Aria's POV

The library is supposed to be a place where I can hide, where I can think without the weight of everything pressing down on me. But today, it feels like the walls are closing in. My fingers twist the moon ring on my finger, the weight of Jack's gaze making it impossible to focus. The ring hums faintly against my skin, its warmth seeping into me, calming me in a way I don't understand. But not even that can block out the pressure building inside me.

Ms. Daniels dismissed us to work on our project again, and I bolted here, hoping for some distance. I needed space—from the questions, the growing tension, and from him. Especially from him.

But Jack's gaze feels like it's following me, and I know his curiosity won't go away. The silence between us stretches as I pretend to browse the shelves. My thoughts spiral uncontrollably, everything from Eli's warning about keeping secrets to Jack's relentless questions weighing on me.

Eli's voice echoes in my head: "You can't keep this from him forever."

He's right. Jack's getting too close. But telling him the truth would make everything fall apart. I can't let that happen.

I flip through a book, pretending to read, but the words blur together. The rustle of pages and the soft murmur of students around me barely register. Everything feels tight, like it's pushing down on me, suffocating me.

And then, without thinking, my control slips. The energy inside me flares up, and before I can stop it, one of the books from the shelf flies off and lands with a soft thud in front of me. My breath catches, panic rising in my chest. Did anyone see that?

I turn quickly, my heart racing, and freeze. Jack is standing there, eyes narrowed, watching me closely.

His presence only makes the tension worse. He's pushing again, prying. I can feel it. I quickly slide the book back onto the shelf, pretending nothing happened, but I can't shake the feeling that he noticed. He's too observant. Too close.

The weight of Eli's warning hangs over me. I can't let Jack find out, not about my powers, not about anything. But every time he asks, every time he looks at me like he's trying to figure me out, I feel the walls I've put up starting to crack.

I twist the moon ring again, the warmth grounding me, giving me something to hold on to. I need to get out of here before he asks any more questions. But even as I turn to leave, I can feel his eyes still on me. He's not going to stop. He's not going to drop this.

✧༺♥༻∞

Jack's POV

I didn't mean to follow her. But something about the way she bolted from class—something about how she's been acting lately—has me on edge. I can't stop thinking about it. About her.

Brent's walking next to me, giving me that look like he thinks I'm being ridiculous. Maybe I am. But I can't let this go.

"She's just tired, man," Brent says, shaking his head. "You're reading too much into this."

I don't respond right away, keeping my eyes fixed on Aria. She's flipping through a book, pretending to read, but I know she's not really focused. I've been watching her long enough now to notice when something's off.

"There's more going on," I mutter. I don't look at Brent, but I know he's rolling his eyes.

"You sure this isn't about your feelings for her?" he asks, more serious this time.

I open my mouth to deny it, but the words catch in my throat. Is this just about the project? Or is it more? Ever since Eli slipped up and told me about Aria's secret crush, I can't stop thinking about it. About her. The girl who's seen everything about me, and I didn't even notice her.

But it's more than that. She's hiding something—something big. And it's driving me crazy trying to figure it out.

"She's hiding something, Brent," I say quietly. "I can feel it."

Brent sighs, his voice softer now. "Look, if you like her, just say so. But if this is about trying to solve some mystery... maybe you're making it more complicated than it is. Maybe she's just a regular girl like the rest of us."

I shake my head, but his words linger. Is that it? Am I just obsessed with her secrets, or is it something else? Something more?

I didn't want to admit it, but Aria's gotten under my skin in ways no one else has. She's been watching me for years, seeing things I didn't even realize about myself. The truth stung when I read her answers—how she saw right through me, noticed all my flaws, my bad habits. And yet, she kept her distance, like she already knew I wasn't worth getting close to.

The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

But this isn't just about the project anymore. It's her. It's everything she's hiding.

My eyes narrow as I watch her. She's acting strange—tense—and there's something about that ring on her finger. She keeps twisting it, like it's a lifeline. Then, something happens. A book on the shelf moves, like it's been pushed, but there's no one near it.

"Did you see that?" I ask Brent, my voice low.

"See what?" he says, frowning.

I watch Aria as she quickly fixes the book, her hands shaking slightly. What the hell is going on? My gut tells me there's more to this, more to her, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important.

Brent's still watching me, waiting for me to let it go. "You've been spending a lot of time trying to figure her out. Maybe this shows you have feelings for her."

I clench my jaw, brushing his words aside. "It's not about that," I say, though even I'm not sure if it's true anymore. I try to push those thoughts down. It's about getting answers.

But deep down, I know that's not the whole story. Aria's more than just a mystery to solve. She's getting under my skin, and I don't know how to deal with that.

