Rumors
740 Words
By Tuesday morning, Zara had convinced herself that she was going to forget everything that happened in the library.
She had promised Jayden she wouldn't ask questions.
And she intended to keep that promise.
Unfortunately, the school had other plans.
The moment Zara stepped through the classroom door, she noticed the whispers.
Two girls near the back stopped talking when she walked past them.
Someone laughed.
Then another voice said quietly, “That's her.”
Zara frowned.
She looked at Amie.
“What?”
Amie shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Don't give me that face.”
“I don't know how to tell you this.”
“Tell me what?”
Amie lowered her voice.
“People are saying you and Jayden are together.”
Zara nearly dropped her books.
“What?!”
“Keep your voice down!”
“I barely talk to him!”
“I know.”“Then why are they saying that?”
Amie shrugged. “Because people at this school are bored.”
Zara looked around the classroom.
A few students were watching her.
She immediately understood.
Rumors.
She hated them.
Before she could say anything else, Jayden walked into the classroom.
The whispers became louder.
Jayden noticed.
His smile disappeared.
He looked at Zara, then at the students around the room.
“What's going on?”
Nobody answered.
A boy at the back laughed.
“Nothing, man.”
Jayden didn't look convinced.
He walked toward his desk.
Zara expected him to say something.
He didn't.
That somehow made everything worse.
By lunchtime, the rumor had spread across the entire school.
Apparently, Zara and Jayden had been secretly meeting after school.
Apparently, they had been talking for months.
Apparently, they were already dating.
None of it was true.But the more Zara denied it, the more people seemed to enjoy talking about it.
She sat under a tree with Amie, barely touching her food.
“This is ridiculous,” Zara said.
“I know.”
“I've spoken to him, what, three times?”
“Four.”
Zara stared at her.
“Why are you counting?”
Amie laughed.
“I'm just saying.”
Zara sighed.
Then a shadow fell across the grass.
She looked up.
Jayden.
“Can I talk to you?”
Amie immediately stood.
“I suddenly remembered I have somewhere to be.”
“You're so fake,” Zara muttered.
“I know.”Amie walked away.
Jayden sat beside Zara.
For a moment, he said nothing.
“I'm sorry,” he finally said.
“For what?”
“The rumors.”
“You didn't start them.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you apologizing?”
Jayden looked at the ground.
“Because I know how quickly things can get out of control.”
Zara studied him.
“Does this happen often?”
“What?”
“People spreading things about you.”
He gave a small laugh.
“All the time.”
“Why?”
“Because people like having something to talk about.”
Zara nodded.
Then she noticed something.
There was a bruise on his knuckles.
She looked at his hand.“What happened?”
Jayden quickly pulled his sleeve over it.
“Nothing.”
“Jayden.”
“I'm fine.”
She didn't believe him.
Before she could press further, a girl approached them.
She was tall, confident, and clearly not happy.
“Jayden.”
He looked up.
“What?”
The girl glanced at Zara.
“We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Privately.”
Jayden stood.
“Okay.”
The girl turned and walked away.
Jayden followed her.
Zara watched them disappear around the corner.
Something about the girl's expression bothered her.
She looked like she already knew Zara.
And she definitely didn't look happy about seeing her with Jayden.
Later that afternoon, Zara was packing her books when someone placed a folded piece of paper on her desk.She looked around.
Nobody was watching.
She opened it.
There were only six words written inside.
Stay away from Jayden.
Zara stared at the note.
Her heart began beating faster.
This wasn't just a rumor anymore.
Someone was warning her.
And whoever had written it knew exactly what they were doing.
Zara slowly folded the paper and slipped it into her notebook.
For the first time, she wondered if Jayden's secret wasn't only his.
Maybe it involved her too.
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