Crushed

Chapter 13

What do we have today?" "English, french, art, science, math, gym." "Thanks." I turned to him. He looked not only in my eyes, but into my heart. I felt a shiver down my spine, and I just felt safe. I knew he was there for me, just from the way he looks at me, I can tell. He smiled at me, "I know what you're thinking." "Oh? And what is that?" "You keep looking at my lips, I know what that means." I glanced down at my feet and smirked. "Don't make it too obvious..." I said smiling back up at him. "You're not denying it." He retorted. "Well, I must not tell lies." "Harry Potter reference, very nice." "Thank you, I really try." I said turning back to my locker, and pulling out my binders for english and french. I swiftly locked it, and turned to go to homeroom. A slender, familiar hand landed on my shoulder as I passed. "Watch for Anne today, she's been on my case since everything in happened in gym. I think she knows something, but I don't know what." "Alright I will." I continued walking, and when I stepped in the class everyone fell silent. Julie rushed over to me, and whispered to me in an urgent tone, "There's a rumour going around, and it's about you." The smile fell from my face, I knew what this meant. It means that Anne definitely know something, and if I know her, it can't be good. "Tell me, now." I demanded quietly. She pulled me to the corner, and everyone continued with their conversations. "Anne told me herself, she said that you two... did it over the weekend that you guys really just went to the movie." She whispered in my ear. My jaw dropped open. "She said that you also play footsie under the desk during english." I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. How could she? Why would she? Did she? "I don't want to believe this. Do I have to?" "Yes, it's true, and get ready for the results." I have to tell Alex. without another word, I shoved my binders into Julie's arms, and darted out of the class. I slowed my pace before running straight into him. "Anne... Weekend..." I said between panting breaths. "We need to talk, privately." I said once I finally caught my breath. "Can this wait? The bell's about to ring." "No, it can't." He checked his shoulders, before taking my wrist, and dragging me into the janitor's closet. "What is this about?" He said, closing the door behind him. "There's a rumor." The light in his aquamarine eyes dropped immediately. "Oh n-n-no" He stuttered. "Anne's been telling people that we did it on the weekend we went the movie." "What!?" He said as his jaw dropped to the floor. "And that she sees us playing footsie during english." He was awe-struck. He didn't say anything, his lower lip was quivering. He evidently couldn't believe this. "W-w-what do we do?" He finally managed. "We... we... um... get ready to deal with the consequences, I guess." "But how could she say this? What have we ever done to her?" "We refused to give in to her, and I guess now we have to pay the price." He couldn't take any more of this, with one swift motion, he flung the door open, and stormed out. I followed him into the classroom. "What were you two lovebirds doing, making out in the janitor's closet?" Anne said as we arrived in the room. I'm glad there were no teachers in the room, because what Alex said next, should never be repeated. There were numerous gasps from the crowd of kids around us. Everyone was shocked, including me. I had never heard language like this from him ever before, I think he used just about every swear word I can think of. She was about to respond when the bell cut her off, quickly followed by a young voice over the intercom, "Please stand for the playing of O Canada, and remain standing for a moment of silence." The music started, and we were expected to sing. Through quiet and muffled voices, you could just make out, 'O Canada, our home and native land'. When the song finally came to an end everyone stands there until you hear, "You may be seated." Once that was said, the announcements came on, but no one was listening. Everyone was paying attention to what was happening between me, Alex, and Anne. "Oh yeah? Well maybe you should go and cry to your little girlfriend!" I think she was trying to be the bigger person, by not swearing, but I don't think she was fooling Sean, because he bursted through the crowd swearing and angry at me. He said that I was a cheating b****, and that I was a slut. I ran out of the class crying, straight into my teacher. I moved, and darted away from her concerned face, and ran straight into the girl's bathroom, and locked myself in the very last stall. I curled up into a ball and cried. You little cheating b****, you're such a slut. The words rang in my ears. I couldn't believe he would call me that. It hurt. No more than two minutes later, I heard the bell ring, and footsteps. "Bella?" "Bella are you in here?" "Of course she's in here, where else would she be?" "I don't know, I'm not a girl!" I recognized that voice to be the one of Alex. "So? It's not like she would go anywhere else!" I knew that the other voice must be Julie. I slowly made my way to my feet, unlocked the stall, and unstably stepped out. Through blurry eyes, and between laboured breaths, I saw Alex and Julie standing there, looking straight at me. "Bella!" Julie ran to me, and trapped me in her arms. Alex joined her, and the two of them comforted me in their arms while I tried to regain a normal breathing pattern. Sean's words still rung in my ear, over and over again. I'm not a slut, I'm not a b****! Why did he call me that? Do I look like one? Do I act like one? No, I don't, right? "Bella? Are you alright?" Julie asked me in a gentle tone. "You heard what Sean called me, of course I'm not alright, It hurts!" Alex responded,"I know it hurts, guys say those sorts of things all the time, trust me I would know." He loosened his grip, and looked me in the eyes. "You can't let him get to you. Bella, you are beautiful, strong, and anything but a slut. It doesn't matter what they think, because those who matter won't care, and those who care don't matter." Julie released me, and I hugged Alex like my life depended on it. "Thank you, both of you." "We should go, and we need to hurry if we're going to get there on time." Julie said. "Alright" I said, wiping my cheeks dry, "Let's go." As quick as we could, we grabbed our binders from homeroom, and the three of us just made it to english before the bell. The entire class was staring as the three of us walked to our seats. When I sat down, I realised that Sean wasn't sitting next to me, or anywhere for that matter. I remembered running into our homeroom teacher as I left after what Sean had said. I guess he must have said it just loud enough for her to hear. I was surprised that Anne was still there, after what she said, but as I remember, she wasn't as loud.