"Curiosity Almost Killed the Cat"

Date?

The next day at school was...awkward, to say the least. Fewer people were talking to me and more people were talking about me. Don't get me wrong, I am used to my fair share of gossip and rumors, but this was a bit more than usual. It was especially noticeable with the football team. I normally try to avoid them at all costs anyway. Even when Deric and I were "together" I did my best to stay away from them whenever I could. It saved me the trouble of being harassed by them long enough to go from point A to point B. Today was different though. It was as if they were afraid to even look at me, let alone speak in my direction. Lunch wasn't any better. Even Michael couldn't shake off the stares coming our way.

"El, what did you do this time?" he asks me somewhat under a whisper as if everyone was eavesdropping on our conversation.

"I didn't do anything..." I respond more to reassure myself than him.

"Well, they are all murmuring about you as if you committed a crime."

"Last I checked I haven't."

"Tell that to them.," he then has a realization. "Do you think they know?"

"Know what?"

"About Alec."

"What about Alec? There are a lot of things about Alec that I'm going to need you to be a little more specific."

"The fact that he runs the mafia for one."

I bite my bottom lip trying to concentrate, "The only people who know are you, me, and Sami. And I know that none one of us told anyone, so there is no way that one could know about that."

"Are you sure?" He looks around worriedly, "Because it looks like they all know something."

"I'm positive. And besides, even if they did know, why would they be staring at me?"

"Because you two are practically the IT couple of the entire school."

"We aren't dating!" I say a bit louder than I should have. More heads turn around to look at us and I shrink down in my seat. "We aren't dating..." I repeat quieter.

"Could have fooled me."

"You have been hanging around Sami for too long."

"Sami and I hang out for a reasonable amount of time," he pouts.

"Oh really?" I smirk.

"Yes really. I can't say the same for you and Alec."

"We are friends. There is nothing wrong with being friends and hanging out."

"El. Come on. You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't lie to me."

"Whoever said I was lying?"

"We both know that you two aren't just 'hanging out'", he mocks me with air quotes.

"And what do you think we are doing behind closed doors, my dear friend?"

"Things that people do behind closed doors El. I'm not stupid."

"And if we do?"

"Why aren't you two dating then?"

"He hasn't asked me out yet."

"Why don't you just ask him out?"

"Because that's not how it works."

"I thought you were a feminist."

I raise an eyebrow, "I am."

"Then ask him out."

"What does that have to do with feminism?"

"Aren't feminist about equal rights and opportunities as men."