New Girl (Boys of tommen fanfic)

Twenty eight

Evie

The next day, I couldn't shake the feeling that eyes were on me the moment I walked through the school gates.

Whispers followed me through the hallway, and it wasn't long before I spotted Lizzie standing by her locker, surrounded by her group. Her gaze landed on me, and a smug smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

My stomach twisted, but I kept walking, determined not to let her get to me. I knew the rumors she was spreading about Masen and me were lies, but the way people were looking at me made it clear that they believed her.

I was heading to the library, hoping for some peace and quiet, when Shannon caught up to me. "Have you heard what she's saying now?" she asked, eyes wide with frustration.

I sighed. "What now?"

"Apparently, she's telling people that your parents were involved in some criminal stuff before they died. Like, illegal things," Shannon said in a hushed voice, as if saying it too loudly would somehow make it worse.

My chest tightened, a mix of anger and sadness hitting me all at once. "She's really going that low?" I muttered.

"Yeah, but people are already talking about it. You know how fast gossip spreads in this school," Shannon added, glancing around nervously.

I could feel my pulse quicken. "I can't believe her," I said, trying to stay calm, but my voice shook with emotion. "She's just doing this because she can't control me. She's petty."

Shannon nodded. "Exactly. And because Masen's been hanging around you, she's probably jealous."

The thought of Masen made my stomach flip. I hadn't seen him since the match, but I had a feeling the rumors were affecting him too.

And now my family was being dragged into it, something I'd tried so hard to leave behind.

I needed to confront Lizzie.

By lunchtime, I was done. I couldn't take it anymore. With Shannon by my side, I made my way toward Lizzie, who was seated with her group in the courtyard. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I approached her.

"Lizzie," I said firmly, stopping in front of her table.

She looked up at me with a fake innocent expression. "Oh, hi Evie. Something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is," I said, narrowing my eyes at her. "I know what you've been saying about me, and it needs to stop."

Lizzie feigned surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Shannon scoffed. "Don't play dumb, Lizzie. You've been spreading lies about Evie and her family, and you know it."

Lizzie smirked, her eyes flicking between Shannon and me. "Lies? I'm just telling people what I've heard. If it's not true, then why are you so worked up about it?"

My hands balled into fists at my sides, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Because you're attacking my family. They're not here to defend themselves, and you have no right to drag them through the mud just to get attention."

Lizzie's smirk faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Well, if people are talking, maybe there's some truth to it."

Before I could respond, a voice cut through the tension. "That's enough, Lizzie."

I turned to see Masen standing a few feet away, his expression hard. He walked up beside me, his gaze locked on Lizzie. "You've gone too far."

Lizzie's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "Oh, look. The knight in shining armor. Here to save the day, are we?"

Masen ignored her comment and stepped closer. "You can talk about me all you want, but dragging Evie's family into this? That's low, even for you."

The courtyard had gone quiet, all eyes on the unfolding scene. Lizzie seemed to realize she was losing control of the situation, and her confident façade began to crack.

"Whatever," she muttered, standing up. "This school's full of gossip. People will believe what they want."

As she walked away, her group trailing behind her, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Masen turned to me, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, though my chest still felt tight. "I will be. Thanks for stepping in."

He shrugged. "I couldn't just stand by and let her keep saying those things."

Shannon shot me a knowing look before excusing herself, leaving Masen and me alone.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Masen spoke again. "I heard about the rumors. I'm sorry you're going through this."

"It's not your fault," I said quickly. "Lizzie's just... well, she's Lizzie."

Masen chuckled lightly. "Yeah, she is." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm here, right?"

I looked up at him, surprised by the genuine concern in his eyes. "Thanks, Masen. I appreciate that."

For the first time in days, I felt like maybe I wasn't completely alone in all of this.

And as we stood there, the weight of the rumors and Lizzie's spiteful words didn't seem quite as heavy anymore.

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What a viper!!! Haha Lizzietheviper