Parker

Chapter 78

It was ten minutes to homeroom when Parker entered the school. He made his way to his locker passing by a group of snickering students who whispering among each other. He guessed that he was the topic of their conversation.

Get a life he silently told them with a dirty look. The group of teens quickly averted their eyes and returned to their conversation once he passed them.

Stupid jerks he thought in annoyance.

Parker walked to his locker. It was in the process of switching his books out when he heard his name called. He cringed slightly at the sight of Arla walking towards him with a sorrowful look across her face.

"Hi Arla." He said wondering what she wanted. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Arla said. "How are you holding up?"

Parker said as the group of gossip hounds walked past him still snickering. Another student walked by with an amused grin across his face. One that he was tempted to remove with his fist.

"I'm okay." He coughed as he looked away from the teen.

"Don't let them get to you." Arla said.

"I'm not." He lied. He hated how people were talking about him and Christine, how people were so eager to believe such disgusting things about both of them. How their reputations have been destroyed in one day.  "Or at least I'm truly not to."

"Well if it makes you feel any better I don't believe what they are saying." Arla said. "Christine would never cheat on you."

"No, she wouldn't." Parker said confidently. He then flashed back to the two of them walking across the parking lot yesterday. He could hear them laughing, Christine playfully slapping his arm. He felt his confidence begin to waver.

"And Wesley would never hurt you and Iris like that too." Arla said. "And I am sure him being suspended from school is just a coincidence."

Shock rippled across his face. "Wesley is suspended?"

"Well in school suspension." Arla said.

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure." Arla said. "Some people are saying a day, other people are saying a week."

Parker's head began to swim as he thought what is going on.

"But as I said I'm sure it has nothing to do with that silly rumor." Arla said.

Doesn't he questioned. I'm not so sure.

"Just like I am sure you leaving school early yesterday had nothing to with the rumors of you sending pictures of yourself to girls.

"Girls?" He questioned. "I thought it was just Iris I supposedly sent pictures too."

"Well it was at first." Arla said. "But now other girls have come forward claiming you sent pictures of them as well."

His heart sunk into chest. "What?" He said in disbelief. "They're lying." He said as anger rose inside of him. "I would never do something like that."

"I know." She said in a soothing tone as she rubbed his arm. "I know its just stupid rumors made up by bored people."

Parker leaned up against his lockers and shut his eyes tightly as he exclaimed  "I hate this place." He then opened his eyes. "I hate this place so much."

"I'm so sorry Parker." Guilt flickered in her eyes. "I feel so bad telling you that." She then bit her nail as she seemed overtaken with regret.

"Is everything okay." Zane said as he walked over to them.