TAMING MY SECRET BULLIES

THE RUMOR

Taming My Secret Bullies

Episode 11: The Rumor

By eight in the morning, everyone at Westbridge had heard something about me.

I didn't know how it started.

I only knew that when I entered the classroom, the conversations stopped.

A girl near the window whispered to her friend.

Someone behind me laughed.

Then my phone started buzzing.

Messages from people I barely knew.

Screenshots.

Questions.

And one sentence repeated everywhere.

AVERY COLLINS GOT SOMEONE EXPELLED FROM HER OLD SCHOOL.

I stared at the screen.

"What is this?"

Mia took my phone and read the message.

Her face changed.

"Who started this?"

"I don't know."

She scrolled through the screenshots.

"People are saying you were involved in something serious."

"I wasn't!"

"I know."

I looked at her.

"Do you?"

She stopped scrolling.

"Yes, Avery."

I wanted to believe her.

But after everything that had happened, trusting anyone felt difficult.

I sat down as the teacher entered.

For the next hour, I couldn't concentrate.

Every few minutes, I heard someone whisper my name.

When the lesson ended, I hurried into the corridor.

I needed to find out who had started the rumor.

Scarlett was standing near the staircase.

She was reading something on her phone.

I walked straight toward her.

"Did you see what's going around?"

She looked up.

"Yes."

"Do you know who started it?"

"No."

"You expect me to believe that?"

Her expression hardened.

"Believe whatever you want."

"Someone is spreading lies about me!"

"And you think I did it?"

"I don't know what to think anymore!"

Several students looked in our direction.

Scarlett lowered her voice.

"Then stop shouting."

I took a breath.

"Please. If you know anything, tell me."

She studied my face.

Then she said, "The rumor isn't random."

"What do you mean?"

"Someone wants people to believe you have a history of hurting others."

I swallowed.

"But I don't remember doing anything."

Scarlett's expression softened slightly.

"Then perhaps you should find out why someone wants you to remember."

She walked away.

I stood there, feeling more confused than before.

At lunch, the rumor had spread even further.

Someone had posted an old photograph of me with Victoria and Charlotte.

The caption read:

SHE'S BEEN HIDING HER PAST FROM THE BEGINNING.

I stared at the picture.

I didn't know what I was supposed to have hidden.

Mia sat beside me.

"You need to stop reading the comments."

"How am I supposed to ignore people talking about me?"

"You don't have to answer every person who believes a rumor."

I looked at her.

"What if they're right?"

Mia went quiet.

I immediately regretted asking.

She reached across the table.

"Avery, not remembering something doesn't make you guilty of it."

I looked down.

"Then why does everyone act like I'm dangerous?"

"Because someone wants them to."

Her words stayed with me.

After lunch, I went to the library and searched for Charlotte again.

This time, I found an old article from the school's student newspaper.

The headline read:

STUDENT LEAVES AFTER A PRIVATE INCIDENT.

The article didn't mention Charlotte's name.

But it referred to an incident involving a group of students and a private online account.

The Circle.

I read the article twice.

Near the bottom, one sentence stood out.

School officials have asked students not to share unverified claims about the incident.

Someone had tried to stop the rumors back then too.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS.

I stared at the message.

Another appeared.

IMAGINE HOW CHARLOTTE FELT.

I closed my eyes.

Whoever was behind the account wanted me to feel guilty.

But I still didn't know what I had done.

That afternoon, Ethan finally approached me.

"I saw the posts," he said.

"Everyone has."

"Don't respond to them."

"That's your advice for everything, isn't it?"

He looked hurt.

"Avery, I'm trying to help you."

"Then tell me the truth."

He glanced around.

"Not here."

I shook my head.

"No. I'm tired of secret meetings. I'm tired of half-answers. If you know anything about Charlotte, tell me."

He was silent for a long moment.

Then he said, "I knew her."

My heart skipped.

"How?"

"She was my friend."

"Was?"

He looked away.

"Before everything happened."

"What happened?"

Ethan swallowed.

"I made a mistake, Avery. One that I can't undo."

"What mistake?"

He looked directly at me.

"I believed a rumor about her."

Before I could ask more, his phone buzzed.

He read the screen and went pale.

"What is it?" I asked.

He showed me.

A new post on the anonymous account.

A photograph of Ethan standing beside Charlotte.

The caption read:

THE BOY WHO HELPED DESTROY HER REPUTATION IS STILL HERE.

I looked at him.

He didn't deny it.

And for the first time, I wondered whether Ethan had been warning me about The Circle because he wanted to protect me . . .

Or because he was afraid I'd discover what he had done.

TO BE CONTINUED …