Someday, Who Knows?

Chapter 8: Birth of the Rumor

"Let's go over to Charlie and Jeremy," Mae suggested.

"No, let's stay here," Ellie resisted, not wanting to be teased by them. She thought this was an official school event, so she chose to wear jeans and sneakers. After having her cast removed, she could finally wear shoes again, but she still needed to be cautious. Thinking she had made the right fashion choice, Ellie felt embarrassed to realize that the rest of her class was in shorts, flip-flops, basketball jerseys, or casual beachwear.

No one told me about the dress code! she thought bitterly. Even Mae looked relaxed in her spaghetti strap top and shorts, perfectly suited for the beach.

"Come on, Ellie!" Mae insisted, ignoring her protests, and pulled her towards where Charlie was.

Mae suddenly halted, feeling a strong tug on her shoulder, keeping her in place.

"Will you stop that? Stop dragging Ellie like that. Can't you see she's still not completely well?" Jeremy angrily rebuked Mae.

Mae lowered her head, on the verge of tears, her lips trembling, and her hands clasped together. "I'm sorry, Ellie, I didn't mean to," she said.

"I'm okay, don't cry, Mae. Jeremy..." Ellie gave him a stern look, disapproving of his actions.

"What? She's the one not being careful," he insisted.

Charlie saw the exchange and joined in. "What's going on here?" he asked the three of them.

"Nothing, nothing's happening here. Jeremy will apologize to Mae. Right, Jeremy?" Ellie said firmly, looking at his annoyed face.

"I did nothing wrong," Jeremy insisted.

"Let's drop it and get back to picking up the trash," Charlie reminded them before walking away.

Ellie observed Mae, who was struggling to wipe away her tears. "Mae, don't let Jeremy get under your skin. He can be hot-headed sometimes," Ellie said.

"I messed up..." Mae muttered.

"Why would you say that?" She asked.

"Now Jeremy and Charlie don't like me," Mae whispered, biting her lower lip.

Why would that matter? Ellie wondered.

Ellie was about to press further when Jeremy swooped in, dropping a red cap onto her head with a snide remark, "Why didn't you bring a hat? It's scorching out here, and you're all dressed in jeans and a shirt. Not exactly rocking that 'cool kid' vibe, are you?" His tone dripped with sarcasm, leaving Ellie momentarily stunned by his barbed comment.

Jeremy's action caught Ellie off guard and momentarily speechless, unsure whether to be annoyed or amused by his unexpected attention.

Ellie shot him a glare, her nostrils flaring with irritation at his words. "Do you have a problem with what I'm wearing?" she retorted sharply.

Jeremy chuckled. "Don't take it off," he teased, pointing to his cap before walking away.

Charlie then approached, handing her a bottle of water. "You need to stay hydrated. You're not fully recovered yet; you might faint unexpectedly," he advised gently.

Ellie scowled at him, locking eyes with Charlie. "I'm not a child! Just let me be!" she replied but took the offered water anyway.

Charlie laughed, while Jeremy winked mischievously at her.

"Go away!" She uttered while sticking her tongue out, acting like a child.

Mae observed the unfolding scene. These two guys seemed unfazed by Ellie's outburst. Instead, they drew closer to her, teasing and bantering playfully. Ellie resisted their antics, attempting to break free from their playful hold, but they persisted. As Mae watched, a pang of jealousy stirred within her. She felt excluded. A tightness gripped her chest, making it difficult to breathe, and in that moment, Mae realized she was indeed feeling bitter about it.