CODE Z: The Unseen (Cryptic Series #1)

44 | By Your Side

Dritan's POV

It is already seven in the evening and Tsilla is still not here. I am so fucking worried that I even skipped lunch nor drink a water. Her phone is off, making me much more frustrated than I already was.

I have been sitting where the door is very visible and so I would instantly know it when someone comes in our out. Lorcan and Caiden did not even bother speaking with me as I know I looked like someone who would snapped in a second.

Minutes passed and I am getting grumpier every seconds. My look would really scare anyone who saw me right now.

Just as I was about to snapped the door suddenly opened and finally, someone I have been waiting for is here now!

My delighted feelings was instantly replaced when I saw her expressions. Her face was not showing any emotions but one can easily know that she was down by her aura. It is like the world was crushing her down and I don't like that.

I right away walked towards her direction while she is also walking towards my direction. I thought she would stopped but she did not. She walked like I am not there, no, it is more like, she blocked out her surroundings.

Before she fully passed me, I grabbed her wrist that made her stop and looked at me like I magically appear in front of her.

"You okay?" I asked her concerned.

"Hm" is what she answered me and that made me worry more as she usually reply with longer words.

And judging by her state, I am hesitant to ask her about this but I still need to know. So I asked in a calm manner, "What about Danielle?"

She stayed silent but I still waited for her. That silence is a torture for my mind, I can't help but to think of negative things especially if she was this quiet.

After a long silence, she spoke but instead of answering my question, she changes the topic, "I'll go to my room." Then he slowly grabbed my hand that was holding her wrists then she unclasped it.

She then turned her back on me and started walking. But before she can even take her third step, I hugged her from behind.

I expected her to shrug me off but she did not. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes before I spoke, almost a whisper on her left ear, "Whatever happened, always remember that I am just here by your side. Hm?"

Again, she did not answered me which saddened me a bit but I felt her head nodded slowly and I unconsciously smiled.

"Go take a rest then be back when you are ready to tell us everything." I said to her then broke my hug.

She did not looked back but just walked straight towards her room. I was not sad for that but instead, I felt more contented. I am so glad that she knew I am just by her side.

I stood at my place not moving an inch not until Lorcan shook my shoulder. I look back to see both of them with a disturbed emotions. They must have seen Tsilla.

"Uhm, we saw you two from a far and by the look of it, it was not a happy ambiance. So what happened?" Caiden asked me in concerned voice.

"Is Brina okay?" Lorcan then continue asking using the same tone.

"Let's wait for her to tell us" I simply said then sat again on the same spot I seated when I was waiting for her.

Minutes later we saw her coming towards us, wet hair and a new set of clothes, but her expression is still the same – bothered.

"Uhm, what happened with L?" Caiden asked her with being as cautious as he can.

"Nothing" Tsilla timidly said and look down on the grounds then shuffled her hair.

"What?" Lorcan asked her in confusion.

She deeply sighed before answering, "Nothing happened to L."

"Then shouldn't it be a news to be happy?!" Lorcan answered loudly trying to make his voice as jolly as possible.

But no one reacted. Everyone stayed silent waiting for Tsilla to react but she did not. And so, to break the awkward silence, I spoke, "What about that Noir Rose?"

That made her look up and met my gazes before explaining, "Noir Rose is really the one behind those suicidal reports."

"How sure are you?" Caiden asked then followed by Lorcan's question, "Hacked?"

She shook her head before answering, "I investigated but not by hacking, I personally joined the community."

That shocked us and so my voice instantly rose up, "What?! That's dangerous!"

Silence filled us not until Caiden asked as calm as ever, "When? I am pretty sure it is not today."

"Yesterday" she simply answered which made Lorcan astonished, "Only yesterday and you already got their deepest secret? I am starting to think you are one of the top hackers and just someone who likes computers."

"I just know something about computers besides I don't want any more victims." She explained in a defensive tone.

I ignored that and asked her, "How did you get in?"

"I asked Lucas if she knew something related to that then the student affair recommended it to me." She answered me then pause for a minute, "Oh speaking of Lucas, what have you found?"

"We did not find anything." Lorcan answered with a defeated tone, "Or at least anything that is suspicious."

"Really?" Tsilla said but it sounded like it was said unconsciously as her eyes suddenly darted to nowhere like she was thinking very hard.

When the silence is starting to fill up the room, Caiden asked Tsilla, "Then how do you come up with Danielle being a victim? She prefer to be alone than be with other people, isn't she?"

She seems taken aback by that question as she looked around before answering, "Ah that? My instinct just overpowered my thinking and so I thought she will be the next victim. Sorry."

I am not sure by what she said. I mean by the way she sounded in the morning when she asked where Danielle is, I don't think it is her instinct that was acting up. She sounded so sure about it.

"Anyway, since there is not enough time to the next round of tournament, let us just focus on this one. We can do minimal works about this since we now have an idea about the perpetrator and at least Danielle is safe." I said to them.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement but Tsilla's remarks did not go unnoticed to me, she whispered in a very quiet voice that if I am not besides her, I would not even hear it.

"I hope so"

───── ❝ 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐁𝐲𝐊𝐫𝐱𝐬 ❞ ─────

We are now so close in reaching 3k reads!! 

Thank you for all for supporting this story! 🥺💜

𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝙑𝙤𝙩𝙚, 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚!