The F-boy Project

Chapter 18: Appropiate

Appropriate

"Look, it's Melanie!"

"Oh my god, she looks pissed!"

"Well, I wouldn't blame her. If Oliver broke up with me, I'd be pretty upset too."

"Oliver is such a hoe."

I rolled my eyes at the comments drifting throughout the hallway as I made my way to first period. It wasn't even the start of school yet everyone was saying that Oliver was hoeing around with someone since yesterday. To be clear, it was another person instead of Melanie. However, in my opinion, it didn't even seem like he was with her in the first place. But that goes to show just how shallow the student population can be.

I skirted past a grumbling group of freshman girls, their faces stark with disapproval. Just like everyone else, they were watching Melanie cross the hall.

"No one is moving," complained April as I entered class. She was peeking out the door, staring at groups of kids watching Melanie walk away. She stepped back and we headed to our desks, sitting down.

I shrugged in response, angling my body so I wouldn't have to see the door. "Everyone's out watching Melanie, probably waiting for Oliver too, so of course no one is gonna move."

"There's too much damn drama in this school," April muttered yet her face turned into a smirk when she looked behind me.

"Aaron, hey, did you hear?"

"Huh," he asked as he sat down.

I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair as April told him about Melanie.

"What kind of logic do you have," I asked her once she was done. "You just said there was too much drama and now you're adding on it."

"April, did you just say that Melanie Warsnoff has herpes!" A classmate hissed, leaning over the side of her desk.

April nodded. "There's a rash on her neck. I saw it yesterday when I walked in the bathroom; she was looking at it in the mirror and that's a sign of herpes. Just watch, during cheer practice she's totally not gonna lift up her hair because she'll be so embarrassed."

I gave April a look as our classmate turned away. "Do you enjoy spreading rumors?"

"Ditty, if you're worried I spread rumors about you, don't be," April shot me a sweet smile then her voice became serious. "I would never do that. Whoever did needs to shut up."

I shrugged, pushing away the memory of me crying out of the student council room. That day, for a good period, the bathroom was my safe haven.

"It doesn't matter," I replied, shrugging again. "Like, I'm pretending they don't exist. But thanks though."

April raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything. I gave her a weak smile in response before our eyes jerked up to the intercom as it crackled.

"Teachers, pardon the interruption, but please check your emails. There is an attachment for a few slides you show before you begin class. Thank you."

Everyone looked around in confusion, then focused on Mr. Gardener as he grumbled something incoherently before logging onto his computer. This was weird, but only because there has never been a reason to show slides before first period. I couldn't help but have a premonition something was up, and it didn't help that as a habit, my gaze slid over to Tyler.

My stomach flipped as if I was on a long drop on a roller coaster. He was slumped in his seat, his eyes focused on the edge of his desk as he fiddled with a mechanical pencil. He looks so lost...