Troubled -A Part of Dark like Me.-

*18* Hearsay

The late bell rings and the Art teacher comes from the back room with art supplies overflowing in her arms. I look around to see who is going to help, no one moves. I get up and take a few things from her. I know they saw her, lazy bums.

"Oh, thank you, Allyira. You are such a big help." She says putting the supplies on the table in front of the classroom.

"You're welcome." I put the supplies down on the same table and sit back at my own table. Ms. Liu never or rarely uses her desk, though it stays clean. Ms. Liu sighs and begins teaching, "Today we are going to make our own self-portraits. . . how we see ourselves or how we would like to see ourselves."

The class murmurs excited about this kind of Art assignment.

"You can use whatever you want in the classroom."

The students get up, some pull huge body paper out, others go for the water paint canvases, and the rest use construction paper and markers or color pencils. I am not very fond of these kinds of art assignments because how I am. . . it's not a good look, but how I would like to be is. I find an empty spot on the floor beside Jaz who is on the floor with a few sheets of construction paper and color pencils. She always sits on the floor and does her work. Not a clue as to why, but Ms. Liu hasn't said anything about it.

I use my pencil to do a sketch of myself. Ms. Liu puts on some classical music for us, an often action while here. Sometimes, she'll let us listen to hip-hop if it's appropriate.

As we continue to do our work, there is a little light chatter going on. I hear Noemi's name, but I keep drawing while listening.

It is the four girls in the corner of the classroom by the supply closet. I and Jaz are close to them. Jaz isn't paying attention considering that Parrish is talking to her about the movie plans. However, I am listening.

"Yeah, she's supposedly pregnant by him." The girl with curly brown hair gossips. Her name is Nycole Zone, a senior.

"Psh, she's forever claiming that she is pregnant." The girl with auburn colored hair snorts. Her name is Lana Gerant, a Juinor.

"She does. I think she did it with the last one as well." The girl with dirty blonde and blue hair speaks up. That's Aysha Harperley, a senior.

"I think she believes that saying that to them will get them to stay." The girl with red hair explains. Siri Westermark, a Sophomore.

"If that's the truth, then she is in for a very rude awakening. Did you accept her invitation to her party this weekend?" Lana asks the girls.

They grumble their answers. Aysha answers clearly, "I told her I could try but more than likely . . . no."

I shake my head and continue to listen and draw. They rummage through the supply closet a little more.

"She only has two friends in the whole school. Everyone else thinks she is a stuck up bitch." Nycole informs. "I honestly have no clue how they put up with her sick attitude."Nycole continued with disgust.

"Hmph, they must be really great friends," Siri says picking out some crayons. "Isn't one of them in this class?"

I stop listening because I know that they are speaking of myself and Jaz. Noemi is one of the most spoken about teenagers in the school and not in a good way either. I have tried plenty of times to get her to calm down, but there was no use. She's gotten the bad rep of being with most of the school's boys and stealing boyfriends.

"Yeah, I think so. Not so sure who, though." Nycole says while they go and sit back at their table.

I sigh and continue with what I am doing. Thank goodness there is one more class after this one. All the gossip, false gossip that goes on around this school is so stupid. No one cares about the truth or anything remotely close to it, but I am just glad that I am never one to be the topic of gossip.