Chapter Eleven: Rumors in the Hallway
1762 Words
LIZA
The moment I stepped into the university hallway, the air felt different—thicker, charged with a kind of restless energy. The usual chatter of students carried a sharper edge, voices dropping low, then spiking with bursts of laughter. Heads turned, whispers flew. I felt the weight of it brushing against me as I walked toward my locker.
I frowned, clutching my books tighter. Something was wrong. The stares weren’t directed at me, not exactly—they drifted behind me, ahead of me, circling like vultures. And then I caught it. Her name.
Sabrina.
My heart jumped. I paused in front of my locker, pretending to spin the dial, ears tuned to the words bleeding through the hallway noise.
“Three months, I heard.”
“Her dad shipped her off—something about business.”
“No way, it’s because she’s pregnant, right? That has to be it.”
The words made my chest tighten. I slammed my locker shut and reached for my phone, already pulling up Sabrina’s name, ready to call her. Before I could, I spotted Yannie coming down the hall, her brows pinched the same way mine were. Relief washed over me, and I hurried toward her.
“What is going on?” I demanded as soon as we met, voice lower than I meant it to be. “Where’s Sab?”
Yannie let out a long sigh, shaking her head. “She’s not coming to classes for the next three months. Her dad sent her abroad for some business matter.”
I stopped in my tracks. “Abroad? Just like that? No warning?”
“Yeah.” Yannie’s frown deepened. “I found out this morning too. It was… sudden. Even for her.”
The ground felt unsteady beneath me. Sabrina wasn’t exactly predictable, but this—this was too abrupt. Too unlike her. I opened my mouth to say more, but the hissing voices around us grew louder.
“Abroad? Please. Everyone knows she’s hiding something.”
“Definitely pregnant. Why else disappear for three months?”
That did it. I spun on my heel, glaring at the cluster of students whispering nearby. “Enough. Stop spreading lies about her.”
Yannie stepped up beside me, her voice sharp enough to cut the air. “You don’t know anything, so shut it before I rip that mouth of yours!”
The group exchanged nervous glances, but I caught the little smirks tugging at their lips — the kind that said they were enjoying every second of this. Gossip was their favorite sport, and Sabrina was just their newest target.
My stomach twisted. I hated seeing Sabrina’s name thrown around like that, hated the way people seemed to take pleasure in tearing her down. She wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t deserve this.
I turned on my heel and started walking toward the lounge. Yannie fell into step beside me, her jaw still tight with anger.
As we moved through the hallway, I pulled my phone from my pocket and hit Sabrina’s name. The call rang once before going straight to voicemail.
“I tried too,” Yannie said, glancing at me. “Right after I got the news she was sent abroad. Couldn’t get through either.”
I stopped mid-step, looking at her. “Doesn’t that feel… off to you?”
Yannie nodded slowly, her brows drawn together. “Yeah. Sab would’ve told us if she was leaving. She never shuts up about anything, especially not something like this.”
I bit my lip, my mind racing. “What if this isn’t just a trip? What if her dad punished her or something?”
Yannie sighed, brushing her hair back with one hand. “I don’t think so. Sab literally told us the other day that everything was fine. Plus, her credit cards were still active yesterday. If her dad was really mad, he’d freeze them first thing.”
“Maybe,” I said quietly, but the unease in my chest didn’t go away.
Yannie nudged me with her shoulder. “Let’s just wait until tonight. Maybe she’s on a flight or travelling somewhere far. She’ll probably text us once she gets there.”
I nodded reluctantly. “Yeah… okay. Tonight.”
The lounge was quiet when we walked in, but not for long. Louis was there, leaning against the table with his arms crossed, and the moment he saw us, he straightened.
“So, it’s true?” he asked immediately, his voice tight. “Sab’s left?”
I hesitated, glancing at Yannie. Her face was unreadable, calm as always, but I could tell from the slight tension in her jaw that she was faking it, just like I was.
“She left,” Yannie said, her tone clipped. “Abroad. For business matters. That’s all we know.”
Louis ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “That’s so sudden. She didn’t even say goodbye? And what about the fundraiser event next month? She won’t be around for that?”
I felt my throat tighten, but I forced myself to nod. “Yeah,” I said softly. “She won’t be there.”
