Chapter 90 - Faking It

Fake It

"Can you help me find that person? I can't ask anyone for help and... you came to help me make a decision... can you please help me out...?" I asked her. 

I know this might seem reckless to some but it's the best strategy I could think of at the moment in order to gain her trust. 

This way she can't escape from me and later on, she might turn herself in and at that moment I can proceed with my plan that I had planned for her since earlier. 

"W-What… did y-you...?" She was confused and taken aback at the same time. 

Well, that's a normal reaction since I just asked the real culprit to help me find an imagery culprit.

"... Just think about it," I said, "I can use your help. You have quite some influence among the class and maybe outside too. I could really use your help in this one."

"N-no… I can't…" she still denied. 

"Anna I know you wanted to help me out that's why you came to me in the first place, right? And if that's so I really appreciate it," I said.

"... I-I still…" She tried saying something but couldn't. 

I guess the guilt really hurts a person from inside slowly. It's most likely that because of that guilt and me telling her my desperate situation she can't seem to decide what to do.

"Anna, you seem to be jittery from before… Are you feeling okay?" I asked her. 

"..." she didn't respond. 

"Anna is it that you are the one who spread those rumors…?" I said. 

I decided to take the leap. It can lead in two ways. One is that she accepts it and on the other hand she could leave this place in anger. Either way, she will get caught in my plan so let's see which she 

"!?" she instantly looked up. 

"Ah, there's no way that's possible… or is it?" I looked at in confusion. 

"Y-Yeah I didn't do it," she said but her eyes said something else. 

So, she decided to take the third option. I guess in a desperate situation any kind of decision can be made. 

Anyway, now that she denied having done this I can just make her guilt grow. 

"Yeah, if it were you, you would have never come to talk to me in the first place… hahaha… I am an idiot to think something like that," I said, "Sorry for making you uncomfortable." 

"..." 

I guess making her guilt grow was working quite well or at least making her feel a little bad for what she has done. That way there is a slight chance that she will confess or she agrees to help me, either way, it's my win. 

"So Anna, I really think that you are the only one I can depend upon in the entire class. If it wasn't for you I couldn't have made my decision," I said to her. 

"W-What if the person confesses to you, can't you forgive he-him?" She did it again. She was going to say 'her' but then changed it quickly. 

"Hmm… why are you saying that? I don't understand. If it was you in my situation will you be able to forgive them easily? Tell me honestly," I said. 

"... N-No, I won't be a-able," she said in a low voice. 

"See…" I said, "Anna, I understand if you don't want to help me out this much, I mean who wouldn't want to be involved with me this much after what's happening to me and my reputation." 

"..." she stayed silent. 

"In case you ever change your mind you know where to find me," I said, "Also if you don't mind can you not tell our conversation to others? I don't want others to think badly of you so just tell them that the teacher told us to do some work together. Okay…?" 

I know for sure that the other students she was with the last time I saw her near the stairs are definitely going to ask her about this conversation later on. 

It would be good if she wouldn't tell them but even if she told them I don't see any reason they will ever think that I know who really spread these rumors.

I mean I just asked the culprit to help me. It's just like suspecting a wheel-chaired person with stealing something and running away.

"Mhm-Mhm," she agreed and nodded. 

I hope she keeps her word. 

"I will wait for your decision so please think about it thoroughly. It would be a huge help if you had helped me... Anyway, I will get going now," I said in a serious yet low voice. 

"..." she stared at me for a moment there and when our eyes matched she instantly turned around. Was it guilt? 

There was no way for me to find it out.

As she turned away I also began walking but my steps weren't for the way out but for the way somewhere inside. 

I had to do something about our little stalker that has been spying on me for quite some time.

"What are you reading…?" I asked him. The moment I reached him he hid something in his pocket.

He was sitting near the window holding a book for quite some time. "Ah, it's a-a 'The Luminaries' written by... Eleanor Catton…" he replied as he turned over to the cover page/ 

"Oh, I have read this one. Isn't the main character in this a female lead? She has some family problems and was destined to marry someone, not of her choice but later on, she comes to like the person… isn't that right…?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah, that's exactly what happened…!" He agreed to it.

"So, which chapter are you on? I might have given you a spoiler… haha…" I said. 

"Umm… I don't remember the chapter name but the page number is... 189," he said as he looked at the page he was holding. 

"Ah, I can't remember the chapter this way either but which part are you reading right now…?" 

"Oh- Ah-" 

"Alright, the joke time is over," I said. 

"What do you mean…?" he asked me.

"The moment you turned over to the cover page you didn't bother bookmarking the current page you had opened up and when you told me the author's name you randomly opened the page," I said. 

"W-What…? That's absurd," he denied it but his actions were telling something else. 

"Oh, is that so? Then earlier you were on page 158 and when you returned you were at page 189… I wonder what's absurd here?"

"I just r-randomly said it by mistake t-that's all," he tried to convince me.

"Oh, one more thing. The brief story I told you, it wasn't even the story of the book you mentioned. It was the book my mother used to read sometimes. So, let me ask you again," I said coldly, "Is it me who is lying or is it you…?" I asked him. 

"!?" He was surprised. 

"Also hand over your phone," I said.

"HUH!?" He was surprised no it wasn't that, he was panicking. 

"Your phone, hand it over," I said. 

"W-Why should I give my phone to you…?!" he yelled. 

"Please don't make loud noises in the library," the person from the desk said. 

"Fine, let's go to any teacher, and then I am going to tell them that you were recording or clicking photos of me without permission. I wonder what's going to happen then? Will you still refuse to give them your phone?" I glared at him.

"..." he tried not to let his fear out but his eyes showed it all.

"Maybe instead of me who was about to get expelled it will be you, a stalker," I said.

"Hand over the phone it will be handled nicely or else you might be in quite a pickle," I said, "I don't know who told you to do it but I am pretty sure that when you get drowned by me he wouldn't think twice to sacrifice you. It's a win-win if you just hand me the phone." 

It's most likely that he was being ordered by someone from the Student Council. I guess they have started to make their move earlier than I thought. 

Anyway, I also need to start my investigation as well. I can't just let them tail me all they want whereas I am sitting ducks here. 

"... Made up your mind? If not we are directly going to the teacher's office. Even if you don't go I will make sure that you won't do the same thing again. So, what's it going to be? Hand over the phone to me or get your school life destroyed soon enough? What's it going to be...?" 

"...Here," he handed me over his phone. 

I guess my threats do work sometimes. I mean based on my reputation I didn't think he would hand me over his phone. 

"Unlock it," I said. 

*Click*

"I don't know who ordered you to do it but I don't want you to tell them about this at all. You understand…?" I asked. 

"N-No why wo-would I do that…?" 

"I am not asking here. I am telling you," I said. 

Well, he will tell the person ordering him anyway so all I am doing here are just empty threats.

TO BE CONTINUED....