"Whatever you say, man," Brent sighs. "But if you ask me, she's just like the rest of us. You're overthinking it."

Maybe he's right. Maybe I am overthinking this. But I can't help it. She knows me better than anyone, and that makes me want to know her. To figure her out. And if I can get to the truth, maybe I'll understand why she's been hiding all this time.

✧༺♥༻∞

I didn't plan to follow her, but here I am.

After everything that's happened in the past few days, the questions, the secrets—Aria is under my skin. I can't stop thinking about her. And I don't know why it's bothering me so damn much. Part of me wants to push—find the answers, figure out why she's been hiding so much. But then there's this other part, the part I don't want to admit, that's starting to care. Starting to worry about what'll happen if I dig too deep.

"Where are we even supposed to start?" Brent mutters beside me as we enter the bookstore, Waves & Whispers. He looks around at the towering bookshelves and shrugs. "This feels like a waste of time, man."

I know what he's thinking. We don't have a clue where to look. But I'm not letting this go. "We'll figure it out."

"You're really going to chase this, aren't you?" Brent asks, shaking his head. "I don't get it, man. You've never been like this with any other girl."

He's right, but I can't tell him that. I've never chased after anyone like this—never wanted to. But now, every time I think I've figured Aria out, there's another layer. And it's driving me crazy. I can't let it go. Not now.

I glance at the shelves, knowing we're not going to find anything here. There's nothing in these books that's going to give me answers. I need to know what she's hiding. I need to know why.

The woman behind the counter—same one from before—greets us with a small smile. She doesn't ask what we're looking for, but I can tell she's watching us. And I get the feeling she knows exactly why we're here.

"Excuse me," I say, stepping up to her. "I'm looking for something... about a classmate."

She tilts her head, her eyes gleaming with something I can't quite place. "A classmate, huh? Is she your girlfriend?"

I feel heat rise to my cheeks, and Brent chuckles beside me. I glare at him before turning back to the woman. "No. She's not. I just... need to know more."

The woman's smile widens just slightly, like she knows more than she's letting on. "Ah, I see. Well, maybe I know a thing or two about her."

I narrow my eyes, waiting for her to continue, but she doesn't say anything at first. Instead, she leans forward, her voice dropping. "If you're looking for answers, you might want to start at Eclipse Bay."

Brent and I exchange a look.

"Eclipse Bay?" Brent snorts. "No one goes there. It's deserted."

The woman's eyes gleam with something darker now. "It's not as deserted as you think. Eclipse Bay holds secrets, boy. Secrets that are better left untouched."

Something twists in my chest. There's something here. Something she's not saying outright, but it's enough to make my curiosity burn hotter. I look at Brent, nodding. "We're going."

Brent groans, rolling his eyes. "The things I do for you, man."

We leave the bookstore, heading straight for Eclipse Bay. The wind picks up as we near the water, cold and sharp, and the only sound is the quiet crash of waves against the rocks. The place feels abandoned, like the world forgot it existed. But something about it feels alive—like there are secrets buried just beneath the surface.

As we pull up, I spot something that makes my chest tighten. Eli.

He's on a boat near the shore, and he looks... suspicious. My stomach twists.

"Why is he here?" I mutter, watching Eli carefully. "What does he know that I don't?"

Brent looks over at Eli, then back at me. "You think he knows about Aria too?"

I clench my jaw, frustration boiling over. The idea that Eli knows something about Aria—something he's kept from me—pisses me off more than I want to admit. I thought we were friends. But now, seeing him here, I'm starting to question that.

"I don't know," I mutter, my voice tight. "But I'm about to find out."

We're trailing Eli at a distance, sticking to the shadows as much as we can. He's heading toward Eclipse Bay, and Brent's beside me, grumbling under his breath.

"This place is beautiful, but... I don't know, man. It's got a weird vibe." Brent's eyes scan the deserted beach. The wind picks up, sharp and biting, carrying the faint scent of saltwater. Everything feels too quiet, too still.

I nod, my eyes locked on Eli. I'm not letting him out of my sight. Not when we're this close. There's something he's hiding. Something that has to do with Aria.

We climb over a set of rocks, the sharp edges digging into my palms. My breath comes out in short bursts, but I keep going, the frustration in my chest building with every step.

"Damn, this is a workout," Brent huffs beside me. "Is this what Eli does every day?"

"Probably," I mutter. "No wonder he's been killing it at practice."

Brent snorts, shaking his head as we stop for a second, both of us catching our breath. Eli's still moving, fast and sure, like he knows this place better than we do. I don't like it. Something's off.

But then... he's gone.

