watching her carefully. "Away from what?"

Her throat went dry. From being Elara Blake. From all of it.

She forced a small shrug. "Life, I guess."

Ryder gave a soft laugh under his breath — not mocking, more like he actually understood. "Yeah. I get that."

She looked at him, surprised.

"What? Think you're the only one hiding from something?" he said, smirking but with an edge in his voice.

Elara blinked, thrown off. "You're hiding?"

Ryder leaned in a little, resting his elbows on the table. "Everyone's hiding something, Mystery Girl. Some of us just don't bother faking it."

There was something in his voice — like a weight he carried that he wasn't ready to explain.

"Anyway," he said, pulling back, clearing his throat, "I'll take the research part. You wanna write the report?"

Elara nodded quickly, glad to move away from personal stuff. "Sure."

"Cool," Ryder said, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow, Ellie."

The way he said her name made her chest tighten.

As he walked away, Elara couldn't help but wonder: What was Ryder West running from?

---

By the time Elara got home, she felt like her head was spinning — from Ryder's questions, from the project, from Savannah Chase's sharp eyes following her everywhere.

She dropped her bag by the door and flopped on the couch, letting her hoodie slide off her head.

Savannah (her sister) was already there, scrolling through her phone. "Hey," she greeted without looking up. "You look like death."

"Thanks," Elara muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"School that bad?" Savannah asked, finally glancing over.

"Just... tiring," Elara said.

Savannah studied her for a moment, her usual smirk softening. "Something's up. You wanna talk?"

Elara hesitated, torn between spilling everything and holding it in.

Before she could answer, their mom's voice cut through the room.

"Elara! Did you tell your agent you're rejecting Milan?"

Elara groaned, sinking deeper into the couch. "Mom, I said I'm not going."

"You can't keep running from your career," her mom snapped, stepping into the room with her ever-present phone in hand. "People are talking. They want you back on the runway."

"I don't care what they want!" Elara snapped, standing up now, her heart racing. "What about what I want?!"

Her mom's lips thinned. "You don't know what you want. You think hiding in high school will make it go away? You're Elara Blake, like it or not."

Savannah stood too, her jaw tight. "Mom. Back off."

Their mom turned on her. "Stay out of it, Savannah."

But Savannah held her ground. "No. You don't get to push her around like she's your puppet."

Elara blinked, grateful but also near tears.

Their mom glared at them both, then walked away, muttering under her breath.

When the door slammed, Savannah turned to Elara and pulled her into a hug.

"You don't have to be what she wants, El," Savannah whispered. "You can be who you are."

Elara clung to her sister like her life depended on it.

---

Elara sat on her bed that night, knees pulled to her chest, staring at the message from the unknown number on her phone.

> "Wait till Ryder knows who you really are."

Her chest felt tight. What if Ryder found out? Would he hate her for lying?

What if Nora and Jonah figured it out?

Her heart ached at the thought of losing the only real friends she had.

A soft knock came at her door.

"El?" It was her dad.

"Yeah?" she called back, wiping her eyes quickly.

Her dad stepped in, tie loosened,looking more exhausted than usual.

"Hey," he said gently, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I heard about Milan."

Elara nodded, not speaking.

"You know… when I said you should take a break, I meant it," he said quietly. "I just didn't think your mom would fight you so hard."

Her dad ran a hand through his hair, sighing like he carried the weight of the world.

"I know she's hard on you, Elara," he said softly. "But she thinks she's doing what's best."

Elara scoffed, looking away. "Best for who? Her? The money? The image? She doesn't care what I want."

Her dad's eyes softened, but there was sadness there too. "I know. And I'm sorry I haven't been around enough to protect you from that."

Elara blinked, surprised. "You never said that before."

He gave a half-smile, full of regret. "I should've said it sooner. I let her push you too far. But you're strong, Elara. You've always been stronger than you think."

Her throat tightened. "I don't feel strong."

He reached over, squeezing her hand. "You are. And if you want to stay at school, if you want to be normal… I'll fight for that."

Elara swallowed hard. "Really?"

He nodded firmly. "Really. I'll talk to your mom. Whatever happens, I'm on your side now."

It was the first time she felt like maybe — just maybe — she wasn't alone in this.

"Thanks, Dad," she whispered.

He leaned over, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep. You've got a life to live tomorrow, normal or not."