The fundraiser was Sab’s thing — it didn’t make sense for her to just leave everything behind.
Before I could dwell on it too much, Semi’s voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard.
“Why are we even worried?” she said, rolling her eyes as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “It’s not like she’s gone forever. She’ll be back eventually.”
Yannie and I exchanged a look. We both knew that tone — that smugness. Semi wasn’t worried. If anything, she sounded… pleased.
I turned to her, crossing my arms. “You know, you could at least pretend to care. Or is it too hard for you to hide how happy you are that Sab’s not here to outshine you?”
Semi blinked, then smirked. “Oh, please. Just because I don’t worship the ground she walks on doesn’t mean I’m happy she’s gone. I just don’t see the point of crying over it. Unlike you.”
“Excuse me?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “You’ve been jealous of her since the day she walked into this university. Don’t act like you wouldn’t throw a party if she never came back.”
Semi stood, closing the distance between us, her chin tilted up defiantly. “And what if I would? At least then people would finally notice me for once, instead of her. Not everything has to revolve around your perfect little Sab.”
My blood boiled. “Perfect? Sab’s not perfect — she’s just better than you at everything, and that’s why you can’t stand her.”
Semi’s smirk faltered, and I could see the anger flash in her eyes. “Careful, Liza,” she said, her voice low. “You’re starting to sound just as pathetic as her.”
I took a step closer, ready to throw back something I knew I’d regret, when Yannie suddenly stepped between us.
“Enough, Semi,” Yannie snapped, her voice sharp like a whip. “You always have something to say, don’t you? Always waiting for a chance to drag Sab down because you can’t stand that she’s f*****g better than you.”
Semi’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Better? Please. The only thing she’s better at is getting into trouble and taking all of you with her. One day, she’s going to drag you down so far you won’t be able to get back up.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Yannie shot back, not backing down. “You’re just mad no one notices you unless Sab is around to compete with. You’d rather gossip than admit you’re jealous.”
Semi’s eyes narrowed, her voice icy. “Jealous? Of her? Dream the f**k on.”
“You dream the f**k on!” Yannie shot back, her tone full of fire. She stepped closer to Semi, refusing to back down. “Just admit it — you’re jealous of Sab. You always have been. She’s got everything you want. The looks, the fame, the confidence…” Yannie paused, her voice dropping lower, sharper. “…and Louis’s heart."
The words landed like a punch, and I saw Semi’s face twist with anger. For a moment, she looked like she might actually hit Yannie.
“You know what, Yannie? Screw you!” Semi spat, her voice rising.
And then Louis spoke. “That’s enough!” His voice cut through the air, deep and commanding, silencing all three of us. He stepped forward, his expression tight with frustration. “Semi, stop it. You’re just making this worse.”
Semi froze, her mouth opening as if to argue, but then her face twisted with anger. “Of course you’d take their side,” she muttered bitterly. “You always do.”
She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the lounge, the door slamming behind her so hard it echoed through the hallway.
Louis turned back to us, running a hand over his face as if trying to shake off the tension. “Look,” he said, his tone is softer now. “I just… if you talk to Sab, tell her to call me, okay? I sent her a message, but she hasn’t replied.”
Something about the way he said it — like he wasn’t just frustrated but actually worried.
“Sure,” I said quietly, nodding. “If we hear from her, we’ll tell her.”
Yannie gave a small nod too, her expression serious.
Louis didn’t say anything else. He just sighed, grabbed his things, and left the lounge without another word.
When the door closed behind him, I slumped back against the couch, letting out a long breath. “Damn it, she is f*****g annoying,” I muttered, still fuming.
Yannie sighed and dropped onto the couch across from me.
Then, the lounge door swung open again. Liam stepped inside, his expression confused. “Girls? Is the news real?”
I looked up at him, too drained to sugarcoat anything. “You heard it,” I said flatly. “Sab’s not here, then yeah, it’s real.”
"Oh, s**t. I'm gonna miss her."
"Sure, you do." I replied.
And then the bell rang, sharp and loud, reminding us that it's time for lectures.
“Come on,” Yannie said quietly. “We’ll be late.”
I grabbed my bag and followed.
***
- Writer