"Wait... where the hell did he go?" Brent asks, panic creeping into his voice.

I scan the rocks ahead of us, my stomach dropping. "That's impossible. He was just there."

Brent looks around, his eyes wide. "Did we lose him? How the hell did he just disappear?"

My pulse races, frustration boiling over. There's no way Eli just vanished into thin air. There has to be something we're missing. Maybe there's another path, or maybe... I glance up at the jagged rocks ahead.

"Look," I nod toward the cliffs. "There's more to climb."

Brent groans. "You've gotta be kidding me. There's no way we're climbing all that. We've already lost him."

I grit my teeth, the weight of disappointment settling in my gut. Brent's right. There's too much to climb, and we're not prepared. But dammit, I was so close. We were right on his tail, and now... nothing.

"Fine," I mutter, turning away from the cliffs. "Let's head back."

As we make our way down, the disappointment twists in my chest, bitter and heavy. I missed my chance. But I won't miss the next one. Whatever Eli's hiding, I'm going to find out.

✧༺♥༻∞

Aria's POV

The moon pool glistens softly in the dim light, the water cool against my skin as I hover just beneath the surface. I focus on the stillness, letting the familiar weight of my powers flow through me. It's easier here, in the quiet, away from the chaos of the mainland and the pressures of keeping everything hidden. In the moon pool, it's just me and my powers.

I start with hydrothermokinesis, feeling the warmth build in my chest as I raise my hand. Slowly, I curl my fingers into a fist, watching as steam rises from the water around me. It bubbles and heats, the soft hiss of steam calming my mind. I let it boil for a moment, watching the surface roil before I release it, letting the water settle again.

Next, I shift to hydrocryokinesis, the warmth in my chest giving way to a cool, sharp sensation. I splay my hand flat, forming the familiar stiff motion that halts the molecules around me. The water begins to freeze, a thin sheet of ice crawling along the edges of the pool, its crackle sharp in the silence.

I breathe deeply, trying to steady myself. Everything feels like it's closing in on me lately—Jack's questions, Eli's warnings, the secret I'm struggling to keep hidden. I don't know how much longer I can hold it all together.

"Improving, I see," Eli's voice breaks through my thoughts, and I stop, the ice melting instantly as my concentration falters.

I look up to see him sitting on the rocks, watching me with that usual mix of curiosity and concern. "What are you doing here?" I ask, trying to hide the slight tremor in my voice.

He shrugs, slipping off his shoes. "Just checking in. Looks like you're getting better with your powers."

I shake my head, turning my attention back to the water. "I have to."

Eli jumps down from the rocks and sits by the edge of the pool, close enough to the water but keeping his distance from me. "You should tell him."

I tense up, my fingers slipping into the familiar motion of hydrokinesis, pulling water into swirling shapes in front of me. The liquid coils like a serpent, reflecting the light as I twist it with a flick of my wrist. "I'm not telling him, Eli."

"Aria," Eli sighs, rubbing his face in frustration. "The longer you wait, the worse it's going to get. Jack's not an idiot—he's onto you, and you know it. What's your plan? Keep him in the dark until he figures it out on his own?"

I bite my lip, feeling my control slipping. The water splashes back into the pool, and I sigh, leaning back. "I'm not ready."

"Not ready for what? For him to know the real you?" Eli's tone is sharper now. "Or for him to know that you've been hiding this from him the whole time?"

I don't answer. Instead, I slip under the water again, the silence of the moon pool wrapping around me like a shield. I feel safer here, in the water, away from the endless questions and pressure. Here, I don't have to think about Jack or Eli or the secrets I'm keeping.

When I resurface, Eli's still watching me, his face more relaxed now, like he knows I'm not going to budge on this. "Fine," he says, with a hint of resignation. "But you're running out of time, Aria."

I roll my eyes, splashing water at him, trying to break the tension. "Are you actually going to swim this time?"

Eli smirks, pulling a pair of goggles from his bag. "Yeah, yeah. I'm tired of climbing into this place like some sort of wannabe adventurer. Might as well use the underwater entrance like a normal person."

I laugh, the tension easing slightly as I watch him fumble with the goggles. "You better keep up," I tease, splashing him again before diving under the water.

We swim through the underwater entrance, Eli trailing behind me as I weave through the familiar path back to the surface. My tail moves effortlessly, guiding me through the current, while Eli huffs behind me, struggling to keep pace.

When we finally surface, I flip my hair back, the sound of the ocean surrounding us. The cool air hits me, but something catches my eye—a boat in the distance. My heart skips a beat as I recognize the figures on it. Jack. Brent.

"Eli..." I whisper, my voice tense. "Were you aware they were following you?"