When he left, Elara stared at the door, feeling a tiny bit lighter.

---

Walking into school the next morning felt... different.

Like something was waiting to happen.

Nora and Jonah were already by her locker when she arrived, waving her over like always.

"Hey!" Nora beamed. "You good? You seemed kinda off yesterday."

"I'm okay," Elara said, smiling for real this time. "I think."

Jonah looked up from his sketchbook, watching her closely. "If you need anything, you know… we've got your back."

Elara felt warmth in her chest. "Thanks, Jonah. That means a lot."

"Of course," Nora said brightly. "Also — Jonah's planning on asking out Ashley."

Jonah choked on his drink. "Nora!"

Nora laughed. "What? She's cute, and you stare at her like she's the sun."

Elara giggled, covering her mouth, and Jonah blushed bright red. "I do not."

"Do too," Nora teased.

Elara grinned, feeling something like happiness for the first time in days.

But her good mood didn't last long.

Because as she turned toward class, Savannah Chase was waiting by the door, arms crossed, smirk in place.

"Well, if it isn't little Ellie," Savannah sneered. "Making friends? How sweet."

Elara's stomach twisted. "Leave me alone, Savannah."

Savannah's smirk only grew. "Aw, what's the matter? Afraid they'll find out who you really are?"

Elara froze.

Savannah leaned in closer, whispering just for her to hear, "You think no one knows, but people talk, Ellie. Or should I say… Elara Blake?"

Elara's heart nearly stopped.

Savannah gave her a sharp smile. "See you around."

As she walked away, Elara struggled to breathe.

How does she know?

Leah appeared at her side, frowning. "You okay? What'd she say?"

"Nothing," Elara lied quickly.

But Leah wasn't buying it.

---

In history class, Elara sat stiffly as Ryder took the seat beside her, dropping his bag with a loud thud.

"You good, Mystery Girl?" he asked, eyes glancing sideways at her.

She swallowed hard. "Yeah."

But Ryder wasn't convinced. "You don't look it."

Elara tried to focus on her notebook, but Ryder leaned in, lowering his voice.

"You know," he said slowly, "I don't care what people say about me, but you… You seem like you're carrying the world."

Elara's heart thudded. She looked at him, really looked, for the first time.

There was no smirk now. Just... realness.

"I'm fine," she whispered, but Ryder gave her a look that said you're not fooling me.

Mr. Davis called the class to attention, starting a lecture on ancient Egypt, but Elara felt Ryder's gaze on her like a weight.

---

Later that day, gym class was a disaster.

Coach Harris was making them run laps, and Elara was already exhausted.

"Let's go, let's move!" the coach barked.

Halfway through her second lap, Elara tripped over her own feet, crashing to the ground hard enough to scrape her knees.

"Ouch," she muttered, trying to sit up.

"Whoa, careful," a voice said, and to her surprise, Ryder was there, offering her a hand.

Elara hesitated, but took it, letting him pull her to her feet.

"You okay?" he asked, brow furrowed — not mocking, but actually concerned.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly, brushing herself off.

He gave her a small smirk, but softer this time. "You sure you don't wanna skip the 'trying to be invisible' thing and just hang with me? People usually don't trip as much."

Elara laughed under her breath. "No thanks. I'm good."

But Ryder grinned. "Suit yourself."

As he jogged off to catch up with the others, Elara felt her cheeks flush — and not from running.

---

After gym, Elara was grabbing her bag from her locker when a folded piece of paper slipped out from the vents.

Frowning, she picked it up.

Her hands trembled as she unfolded it and read:

> "You can't keep pretending, Elara Blake. Your secret's not safe. People are watching — even the ones you trust."

Her knees went weak. She gripped the locker to stay standing, her mind racing.

Who? Who's watching?

She looked around, but the hallway was crowded, and no one was paying her any mind — or were they?

Then her phone buzzed again — another blocked number.

> *

---

Her phone vibrated hard in her hand.

She swallowed and unlocked it, eyes scanning the message, her fingers trembling so much she almost dropped the phone.

> "You think Ryder won't find out? You think Nora and Jonah are your friends? You're living in a fantasy, Elara. Tick tock."

Elara's stomach twisted painfully.

Her hands were ice cold now. She wanted to scream, to throw the phone, to run — but she forced herself to stay still. She could feel her pulse in her ears, the sound deafening in the sea of noisy lockers and voices.

