Hate Only Last So Long.

Unchecked Rumors

First week back at Crenshaw and Olivia did not find herself bored.

"Feel free to take the third seat in the back row, Miss Baker." Her AP English Literature instructor gestured to the back of the class where an empty desk was located.

Striding through her seated peers, Olivia didn't miss the sympathetic stares she received from some girls and gawking gazes from the guys.

Barely ten minutes into class and when a guy two seats in front of her turned around mid-lecture. Narrowing her eyes on him, Olivia waited for him to speak.

"My girl ain't putting out, and I heard you do." He snorted with an arrogant grin as Liv rolled her eyes at his appalling degradation, believing it to be just a general asshole comment.

He smirked at her refusal to give him an audience. "I can play baby daddy too if that's what you're worried about."

Seeing red at the mention of something so personal, Olivia's hands clutched her vegetable smoothie tightly. Gritting her teeth, she wasted no time cocking her hand back and then throwing the drink in his face.

"Jackass!" Olivia shouted, leaping from her feet, bringing attention to the chaos.

"Bitch!" The jock coughed up, rubbing the smoothie out his face.

"What's going on back here?" The teacher inquired for an explanation. When neither of the teens answered he demanded they both leave his classroom for disrupting his lecture.

After speaking with Principal Carter, her classmate received a week's worth of detention, and Olivia was sent to her next class with a warning.

But as her morning went on Olivia noticed offputting behavior from teachers and staff alike. Her second-period teacher deemed insisted if Olivia felt overwhelmed she could feel free to step out at any time. Students in the hall stared like they'd seen a ghost during switching time. And when she raised her hand for a bathroom pass during the third period, her teacher inquired if she felt a need to see the guidance counselor.

It was then in that class that Olivia put it all together. The school knew she'd miscarried. Or at least, that she'd been pregnant.
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"How do they know?" Olivia interrogated her friends that day at lunch. "You guys promised not to tell anyone."

"And we didn't, Livvie." Chris stressed, "Ain't nobody gonna lie about something like that."

"You're our girl," Taylor vowed. "We put each other business out in the open."

"Plus, I'm more concerned with the dick who had something slick to say about you." Spencer groaned heatedly, clenching his fist.

"I already told you I don't want you to get in any fights over this. With this new rule for athletic accountability, if you're suspended or given detention it counts as a demerit toward your playtime on the field." Olivia distraught reminded of a pissed-off, Spencer, not wanting to be the reason her father loses one of his best players for the first games of the season.

"Fuck the rules, Olivia." Spencer irritatedly refused to back down, "No man disrespects you without catching these hands."

"He already caught something." Olivia retorted, topping Spencer's with her hands. "It's sweet how you want to protect me though."

"Fine." Spencer moaned disagreeably, "But if homeboy talks out of the side of his mouth again. I ain't backing off."

"Agreed." Olivia conceded, knowing Spencer meant well in his Superman tendencies.

"Him, and whoever else doesn't know how to mind their business are gonna deal with us, Livvie. Don't worry about it." Darnell swore with his befriend, before digging into his lunch once more.