The Wallflower Effect

Chapter 5: The Rumors.

By the time Mr. Whitley was halfway done lecturing us on protagonists/antagonists and their role in stories, I was dying for the bell to ring, so I could get to study hall. Which I happened to have with Gage. And right now, I needed a good, comforting hug from Gage Prince. I woke up too early, ran with Honey so hard I could barely breath, and then promptly took a pathetic cry in the middle of the woods. And on top of all that nonsense, the one time Gage didn't walk me to class, I ran into the Eathan Harker and spilled his coffee all over his nice white shirt, and then Adira Scott blatantly threatened me, and then I had to deal with this pointless class. I'd learned all this in sixth grade, why did I need to learn it again?

"Mrs. Castro?" Mr. Whitley's snide, nasally voice piped up.

"Huh?" I mumbled intelligently. The class laughed at my response.

"What does the example on the board illustrate, an antagonist or protagonist?" He demanded. Before I could even open my mouth to respond that I didn't know, my wish was granted and the bell rang loudly. I wasted no time in packing up my things and dashing out of there. I kept my head down I speed-walked to study hall, which was held in the library, where I knew Gage would be. I couldn't shake the feeling that people were pointing at me and whispering.

Probably because they were. That's just how it was is a small town. There wasn't much to do, so gossip was the number one hobby of well, almost everyone. Gossip, and even a hint of a juicy piece of information, spread like wildfire. It didn't matter what was true, or who the gossip would hurt. Eventually, your secrets came out.  And a nobody like me running into Eathan Harker, and him asking my name, was a big deal. At least two dozen people had seen the incident with Eathan and I, so it was safe to assume that everyone who was anyone knew all about it now.

And like a game of telephone, gossip got mixed up a little more from person to person.

So by now, Eathan and I were probably secret lovers with a child on the way, planning an elopement to Russia where my uncle, the Vice President of Russia would have a cabin waiting for us so Eathan could continue his spying career and I'd raise dragons.

It was probably going to be at least that bad, if not worse, so I needed to talk to Gage, to make sure he knew the truth, and to get that hug I needed. Heaven knows I deserved one after this downright  fabulous week. Any previous privacy I may have possessed was gone. The people I'd known since I was twelve were all staring at me like I was some caged animal to be poked and prodded till I snapped at someone. And I hated it. Some people, like Adira Scott for example, thrived on attention. I did not. I thrived on anonymity, staying in the shadows where no one could hurt me again.

When I arrived at second period, taking my usual seat at a table near the librarian's desk, I was surprised to see Gage wasn't there. He did have first period gym, so maybe he just wasn't changed. I was early, after all, from how fast I'd been walking to avoid the Gossip Vipers.

While I waited for Gage to show up, I went to the young adult fiction section of the library while I had the time. Class started in three minutes. I mindlessly browsed, nothing catching my attention, till a voice did that.

"So is it true?" A familiar deep, smooth tone eased from behind me. Gage.

I turned around, wrapped my arms around him, and buried my face in his chest. I knew just from his tone he didn't believe any of the crap that was surely making it's way around Asheville High. Gage was the only person who I could always count on, the only person that had never hurt me. He had my back, and I had his. We were as close as friends could get, I wanted to be a lot closer, but he deserved someone graceful and ladylike, someone like Adira but nicer. He deserved someone to share the spotlight with, not someone who he'd have to hide from the world with.