Ell Sadem

SEVEN: GOSSIP

—Evan—

All around me, the lunchroom buzzes with dozens of voices, most laughing. I hunch over a little more, propping my head up with my fist as I poke at my salad, pushing the leaves around the plastic container; I'd been too optimistic when I packed for lunch this morning. My stomach twists just at the thought of taking a small bite, but I take one anyway. What I need is to chug a bucket of water or five to replace all the blood I lost last night and actually get some sleep at some point. Everything aches and will keep aching until well after the scars are gone.

“Dude, are you good? You look awful." An unusual frown turns Rob's mouth into a flat line, his brows drawn together. “Are you even listening?“

“Uh,” I lean back and sort of shrug as best I can without making myself hurt more. Maybe I should have called out sick. “Yeah, I just stayed up all night working on a paper. I gotta keep my scholarship.“

A crooked grin carves across his face and he chuckles wryly. “Yeah, that'll do it. One of these days homework is going to kill me too."

Somehow I laugh with him and slump forward resting my head back on my hand. I wish that was the only thing trying to kill me right now and not some faceless organization.

“So, I hear you got a date yesterday."

“What?" I turn my head just enough to stare at him.

He shrugs, his grin impish. “That's what the gossip says—."

“Why on earth does the gossip say anything?"

Rob's dark eyes shine with amusement his shoulders shaking with his laughter, “Dude, you're new here and you just went out with Ella Mercy, that's more than enough for stuff to start."

“It's that big of a deal?"

“Well yeah, her family is practically royalty around here and she mostly sticks to herself when her friends aren't around." He lowers his voice, eyes darting around conspiratorially. “I didn't normally buy into all the rumors, but considering what happened to the last exchange student, I'd be careful not to do anything stupid."

Stupid? Half the country's elite send their kids here, me just being here is stupid. “You're gonna have to be a little more specific man, I didn't get it."

“You wanna date her, right?"

All I can do is stare blankly, not fully understanding but still trying anyway.

“You did go out with her, right?"

I blink, “With who?"

“Mercy?" He corks a brow.

“So?"

“So you wanna date her."

I may have lost more blood than I originally thought. He's saying words, and I hear words, but somehow they're not getting through my thick skull. Wait.

Wait.

I may be stupid.

“Rob,” I sit up and lean forward. “Is the rumor that I'm trying to date Ella Mercy?"

Rob covers his mouth in a vague attempt to hide a snicker but it turns into cackling. “Bro, go to bed or something man! Yes, that's what I just said."

“Ok okay, it's not that funny. I have a group presentation with her next week, it's literally nothing." I can already feel my neck and ears heat up. If for nothing else than to ignore him, I shove my mouth full of the salad and look past him to the lunchroom door. “So what were you saying happened to the other guy?“ If something is going to be the death of me, it is going to be her.