She glanced up, scanning the hallway.

Every face looked normal.

Laughing. Talking.

But suddenly, everyone looked suspicious.

Who's sending these?

Who knows?

"Ellie?"

Elara jumped at the sound of Leah's voice, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest.

Leah stared at her with narrowed eyes, instantly reading her panic. "El, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?"

Elara shook her head quickly, stuffing her phone deep in her bag. "Nothing. I'm just tired."

Leah frowned. "You've been acting weird since yesterday."

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, and I'm Beyoncé," Leah shot back, crossing her arms.

Elara forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow, even to her.

"Come on," Leah said gently, linking her arm through Elara's. "Let's go meet the others. Nora and Jonah are waiting."

Elara let Leah pull her down the hall, but her mind was spinning.

Someone was watching her. Someone knew. And they were threatening to destroy everything.

---

By the time they reached the cafeteria, Elara had plastered a smile on her face, but it felt heavy, like holding up a wall that was about to crash down.

"Ellie!" Nora called, waving from their usual table.

Jonah looked up too, his smile easy and warm.

For a moment, Elara's heart squeezed. They were her safe place. The only people who didn't expect anything from her. The only people who didn't know she was a lie.

"Hey, guys," she greeted, forcing cheer into her voice.

Jonah slid a tray toward her. "Got you an extra cookie. You looked like you could use it."

Elara's smile faltered, and for a second, she almost cried. But she swallowed it down.

"Thanks," she said softly.

As they ate, Elara listened to them talk about random things — Nora complaining about math class, Jonah explaining some fantasy story he was writing — but she couldn't focus.

Leah was watching her carefully. "You sure you're good, El?"

Elara nodded too fast. "Totally."

But the words from that message echoed in her head:

> Even the ones you trust.

Her stomach twisted again.

Could it be someone close? Someone in this group?

She pushed the thought away — but it clung like a shadow.

---

History class ended, and Elara was packing up when Ryder appeared at her side again, smirking.

"Ready to hit the library? Get this project done before I flunk?"

Elara blinked, caught off guard. "Yeah, sure."

As they walked down the hall together, Ryder glanced sideways at her.

"You're quiet today," he noted.

Elara forced a shrug. "Tired."

He didn't look convinced. "Tired, or hiding something?"

Elara stiffened. "What would I be hiding?"

Ryder smirked, but his eyes stayed sharp. "I don't know. That's what makes it interesting."

They reached the library and settled into a back table. Ryder pulled out his notes, flipping through them lazily.

"So," he said casually, "where'd you move from again?"

Elara's stomach dropped. "Out of state," she said quickly.

"Where?" Ryder pressed.

She hesitated. "Just... far away."

Ryder watched her closely. "You're bad at lying, Mystery Girl."

Elara's hands gripped her notebook tighter. "I'm not lying."

Ryder raised an eyebrow, but let it drop. "Okay. Sure."

But she could feel his eyes on her as they worked, and it was like he could see right through her.

---

That night, Elara was in her room, pacing like a caged animal.

Her phone sat on her bed, silent for now — but she knew that wouldn't last.

A knock sounded at her door.

"El?" Savannah's voice.

"Yeah?"

Savannah stepped inside, watching her carefully. "You've been acting weird. Talk to me."

Elara sank onto the edge of her bed, rubbing her hands over her face. "I think someone knows, Sav."

Savannah's brow furrowed. "Knows what?"

"Who I really am."

Savannah's eyes darkened. "Who?"

"I don't know," Elara whispered. "I've been getting these messages… they know I'm Elara Blake. They say they'll tell everyone."

Savannah sat beside her, pulling her into a hug. "You're not alone. We'll figure this out. You hear me? I won't let them hurt you."

Elara's throat burned, but she nodded.

"I'll look into it. Find out who's behind this," Savannah promised fiercely.

Elara leaned against her, trying to hold herself together.

But in her heart, she knew… her time was running out.

---

Later that night, as Elara tried to fall asleep, her phone buzzed again.

She picked it up with shaking hands.

> "Nice chat with Ryder today. Looks like you two are getting close. Wonder what he'll think when he knows the truth?"

Attached was a picture.

A picture someone had taken — of her and Ryder sitting together in the library, heads close as they worked on the project.

Elara's heart stopped.

Someone was following her.

Watching her every move.

And they were just getting started..