Chapter Five: Rumors Spread Fast
1280 Words
By the time I got to school the next morning, something already felt off.
Not the usual “I don’t want to be here” kind of off.
Something worse.
Something louder.
People were talking before I even reached the hallway.
Whispers followed me like shadows.
“Is it true?”
“They live together, right?”
“Wait, so they’re actually—”
I tightened my grip on my bag and kept walking.
I already knew who “they” meant.
Jason.
Of course.
I pushed through the crowd, trying to ignore the stares, but it was impossible. It felt like the entire school had woken up with one shared interest: my life.
My eyes scanned the hallway automatically—
And then I saw him.
Jason.
Leaning against a locker like he didn’t belong to the chaos happening around him. Calm. Relaxed. Hands in his pockets. Like none of it touched him.
Like always.
Except this time, it did.
Because the attention wasn’t just around me anymore.
It was around us.
Together.
I reached him quickly. “What did you do?”
He looked at me. “Good morning to you too.”
“Jason.”
He raised an eyebrow slightly. “What?”
“Everyone is talking,” I said, lowering my voice. “About us.”
“Us?” he repeated.
“Yes. Us.”
He glanced down the hallway once, then back at me. “And?”
“And?” I echoed. “You don’t care?”
“No.”
I stared at him. “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked calmly.
“Fix it.”
“That’s not how rumors work.”
I let out a frustrated breath. “You’re enjoying this.”
He tilted his head slightly. “You think I enjoy people talking about me?”
“I think you don’t care enough to stop it.”
That made him pause for a second.
Just a second.
Then he said, “Maybe there’s nothing to stop.”
My stomach tightened.
“That’s not funny,” I said.
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
Before I could respond, a group of students walked past, whispering louder this time.
“Look, that’s them.”
“She’s always with him now.”
“I heard he moved into her house.”
My face went hot instantly.
“This is insane,” I muttered.
Jason pushed off the locker. “Come on.”
“Where?”
“Class.”
“I’m not done talking—”
“You’re never done talking,” he said, already walking.
I hated that I followed him anyway.
First period was worse than yesterday.
Because now, it wasn’t curiosity.
It was confirmation.
People weren’t just guessing anymore.
They were convinced.
And every time I looked up, I saw someone staring.
At me.
At him.
At both of us sitting too close in the same space.
“Stop moving your leg,” I whispered.
“I’m not doing anything,” Jason replied.
“You’re distracting me.”
He finally glanced at me. “You’re blaming me for existing again?”
“Yes.”
A small pause.
Then—barely a hint of amusement. “Noted.”
I frowned. “Don’t ‘noted’ me.”
But I could feel it.
Something about the way he was sitting there—too calm, too unfazed—was making everything worse.
Not better.
Worse.
The teacher kept talking, but I couldn’t focus.
Neither could anyone else, honestly.
I could feel the attention drifting toward us every few seconds.
Then—
The classroom door opened.
“Sorry I’m late,” a voice said.
Chloe.
Of course.
She walked in like she owned the room, eyes scanning instantly—and landing right on Jason.
Perfect timing.
“New seating arrangement?” she asked casually, walking further in.
The teacher sighed. “Just sit wherever there’s space.”
Chloe didn’t even hesitate.
She walked straight toward us.
My jaw tightened.
No.
No way.
She stopped right beside Jason’s desk.
“Hey,” she said softly.
Jason looked up. “Hey.”
“I didn’t see you this morning,” she said, smiling slightly.
“I was here.”
“Mm,” she hummed. “I must’ve missed you.”
I stared at my notebook, pretending I wasn’t listening.
I was definitely listening.
Chloe leaned slightly closer. “So… after school today, are you busy?”
Silence.
The entire class felt it.
Even the teacher stopped talking for a second.
Jason didn’t answer immediately.
And I hated that I noticed that.
Why wasn’t he answering?
Why did he need time?
Finally, he said, “Yeah.”
Chloe blinked. “Oh.”
“Busy,” he added.
A pause.
Then she smiled again—smaller this time. “Maybe another time then.”
“Maybe,” he said.
She walked away.
And something inside me shifted.
Just slightly.
Not enough to matter.
Not enough to notice.
But enough that I did.
“Relax,” Jason said quietly beside me.
“I am relaxed,” I replied immediately.
“You’re not.”
“I am.”
He leaned back slightly. “You care more than you want to admit.”
I turned sharply. “About what?”
He looked at me.
Just looked.
Not teasing.
Not joking.
Just… looking.
And I hated how quiet I suddenly felt.
“I don’t care,” I said again, softer this time.
“Sure,” he replied.
But he didn’t sound convinced.
Not even a little.
By lunchtime, things had reached a new level.
Someone had started a rumor thread.
A literal one.
On school social media.
I saw it on Maya’s phone before she even said anything.
“Tell me that’s fake,” I said immediately.
She winced. “Uh…”
I grabbed the phone.
“New guy + Ava Collins = living together???”
Below it: pictures.
Of us.
Walking.
Talking.
Standing too close.
My stomach dropped.
“This is ridiculous,” I said quickly. “We’re not—this is not—”
“I know,” Maya said slowly, watching my face.
“This is insane,” I muttered, handing the phone back.
Across the cafeteria, I could feel it again.
Eyes.
Watching.
Jason sat down like nothing in the world had changed.
Which somehow made it worse.
“They’re really running with it,” I said under my breath.
“Let them,” Jason replied.
I turned to him sharply. “What is wrong with you?”
He looked at me. “What do you want me to do? Post a statement?”
“Yes.”
He stared at me for a second.
Then—quietly—“You really hate attention that much?”
I hesitated.
That wasn’t the question I expected.
“I hate people talking about me,” I said instead.
“Same thing,” he replied.
“No, it’s not.”
He leaned slightly closer—not too much, just enough for me to notice. “Then what is it?”
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know how.
The noise around us faded slightly.
Not completely.
But enough.
And for a second—
Just a second—
It felt like it was only us sitting there.
Then Maya kicked my chair under the table.
Hard.
I jumped. “What?”
She leaned in. “You’re staring again.”
“I’m not—”
“You are.”
I looked away immediately.
My heart was doing something annoying again.
Something it had no right doing.
And Jason—
Jason was still looking at me.
Like he knew exactly why.
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