It Started With A Whisper

Chapter 1- Back To Hell

It’s funny what a rumor can do to one’s life, especially when people are so gullible as to believe everything said. Lives can be destroyed and made with a rumor as basis. For example, that girl that you just think you saw a baby bump on because it couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that she just came out of lunch. That guy that hugged his friend must have some underlying feelings for her because there’s just no possible way that girls and guys can be best friends, right? 

                High school revolves around many things, rumors being one of them. I can hear them as my tennis shoes meet the tiled floor with every step.

                He’s back.

                I heard he killed the guard in order to get out.

                I heard he already jumped someone this morning.

                I shake my head at all the preposterous things floating around the school hallways. The halls seem to be crowded today because no one dare miss the return of Alexandrew Powers to school. Too bad it’s not for his welcome back party. The crowd seems to be anxiously waiting for the arrival of Alex, to scrutinize him no doubt. But, who am I to judge? A couple of years ago I was them, I’d be adding details to the story and passing it around as it filled the school’s gossip mill. I look down at my print for the paper and begin to check it over for any mistakes.

                “Do you have any news for me?” I ask my best friend Ryan as I come to a stop at my locker, too engrossed in my reading that I didn’t notice the difference in guy that was standing before me.

                “School newspaper, huh? Guess some things haven’t changed and to think I thought you’d learn your lesson,” I look up into the green taunting eyes of Alexandrew Powers, even his name sounds intimidating to me.

                “I don’t have to explain myself to you,” I proceed to empty my books in their metal confine as I switch some out and place them inside my bag. He seems a bit taken aback by my response but last night I realized that I have to make him see I didn’t do what he thinks I did. I wasn’t the one that landed him in jail and he has no reason to blame me, but of course life’s not perfect and I also came to the realization of how in the hell is he going to believe me? So, in the end I decided to ignore him and his little comments, he has to get bored and leave me alone eventually, right?

                “Mickey, Mickey, did you hear who’s back?” I face palm myself as my best friend’s eager voice fills the hallway, his voice carrying all the way to my ears and Alex’s, unfortunately. I turn to see his running figure and shake my head at him hoping he gets the message.

                “You haven’t, well I just heard that-,” he trails off as I start to drag my index finger across my neck, nodding my head to the side where Alexandrew stands.

                “Yeah, stop threatening me you have to hear what I have to say,” he finally comes at a stop in front of me. Hunching his figure as he places his hands on his knees desperately trying to catch his breath, he finally looks up to notice Alex.

                “I just wanted to let you know that they’re serving tater tots today cause I know you love them,” he tries and fails miserably to downplay what he was going to really inform me of. His eyes drift from Alex’s expressionless face to me. He does this a couple more times before finally breaking the awkward silence.

                “You alright there Mickey, I got 911 on speed dial,” Ryan makes a show of taking his phone out of his pocket only for it to start blaring Trey Songz’s Say Ahh.  He looks down at it before groaning and ignoring the call.