Keeping Up With the Briefs

Rumors and Lies

3 - Rumors and Lies

Pan let out a nervous breath as she stood in front of her High School. Winter Break had come and passed too quickly, and now that it was the second week of January, it was time to return. Pan had felt nauseous all morning due to her frazzled nerves. It didn't help that Bulla wouldn't be there for another week. She had left with Bulma on a late winter vacation to East City for fashion week, and wouldn't be back for another week. Pan felt like she was completely on her own.

The only other person who knew Pan was pregnant that went to the High School was Shun, and he didn't even believe her. And although she was nearing eleven weeks, she didn't look pregnant. It just looked like she had gained a few extra pounds.

The hallways inside the building were crowded like always, and Pan was careful as she made her way through the swarm of teens and headed towards her locker. She could hear the whispers as she passed, but she didn't dare turn her head for fear that they would be about her. High Schoolers were always whispering about something; she needed to relax. It would be fine.

After using the bathroom, Pan made it to her homeroom with ease and sat in her normal seat towards the middle of the class. She frowned at Bulla's empty desk beside her. With a sigh, she started taking out her school supplies and prayed that a wave of morning sickness wouldn't come back with a vengeance and that her bladder would let her make it through her classes until break time.

"That's her," a whisper caught Pan's ear. "She said she's pregnant."

Pan's back straightened. Her body felt chilled as her eyes widened and her stomach dropped. Oh no.

"Is she?" Another whispered.

"No way," came the first voice. "Shun said she did it to get his attention to try to win him back. Can you say desperate?" They laughed.

Pan's body grew warm, and she clenched her fist to stop herself from screaming. She couldn't get upset; it wouldn't be good for the baby. She had told Shun because he had deserved to know, and honestly, she had assumed that he would keep the information to himself out of embarrassment. Pan wouldn't have mentioned it to him again, and would have let him be. But for him to go and spread nasty lies about her was another thing.

With a deep sigh, Pan continued to get ready for class. She could handle whatever the whispers were. She could handle it for the sake of her child.

XxXxX

The morning had started off with whispers behind Pan's back. Everywhere she went, she could see her classmates huddling together and looking at her. It was harmless enough that Pan could ignore it. By the third period, papers had started appearing inside of her backpack with vulgar words written across it. Most of them insinuated  that Pan got around, but they used such a nasty word for it. Those were harder to ignore, but Pan forced herself to. She wouldn't go down to their level. If Shun wanted to make her out as the bad guy then he could.

By lunch time, Pan felt exhausted. If Bulla was there, it would be easier for her to deal with. She was walking towards the cafeteria when two boys came rushing down the hallway and pushed her with laughs! Thankfully, she caught herself, but the boys kept laughing as they glanced back at her. To make matters worse, Pan knew who those two boys were - they were Shun's friends. Her hands gripped the wall as she glared at the back of their heads.

Rumors and nasty notes were one thing, but to try and harm Pan and in turn hurt her baby was another. Pan felt the heat creep into her skin as her anger grew. She took off to the cafeteria, not caring who was about to see or hear what she had to say. She spotted Shun in his usual corner and his friends surrounded him with smirking laughs. Pan's body twitched in rage.