---Chapter 5: Confrontations and Confessions

The library was quiet, save for the soft rustling of pages and the occasional whisper. Anifah spotted Ammar sitting in the far corner, his back turned, a book in his hands.

This was it. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Ammar,” Anifah said, walking up to him.

He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Anifah. What’s wrong?”

“We need to talk,” she said, sliding into the chair across from him.

Ammar’s expression turned guarded. “About what?”

Anifah hesitated, then pulled out the photo Tariq had given her, placing it on the table. “This.”

For a moment, Ammar didn’t move. His eyes flickered to the photo, and his jaw tightened. “Where did you get that?”

“Tariq,” Anifah said bluntly. “He told me about The Circle. About the incident in the forest. What’s going on, Ammar?”

Ammar closed the book in his hands and leaned back, exhaling slowly. “You shouldn’t have gone to Tariq. He’s not someone you can trust.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“And you are?” Anifah shot back.

Ammar’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then tell me what it is,” Anifah said, her voice rising slightly. “Because right now, it looks like you’re hiding something dangerous.”

Ammar hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. “The Circle isn’t... it’s complicated. I was involved, but I’m not anymore.”

“What happened?”

Before Ammar could answer, a vibration from Anifah’s pocket interrupted them. She pulled out her phone to see a message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Stop digging. This is your final warning.

Anifah’s blood ran cold. She looked up at Ammar, who was already on edge. “Did you—”

“No,” Ammar said quickly. “Let me see.”

Reluctantly, Anifah handed him the phone. Ammar’s expression darkened as he read the message. “They know,” he muttered.

“Who?” Anifah demanded.

Ammar stood abruptly, grabbing his bag. “We can’t talk here. Follow me.”

---

A Dangerous Revelation

Ammar led Anifah out of the library and into the parking lot. They walked in tense silence until they reached a secluded spot by the school’s fence.

“Ammar, what’s going on?” Anifah asked, her voice trembling.

Ammar ran a hand through his hair, looking around nervously. “The Circle... they don’t let people leave. Not really. When I walked away, I thought it was over. But apparently, they’re still watching.”

“Watching you?”

“Watching us now,” Ammar corrected. “You asking questions has put you on their radar.”

Anifah’s stomach sank. “Why can’t you just tell me the truth? What happened in the forest?”

Ammar hesitated, then finally spoke. “We were... recruited. It started as a stupid game—a secret club where we’d do challenges to prove our loyalty. But then it escalated. They started asking for... things. Things I couldn’t do.”

“Like what?”

Ammar shook his head. “I can’t say. Not here. Just know that people got hurt, and I couldn’t be part of it anymore. That’s why I left.”

“But they didn’t let you go,” Anifah said, piecing it together.

“No,” Ammar admitted. “And now they’re dragging you into it.”

Before Anifah could respond, a car pulled into the parking lot, its headlights sweeping over them. Ammar grabbed her arm, pulling her into the shadows.

“Stay quiet,” he whispered.

The car idled for a moment before the engine shut off. A man stepped out, his face obscured by the shadows, and began walking toward the library entrance.

“Who is that?” Anifah whispered.

“One of them,” Ammar said grimly. “We need to get out of here.”