The soft clacking of my laptop's keyboard filled the room, a steady rhythm of focus and determination. Suddenly, my alarm blared, jolting me out of my zone. I checked the time and let out a sigh. "Guess it's time to face the real world—time for college."
Closing my laptop, I grabbed my bag and headed out. By the time I reached the college gate, the usual crowd of classmates chatting and laughing as they made their way home.
As I made my way to the lab, I spotted her—Rena. She was seated at our usual spot, engrossed in compiling documents, her brows furrowed in concentration.
"Rena," I called out casually.
She startled, her pen slipping slightly. "Ashan? What are you doing here?"
I smirked. "CR duties, of course. Didn't I say we'd handle it today?"
"That's not the point!" she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "Where were you this morning? You missed all the classes! What happened?"
"Oh, that," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "I was… busy."
"With what?" she pressed.
I hesitated. "Well, I've started learning something new these days. Got a bit carried away with it."
Her curiosity sparked. "And what exactly are you learning?"
"Something," I replied with a sly grin.
She folded her arms, clearly unimpressed. "So, you don't intend to tell me?"
"It's not like that," I said, shrugging. "It's just... grown-up stuff."
Her brow arched. "Grown-up stuff? Oh, please. The only thing remotely 'grown-up' about you is your height."
"Harsh," I muttered, pretending to be offended. "But fine, I'll give you a hint... It involves image format and something called Metadata."
Her puzzled expression was priceless. "Metadata?"
"Exactly," I said, chuckling. "Don't worry about it. Let's just wrap up this work quickly and head home together."
She sighed, shaking her head. "Fine..."
We got to work, the usual rhythm of typing and organizing filling the air. Occasionally, I'd glance at her, noticing the way she chewed the end of her pen when deep in thought.
After what felt like an eternity—but was probably just an hour—we finished.
"Finally," I said, stretching. "Let's call it a day."
As we walked home, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the streets.
"So, Rena," I began, "you're coming to college tomorrow, right?"
"Of course," she replied, eyeing me suspiciously. "Why are you asking?"
"Just curious," I said, feigning nonchalance. "But yeah, be sure to come. I have something to show you."
Her eyes narrowed again. "What is it?"
"Secret," I teased, grinning.
She rolled her eyes. "You're annoying, you know that?"
"I take that as a compliment," I said with a mock bow.
We reached her stop, and she turned to me. "Fine, keep your secrets. But this better not be a lie."
"Trust me," I said with a wink. "You won't be disappointed or maybe you will."
She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips, before waving goodbye and heading inside. As I continued my walk home, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement.
My head full of thoughts.
So, I'm done with most of the groundwork. I adjusted my bag, my pace slowing as I mulled over the task ahead. I've already pulled the data from the photos' metadata, pieced together the CCTV footage, and compiled enough evidence to pinpoint who's behind all this.
The person responsible isn't the problem anymore. That part's straightforward. What really matters now is making sure this doesn't spiral any further. I have to protect her—make sure this rumor is buried for good and can't hurt her in the future.
Once I get home, I need to start organizing everything into a coherent narrative. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that evidence means nothing if it's scattered. It has to hit hard, leave no room for doubt.
By the time I reached home, the sky had deepened into shades of orange and purple. I slipped off my shoes and headed straight to my room, tossing my bag onto the chair.
"Alright," I muttered to myself, opening my laptop and pulling out a small stack of papers from my bag. "Let's get to work."
The screen lit up, and I began sorting through the evidence. The CCTV footage was grainy but clear enough to establish the timeline. The metadata from the photos painted a damning picture of fabrication. Piece by piece, I started arranging everything into a cohesive presentation, each element reinforcing the next.
As the hours ticked by, my focus didn't waver. This wasn't just about disproving a rumor—it was about ensuring it couldn't take root again. By the time I glanced at the clock, it was well past midnight.
I leaned back, cracking my knuckles. Almost there.
The faint hum of my phone vibrating broke the silence. I picked it up to see a text from Rena.
Rena: "Hey, thanks for today. Don't forget, you promised to show me something tomorrow. Don't be absent again!"
I chuckled softly, typing back:
Me: "Wouldn't dream of it. Get some sleep. You'll need it."
Sliding my phone aside, I exhaled deeply. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Let's see if all this effort pays off.
The next day came and the morning passed, and I finally ran into Jee near the class entrance.
"Good morning," she said, flashing a knowing smile.
"Morning," I replied, keeping my tone casual.
"So," she began, lowering her voice, "are we ready to set things in motion?"
"Yup," I said, glancing at the door. "But before that, I need to gather our friend circle. I'll need their help later, and I want to warn them beforehand to stay out of it when things kick off."
"Including Rena?" Jee raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously," I said with a smirk. "Though she's going to be the most surprised. She has no idea what's coming."
Jee chuckled. "This is going to be interesting."
The others started trickling into the classroom, and soon the whole group was gathered.
"All right, everyone. Listen up," I said. "I'm sure you've all heard the rumors floating around recently."
The group nodded, exchanging uneasy glances. Rena folded her arms, her expression sharp.
"What about them?" she asked, her tone clipped.
"Jee and I have been working on figuring out who's behind it," I said, keeping my voice calm. "And we've got a plan to deal with it."
"What kind of plan?" Rena asked, her eyes narrowing.
"The kind that works," Jee said, cutting in before I could respond. "Ashan and I have already prepared everything."
Rena blinked, clearly taken aback. "Wait—you two were planning this the whole time? Without telling me?"
I shrugged. "It wasn't about keeping you in the dark. It's just that I didn't want too many people involved. The more people know, the riskier it gets."
"Risky?" Rena repeated, her voice rising slightly. "What exactly are you planning?"
"The person behind the rumors is in our class," I said, letting the words hang in the air for a moment.
The group went silent, Rena included.
"I've got the evidence," I continued. "Metadata, CCTV footage, and everything else we need to prove it. But here's the important part: when I confront this person, none of you are to interfere, no matter what happens."
The group exchanged uneasy glances. Rena, however, stepped forward.
"Wait, hold on," she said. "You're saying you already know who it is? And you're just now telling us?"
"Yes," I said simply.
"And why am I only hearing about this now?"
I met her gaze evenly. "Because I didn't want to burden you with it. Look, I know how much this has affected you, but trust me, this is the best way to handle it. I need you to trust me."
Her expression softened slightly, but she still looked unconvinced. "And what happens if this doesn't go as planned?"
"It will," I said firmly. "I've thought this through."
No one voiced any objections. Jee gave me a reassuring nod, and I knew she was on board.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class.
"After class," I said to Jee. "That's when it happens."
She nodded. "Got it."
As we all took our seats, I noticed Rena stealing glances at me, her expression a mix of confusion and worry. She wasn't used to being left out of the loop, and I knew it bothered her. But this was something I had to handle with my own methods, because if she knew the plan, she will definitely try to stop me.