Chapter 3 Crossroads

Aria P.O.V

As the school day finally came to a close, I let out a sigh of relief. I was glad to be done with the constant drama and social politics that seemed to plague the halls of our prestigious institution. But little did I know, my day was far from over.

I had just met Elijah Grey, the billionaire's son, in class, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance towards him. He seemed to think that his wealth and family name entitled him to special treatment, and it grated on my nerves. I wasn't about to become one of the many girls who fell for his charm and good looks. No, I was made of sterner stuff.

As I walked out of the school building, I checked my phone and saw that I had a notification about the Phantom concert tomorrow night. I had been looking forward to it for weeks, and I couldn't wait to see my crush perform live. At least I would have something to enjoy tomorrow night, without having to worry about Elijah and his pretentious attitude.

But my excitement was short-lived, as I bumped into someone and my phone went flying out of my hand. "I'm so sorry," a familiar voice said, as I rushed to pick up my phone.

I looked up to see Elijah standing in front of me, a look of concern etched on his face. "What do you want?" I asked gruffly, still trying to process the fact that I had just run into him again.

Elijah looked at me suspiciously, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I just wanted to ask you some questions," he said, his voice low and smooth.

But before I could respond, my brother Julian pulled up in his car, honking the horn to get my attention. "Hey, Aria, we've got to head home now," he called out, eyeing Elijah warily.

Julian, being a celebrity himself, had a long-standing rivalry with Elijah, and I could tell he wasn't happy to see him. As a famous actor and singer, Julian had always been in the spotlight, and Elijah's family had often tried to one-up him in the entertainment industry. The tension between them was palpable, and I could sense the animosity radiating from Julian's body language.

I took advantage of the distraction to make my escape, ignoring Elijah's request for my phone number. "No, I don't think so," I said, turning to leave.

Elijah looked disappointed, but I didn't care. I was just glad to be rid of him, at least for the time being. As I got into the car with Julian, I couldn't help but wonder what questions Elijah had wanted to ask me, and what he would do next.

When we got home, Julian brought up the topic of Elijah again. "If that guy ever bothers you again, you call me and I'll take care of him," he said.

I felt a surge of frustration as I thought about having to deal with Elijah's arrogant attitude. "Umm, he'll be bothering me for a while because I've got a school project with him," I said, trying to convey my annoyance.

Just then, my dad walked into the living room, a sly smile spreading across his face. "That's good news," he said, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light.

I felt a sense of unease as I wondered what my dad was thinking. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

My dad's smile grew wider. "I've been looking for a way to get into the home of the Grey family for a little... assassination, and now you've helped me find a way," he said, his voice low and menacing.

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized what my dad was implying. "You want me to eliminate Elijah?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

My dad's expression turned cold and calculating. "No, I want you to eliminate Elijah's dad, secretly, and it should be done tomorrow night," he said, his eyes glinting with a ruthless light.

I was horrified. What was my dad thinking? And how could he expect me to do something so terrible? I felt trapped and scared, and I didn't know what to do.

As I stood there, weighing my options, I couldn't help but think about the concert tonight. Phantom, my crush, was performing live, and I had been looking forward to it for weeks. But now, with my dad's request hanging over my head, I wasn't sure if I could enjoy the concert.

My dad gave me time to prepare myself, but I could sense that he was watching me, waiting to see if I would follow through with his plan. Then, Julian came to check on me, wondering if I was actually going to secretly assassinate Elijah's dad. He knew me well enough to know that I might disobey dad, especially when I had to do the activity at the same time as going to the concert.

"Hey, sis, you okay?" Julian asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at me. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

I acted like I had made up my mind, trying to convince him that I was on board with dad's plan. "No, I'm fine," I said, trying to sound confident. "I'll take care of it."

But sincerely, I'm not sure. I really don't want to miss the concert, and I definitely don't want to murder someone's dad. The thought of it made my stomach turn, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being pulled in two different directions.

I thought about all the times I had dreamed of meeting Phantom, of seeing him perform live. I thought about the thrill of being in the crowd, of singing along to his songs. And I thought about Elijah's dad, and how my dad's plan could change everything.

Julian seemed to sense my hesitation, and he looked at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Aria, are you sure you're okay with this?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

I nodded, trying to reassure him. But inside, I was torn. I didn't know what to do, or what the right decision was. All I knew was that I had to make a choice, and soon.I'm confused now, I thought to myself. Will I end up going to eliminate Elijah's dad, or will I take the risk and go to my crush's concert, Phantom? The fate of my family, and my own heart, hung in the balance. And as I stood there, frozen with uncertainty, I couldn't shake the feeling that my decision would change everything...