Margot’s Rumour

Santiago’s Girlfriend

It was Friday, the day before Santi’s big game. He had asked Margot to watch before they would go to the ballet nearby.  School was particularly boring because the morning classes were math and science. Both of which she did not have with Santiago.

Whatever she and Santi had going on she had to admit it was rather fun to be hanging out with him. It made her school life certainly more interesting. 

Margot pondered about what would happen when their project ended, would they still go on interesting dates? She was so lost in thought that she bumped into the crowd that had gathered at her locker.

“Hey watch it!” One of the cheerleaders scoffed at Margot. 

“Sorry, I just need to get through” Margot replied tried to reply but was cut off. 

“I don’t think so!” Margot was taken aback. She just wanted to get her notebooks for English class. “You hog Santiago’s time enough as it is with your ridiculous project! How is he meant to spend time with me!”

“Sorry my locker is there, I just want to get my books.” Margot tried to push through.

“Ugh…  stop hogging him. Like seriously back off. Whenever I want to spend time with Santiago he’s always busy with you. It’s so annoying! How are you always together?”

Margot looked at the cheerleader for the first time, it was Becky. She was very pretty, and for the first time in a while, there wasn’t some boy following her with her books. Maybe Santi was her new target. 

“Santi and I are doing a project for English,” Margot responded.

“Santi! You call him Santi?”  It was Stacey, she had emerged from the crowd and was standing now behind Becky. 

She repeated it again, now laughing. Stacey dramatically calmed herself by taking a deep breath in and taking her arms to her mouth in a prayer position then pushing them down as if to clear bad air around her.

“You call him Santi? Oh Becky, no need to worry! Santiago and Margot aren’t close at all. She’s not moving in on your territory.”

Margot was confused, what territory? What was wrong with calling him Santi? Not close?  Stacey continued, even though no one had asked. In fact, Becky and Margot both seemed confused. 

“Santiago hates being called SANTI.” She said it slowly as if to puncture Margot with the realization.

“Oh,” Margot responded. Why would he tell her to call him that? Her thoughts were cut off when Becky finally understood what Stacey was insinuating.

“Oooooooh! Great then, keep it that way!” And Becky bounced away as though her day suddenly had gotten so much better. 

Margot was confused but the crowd had thinned and she noticed why there was such a traffic jam of people around her locker. Well, it wasn’t her locker they were all looking at, it was Santiago’s locker. 

It was decorated in crazy school colours and Santiago’s name and team number all over it. It was certainly a statement. Margot had never seen something like this be done at her school. But this was a big game. It must have been the cheerleaders doing it to every locker for pep! 

Behind her, Margot heard a passerby say, “wow Santiago’s girlfriend went all out for him, didn’t she!” 

Margot straightened her spine. If Santi’s girlfriend had gone all out on the locker, and she knew she didn’t do the locker. She must not be Santiago’s girlfriend. And given Becky was leaving his locker. AND Becky telling Margot that she was taking too much of Santiago’s time.  That must mean that Becky was actually his girlfriend! 

Margot clutched to her locker afraid she was about to fall from the shock. A hand clutched her side taking some of her waist.

“Hey, you okay?” 

It was Santiago.