onyx: poltergeist

eighteen

ADAM

Ever since I stepped into school at the start of today, I felt as if I was reliving the nitty gritty past experiences when I was in middle school. I had to rush off to class the moment I stepped in, considering how I was perpetually late, but once I settled down in Jayda's empty seat I felt as if there were a thousand pair of eyes staring down at me, practically piercing me. Amidst all the judgemental glimpses from Jayda's classmates, I could hear whispers being exchanged among one another. Whispers I couldn't understand until I finally could make out the guy beside me was telling his friend.

"Did you read about that whore yesterday?" I heard him whisper in such a low pitch it sounded more like a low growl, before catching him turn his head in my direction, "Can you believe she fucking slept with her own teacher?"

Wait, what?

"Oh damn bro, she's not gonna last here for long," his friend snickered, "you might want to wish her good luck or something."

No. Oh god, no.

This can't be happening. It can't be.

The class finally died down when the teacher finally walked in. Jayda's first period for today was Math, much to my disgust, considering how I failed it back in high school. What's even worse about Jayda's Math class was because I was practically alone in that class; Celine and Martin both have their Math periods on a different day, which meant I couldn't ask them for help, more so because without them I wouldn't know why everyone was trash talking about Jayda and me, and I would feel more vulnerable especially when it was practically me against her entire Math class regarding this situation.

Part of me was still confused regarding the trash talking, never in my entire life would I commit that big of a crime for everyone to gossip about. Jayda and I, we were basically two separate people with two separate lives, it's just not possible that I would take advantage of her, as would she take advantage of me. Where that rumour came from, I have no idea at all, but who would be that despicable to get two innocent people into the trouble they didn't cause?

I couldn't find myself paying attention in Jayda's Math class at all, not because it was a subject I was horrible at since two decades ago, but because of the rumour the entire class believed in. Every second that ticked past in every subject I had to sit in for Jayda felt like a battle to me, everyone in every one of Jayda's classes seemed to know about that one rumour and keeping it out of my mind seemed like the hardest task possible. What's up with that rumour anyways, what's so shocking about it that the entire student body knows everything?

I have never felt so relieved when the lunch bell rang.

I grabbed everything I packed along with me and left the class, hurriedly shuffling down the hallway heading in the direction of the cafeteria, hoping to meet the familiar faces of Celine and Martin waiting at our usual seat. The hallway was crammed with students unpacking their things into their lockers, but once I walked past them everyone seemed to stop and stare in my direction, followed closely by them silently gossiping about the same old rumour about me taking advantage of Jayda, or vice versa, considering we still haven't switched back yet. It was painful to listen to, especially when it's practically playing on repeat ever since early morning. Oh god, please stop.

I was about to walk through the open cafeteria doors and settle down in our usual spot when I heard the public announcement system click from a speaker behind me. Mr Jackson's voice boomed out loud and clear, and once he completed his sentence everyone around me and inside the cafeteria instantly erupted in a long 'oh...', the exclamation drawled out for effect.