Eli spins around, squinting as he spots them too. His face pales, and a string of curses leaves his mouth. "Shit."

"They didn't see us, right?" I murmur, my voice barely a whisper.

"No, I don't think so," Eli replies, but his tone isn't confident. He glances back at me, his face now serious. "You know he's not going to stop, right? Jack's getting closer."

I bite my lip, my chest tightening. "I know."

We watch the boat until it disappears, then slowly swim back toward Eli's boat. He climbs aboard, pulling his clothes back on while I float in the water, arms resting against the edge of the boat, trying to push down the rising panic. Jack is too close. Too close to the truth.

"He's not going to stop until he finds out," Eli says softly, his tone less playful now. "You're running out of time, Aria."

I don't say anything. Instead, I pull myself out of the water, my mind racing as I dive back into the ocean, speeding toward the mainland, hoping to outrun the fear that's been growing inside me.

✧༺♥༻∞

Jack's POV

Brent and I step into Waves & Whispers bookstore again, the faint scent of old books and incense wrapping around us. The place feels smaller today, more cramped, like the walls are closing in the deeper we go. The woman behind the counter glances up, her eyes sharp and knowing.

"Back again?" she asks, her voice soft but loaded with something I can't quite read.

Brent shrugs beside me. "Eclipse Bay's deserted," he mutters under his breath. "What're we supposed to find there?"

I ignore Brent's comment, keeping my eyes on the shelves, pretending like we're just browsing, though my mind is racing. I came back here for a reason—something about this place is tied to Aria. I can feel it. I just need to find out how.

The woman watches us for a second, then goes back to her work, but there's something in her eyes that lingers—like she knows exactly what we're after.

"Why don't you check the second floor?" she says suddenly, her voice drifting up from the counter. "Might be what you're looking for up there."

I glance at Brent, raising an eyebrow. "You hear that?" I mutter. "Not very helpful."

Brent huffs, but we both move toward the staircase anyway. The creaking wood beneath our feet echoes through the quiet store, the second floor even dustier than the first, with the air thick and musty. The shelves here are older, less organized, but something about this place feels different—like it's hiding something. Just like Aria.

"Where the hell do we start?" Brent mumbles, flipping through an old book at random. "We don't even know what we're looking for."

I don't answer. I'm too focused, scanning the room, my eyes darting over titles and random papers scattered across tables. Then I see it.

A small stack of loose papers, yellowed with age, tucked behind a pile of old books. Brent reaches for them first, picking one up and reading the heading aloud.

"Moon rings?" he says, frowning. "What the hell is a moon ring?"

I freeze. My heart kicks up in my chest as Brent flips through the pages, stopping at a photo. And there it is—a ring, sleek and silver, with a soft blue stone embedded in the center. I've seen that ring before. I know that ring.

My stomach tightens as I remember the way Aria's fingers twist the ring on her hand. The same ring. The exact same one.

"You've gotta be kidding me," I murmur, reaching for the paper. The more I look at the image, the more certain I am. This is it. This is the connection. Aria's been wearing this the whole time, and I didn't even think twice about it.

Brent glances at me, brow furrowed. "Is that... Aria's ring?"

"Yeah," I say, my voice tight. "It's the same one. The same damn ring."

Brent raises an eyebrow, his skepticism still there, but softer now. "So... a moon ring? What the hell does that mean?"

I don't have an answer, but my curiosity sharpens into something deeper, something that's almost painful. Every instinct I have is telling me this ring is tied to everything—Aria's secrets, her weird behavior, her sudden outburst at the library.

This ring is the key to understanding her. And I'm not letting this go.

"Looks like you were right," Brent says, half-grinning. "Aria's got something going on, huh? What're you gonna do now?"

I clench my jaw, the paper crumpling slightly in my hand. "I'm gonna figure this out, Brent. She knows too much about me, and now I need to know what's going on with her."

Brent lets out a long sigh. "Alright, man. You've got my back. I'm in. But seriously, don't lose your head over this."

I glance back at the paper, the image of the moon ring burned into my mind. "I'm not losing my head. I'm just... I'm getting answers."

But deep down, I know that's not the whole truth. It's more than answers now. It's her. Aria's pulling me in deeper with every question I ask, every secret she keeps hidden, and I can't stop myself from chasing after her. The closer I get, the more tangled I become.

But I'm not going to stop. Not until I understand everything.

The tension between us, the secrets, the ring... they all point to something bigger. And I'm done waiting.

I'll get to the bottom of it. Whatever it takes.

✧༺♥༻∞

A/N: Uh-oh, looks like Jack is getting closer and closer.