Chapter 15..

Michael woke up to the sound of his alarm blaring in his ear.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the familiar ache in his back from another late night of homework.

After getting dressed, he headed downstairs to grab some breakfast before school.

His mom had already left for work, but she'd left him a note with a reminder about his math test that day.

As he munched on a bowl of cereal, Michael's mind wandered back to the conspiracy.

He couldn't believe what Maya had told him - that his father's death was no accident.

He felt a surge of anger and frustration, wondering why this had happened to his family.

At school, Michael struggled to focus on his classes. His mind kept drifting back to the conspiracy, and he found himself wondering who he could trust.

During lunch, he sat with his friends, trying to act normal despite the turmoil inside.

But he couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching him.

Michael sat with Alex at their usual lunch table, trying to act normal despite the secrets weighing on his mind.

They chatted about their favorite video game, and Michael forced a laugh, pretending everything was fine.

But Alex noticed something was off. "Dude, what's wrong? You seem distant," he said, eyeing Michael with concern.

Michael shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Just stressed about the math test, that's all."

Alex nodded, but Michael could tell he wasn't convinced.

They finished lunch in silence, Michael's mind racing with thoughts of the conspiracy.

After lunch, Michael and Alex headed to their next class together.

As they walked, Michael couldn't help but glance around, feeling like he was being watched.

Alex invited Michael to hang out after school, unaware of the danger lurking in Michael's life.

"Hey, wanna come over and play some video games? My mom just got me that new game we've been wanting to try," Alex said, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Michael hesitated, unsure if he should put Alex in harm's way.

But he didn't want to raise any suspicions, so he agreed. "Sure, sounds fun. I'll come over after I finish my homework."

As they parted ways after school, Michael couldn't shake off the feeling that he was putting Alex in danger.

He quickened his pace, anxious to get home and do some research on the conspiracy before heading to Alex's house.

When he arrived at Alex's house, they spent hours engrossed in video games, laughing and joking around.

For a brief moment, Michael forgot about the troubles weighing on his mind.

But as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the room, Michael's anxiety returned.

He knew he had to leave soon, but he didn't want to raise any suspicions.

Michael made an excuse to leave early, citing a heavy homework load and an early school start the next day.

Alex nodded understandingly, and they wrapped up their gaming session.

As Michael walked home, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

He quickened his pace, his heart racing with every step.

When he arrived home, he locked the door behind him and took a deep breath.

He tried to focus on his homework, but his mind kept wandering back to the conspiracy.

Suddenly, he heard a strange noise outside. It sounded like someone was lurking in the shadows.

(Word count 577)..