Behind the Gossip

TROUBLE BREWS

Mia and Lily sat in the classroom, waiting for the next class to start. It was a free period, and the room buzzed with chatter. One girl stood up, giggling, and wrote her boyfriend's name with a heart on the board.

Another girl jumped up. "Let's all write our crushes' names!"

The board quickly filled with names and hearts. Mia scowled, her irritation growing. Finally, she stood up, grabbed a duster, and threw it at the board.

"Enough! I hate boys!" she shouted.

The room fell silent. One girl smirked. "Guess who's showing the anger?"

Another girl joined in. "Yeah, Mia, why so mad? Is it because of your 'relationship' with one of those Korean boys?"

Mia's face reddened with anger. She marched over and grabbed the smirking girl's shirt. "Who told you that?"

The girl didn't flinch. "I saw you with my own eyes, hanging out with them."

Mia released her, shaking with fury. She stormed out of the classroom, the whispers and snickers echoing behind her. Outside, she leaned against the wall, trying to calm down.

Lily soon followed, putting a hand on Mia's shoulder. "Hey, what's going on?"

Mia took a deep breath. "It's not what they think. The science teacher asked me to share my notes with Hyun so he could catch up. That's all."

Lily nodded, understanding. "I know, Mia. Let's figure out a way to clear this up."

Mia looked at her friend, grateful for the support. "Thanks, Lily. We need to prove them wrong."

###

The school buzzed with rumors, and Mia felt the weight of every whispered conversation as she walked the halls. She kept her head down, but the stares and giggles were impossible to ignore.

In history class, Miss Hensley was in rare form. "Settle down, everyone. We have important matters to discuss. Or should I say, some of us have more 'personal' matters?" Her gaze landed on Mia, a smirk playing on her lips.

Mia clenched her jaw, ignoring the snickers from her classmates. Miss Hensley continued, "Mia, perhaps you'd like to share with the class what's been keeping you so... occupied?"

Mia glared back. "Nothing to share, Miss Hensley."

"Oh, come now," Miss Hensley taunted. "We all know about the little rumor. Quite the scandal, isn't it?"

Lily shot Mia a sympathetic look, but it only fueled Mia's anger. She stood up abruptly. "There's no scandal. Just lies."

Miss Hensley's smile widened. "Lies, you say? Interesting choice of words for someone who spends so much time with our new students."

Mia's fists tightened. "I'm helping them catch up on their work. That's all."

"Of course, of course," Miss Hensley said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "But rumors have a way of spreading. Perhaps you should be more mindful of your actions."

The class laughed, and Mia felt a surge of frustration. She grabbed her books and stormed out of the room, the laughter echoing in her ears. She needed to clear her name, but how?

In the corridor, she ran into Hyun, who looked equally troubled. "Mia, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she snapped, pushing past him.

Hyun followed her. "I heard what happened. It's not just about you, you know. The rumors involve me too."

Mia stopped, turning to face him. "Why do you even care?"

"Because it's not true for either of us," Hyun said softly. "And I want to help."

Mia looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "Fine. But we need to be careful. Miss Hensley is using this against me."

Hyun nodded. "We'll figure it out together. Just tell me what to do."

Mia took a deep breath, the tension easing slightly. "Alright. First, we need to find out who started the rumor."

Hyun smiled, relieved. "I'm with you."

Mia's frustration was still simmering, but with Hyun's support, she felt a spark of hope. She was determined to clear her name, and together, they would find the truth.