A Modern Ballad

Rumors

Evangeline sprinted into the school just as the bell rang, a triumphant rush of adrenaline propelling her forward. Her heart raced not just from the sprint, but from the nagging worry that she might miss her chance to turn in her project. She slid into the classroom, clutching her masterpiece of paper flowers, just as her teacher, Ms. Reynolds, was about to close the door.

"Evangeline! You made it!" Ms. Reynolds exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the colorful display.

"I—yes! Here it is," Evangeline said, rushing to the front. She placed the project on the desk, her hands trembling slightly. The moment felt surreal, but as Ms. Reynolds examined the delicate craftsmanship, a smile spread across her face.

"This is wonderful, Evangeline. Truly impressive work! I can see the effort you put into this," she praised, and Evangeline felt a warm rush of pride.

As the class settled, Evangeline's phone buzzed in her pocket. She fished it out, glancing at the screen. An unknown number lit up, and her heart skipped a beat when she read the message: "I hope you're ready for our favor. I'm just getting started. 😉"

Evangeline's cheeks flushed as she registered the flirtatious tone. Jacks had a way of making even the simplest messages feel charged. Unable to help herself, she chuckled softly, but her amusement was short-lived.

"Evangeline! Are you texting in my class?" Ms. Reynolds' voice sliced through the air, sharp and authoritative.

Caught off guard, Evangeline felt a rush of heat to her cheeks. "Um, no, I was just—"

"Hand it over," Ms. Reynolds commanded, her hand outstretched. Evangeline hesitated but eventually placed the phone in her teacher's palm.

"Read it out loud," Ms. Reynolds instructed, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Evangeline's stomach dropped. The laughter from her classmates echoed in her ears as she read the message, her voice barely above a whisper. "I hope you're ready for our favor. I'm just getting started. 😉"

Laughter erupted around the room, and Evangeline's face burned with embarrassment. Whispers rippled through her classmates, all of them suddenly keenly interested in her perceived connection to some mystery boy. She could almost hear the gears turning in their minds, speculating about her and this boy. One girl eagerly contributed that she saw Evangeline and Jacks driving together this morning and this too soon went around the school. 

As the class went on, Evangeline did her best to ignore the giggles and whispers, but the stares were inescapable. The once-innocent girl now felt like a spectacle, a piece of gossip floating through the air. Her heart sank further with each passing moment.

When the final bell rang, relief flooded over her. But as she stepped into the hallway, the whispers followed her like a shadow. "Did you hear about Evangeline and Jacks?" "I can't believe she was texting him! Why would he like someone like her?"

Ignoring the rumors, Evangeline headed to her locker, trying to shake off the embarrassment of the day. She could manage this, she told herself. It would blow over. But when she realized she had no way to get home, a familiar dread settled in her stomach.

She didn't need to worry about Lal, who had soccer practice, but  she had no friends nearby to call. Sighing, she pulled out her phone again and hesitated before texting Jacks. "Hey, can you give me a ride home?"

Almost immediately, a response pinged back. "Thought you'd never ask. You miss me?"

Evangeline rolled her eyes, but a part of her felt a flutter of excitement. She waited outside, leaning against the brick wall, feeling the afternoon sun warm her skin. When Jacks pulled up in his sleek car, the engine purring like a contented cat, her heart raced again—this time, for a different reason.

"Need a lift?" he asked, that trademark smirk playing on his lips.

"Let's just get this over with," she replied, sliding into the passenger seat.

As they drove, she tried to focus on the road, but the whispers and rumors from school lingered in her mind. "You know they think we're dating, right?" she said, trying to keep her tone light but unable to hide the hint of frustration.

"Let them think what they want," Jacks shrugged, glancing at her with a teasing glint. "It just adds to my charm."

"Your charm is overrated," she shot back, though she couldn't suppress a smile.

"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the banter. "And what about you? Miss Innocent, texting me during class? Sounds like you're pretty far from that title now."

Evangeline groaned. "Please, not you too."

"Hey, I'm just saying, it's fun to shake things up a bit," he said, his tone turning serious for a moment. "Besides, if you ask me, you should embrace it. You shouldn't worry about what everyone thinks."

"Easy for you to say," she muttered, crossing her arms.

When they reached her house, Jacks parked and turned to her, his expression softening. "Everything will blow over. It will all go back to normal so don't worry."

"Yeah, well, you could have picked a better way to flirt," she replied, a hint of a smile betraying her annoyance.

"Where's the fun in that?" He leaned closer, a teasing glint in his eye. "You owe me a favor after all. Maybe I'll think of something wild to make it interesting."

Evangeline rolled her eyes again, but deep down, she couldn't help but feel a thrill at the idea. As she climbed out of the car, she felt the weight of the day's rumors and gossip pressing on her, but perhaps there was something more to this unexpected connection with Jacks.

Just as she shut the door, she turned back, catching his gaze. "Thanks for the ride. Just... don't be too ridiculous with your favor, okay?"

"Promise nothing," he replied with a wink, driving off with a flourish.

As Evangeline walked to her door, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning—of both the rumors and something she had yet to fully understand