One Lie at a Time

GOSSIP LEADS TO CONSEQUENCE

The seven students who listened in on my private conversation spread the word to their friends. Those friends shared the news with their friends, and so on. The teachers talked about it with their coworkers. I knew that because I got sympathetic head tilts and disappointed head shakes and sighs from them.

I was officially back on everyone's radar. And let me say this: it sucked. Everyone knew your name, you couldn't walk in the hallways without receiving looks from everybody. Every conversation shushed and dwindled to a stop when you walked by, only to be resumed in loud whispers as you passed.

That's the problem with my high school. Everyone loves to be involved in the gossip. It's like a vampire with blood. These children crave it.

Two days after news about my abusive father, another piece of information traveled through the school like wildfire.

I was in Geometry when Heaven tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention. I turned around to look at the two overly happy girls.

"Tyler got in a huge fight with Damon Seacrest, Lily!" McKenzie blurted, grinning widely.

I sputtered in shock, "What?! Why?"

Heaven and Mckenzie looked at each other and sighed dreamily. Heaven looked at me and finally spilled, "Well, apparently Damon said something mean about you, and Tyler just attacked him. I've heard that what Damon said was really, really bad. Why else would Tyler attack him like that?"

"Where is he?!"

"He's in the nurse's office. Apparently, Ms. Carson has five kids in there who are really sick -because they're idiots and hung around someone who was sick, obviously.  Freaks.- plus Tyler. Damon left after the fight."

Without thinking, I got out of my seat and bolted out of the room towards the nurse's office, ignoring Mrs. Gregory's shouts.

I opened the door to the nurse's office to find Ms. Carson pacing in the room. When she saw me, she asked, "What do you need, sweetie?"

"I'm here to see Tyler."

She gave me a stressed smile and said, "I don't know if you can, honey. I'm swamped with the group of kids that came in and I don't want-"

"I'll take care of him while you're with those sick kids. Please, Ms. Carson. I'm the reason he got in the fight in the first place."

Her face softened a bit and she replied, "Alright, then. He's in that room. Don't tell anyone I let you do this."

I thanked her then opened the door to the room she pointed to. Tyler was sitting on the cot, his head lowered. When he heard the door, he lifted his head to look at me. He had a heckin' awesome black eye, blood coming from his mouth and from a large gash on his left temple, and several other bruises.

"Yikes. He did a number on you, didn't he?" I smirked, walking over to the cabinets to get wound cleaning supplies.

He laughed and retorted, "Just wait till you see what I did to him."

After I had everything I needed, I sat on the bed next to him, tucking my leg under my body. I started cleaning the large stream of blood running down his face. I tried to focus on his wounds and not the fact that he was staring at me so intensely.

I paused and asked softly, "Why did you do it?"

His eyes lowered for a second, but he looked back up at me, "He said something that made me angry."

I looked at him funny but didn't try to get more details. I knew enough from Heaven and Mckenzie. I didn't want the details, really.

"Why'd you come here?" He asked, flinching away from me when I accidentally brushed my hand over his bruise.