Why You Shouldn't Lend A Bad Boy Your Clothes

Chapter 21

As soon as I arrived at school the next day, I noticed that something was feeling off.

I felt nervous, anxious, like everyone was staring at me as I crossed the parking lot. And, unlike all the other times I had been paranoid about this, I realized after I glanced over my shoulder, that I wasn't imagining things. There were actually quite a few eyes following me.

I crossed the parking lot as quickly as possible, not just because of the stares in my back but also because it was raining heavily.

Against my unrealistic hopes, the attention on me didn't get any less intense once I was inside the building. On the contrary: as soon as I entered through the big glass doors, some girls in the foyer were glaring at me.

I tried not to let my confusion show and looked the other way, only to see Victoria coming towards me with a murderous expression on her face.

I expected her to just walk past me, but instead she tightly grabbed my arm, long nails digging into my skin, and hissed: "I can't believe you have the nerve to show up here today."

"I- what do you mean?" I asked, gradually getting more annoyed, and pried her fingers off me.

The scowl on her face slowly turned into a gloating smirk. "So you don't know yet..." She all but giggled and turned around to walk off. "Well, have fun today!"

"Victoria, what are you talking about? Hey, come back!" I shouted, but she already had disappeared into another corridor.

With an irritated groan, I turned around and headed towards my locker. I didn't know if I was imagining things or if people were actually whispering and laughing as soon as they saw me, but by the time I arrived at my locker, I was close to having a panic attack. I had never been one to handle attention and stares well, so this was pretty much my worst nightmare come true.

My hands were shaking when I opened my locker and searched for the books I'd be needing for the next period. I had no idea what this was all about, if there was something on my face or if my outfit was weird, but whatever it was, it was attracting everyone's attention.

When Nate suddenly appeared next to me, I nearly sighed in relief. "Thank God. Nate, do I look weird? Like, is there something on my face or on my shirt?"

Nate shook his head with an unusually serious look on his face. "No, you're looking fine. Uhm...are you sure you want to be here today?"

I slammed the door of my locker shut. "What are you talking about?"

He bit his lip, looking uncomfortable. "It's pretty stupid actually, but everyone here makes kind of a big deal of it...uh..."

"Come on, just spill it. It can't be that bad."

Nate grimaced and leaned against the locker. "Actually, it might be." He took a deep breath. "A video got sent to a bunch of people last night..."

"What kind of video?" I asked, wondering what that could have to do with me.

"A video of you and Hunter in a gay club."

For a few seconds, I didn't even understand the meaning of that sentence. Then, everything around me seemed to spin, I had to steady myself on the wall behind me so I wouldn't break down on the spot.

"No," I said, nearly choking on the words, "No, no, that can't be true, I... no one was supposed to know-"

"Hey, it's okay. Jules, calm down, it's alright," Nate murmured and took hold of my shoulders, shaking me. "Really, breathe. It's okay...you're fine."

"Who knows?" I asked after a moment of trying to regulate my breathing. "Who saw the video?"

"Everyone," Nate reluctantly said. "They sent it to everyone. I think it's on YouTube, too..."