The Boys are Back in Town

The Boys are Back in Town: Eighteen

The morning started out great, and I was relieved that I didn't have to keep anything from Andre and Adrian, but when I got to my locker my day quickly started to go downhill.

Jenna and her best friend Anna, along with two other girls from their group, Krista and Jade were hovering in front of my locker. They all looked at me as I approached.

"Oh my god, there she is," Krista said, eyebrows pulled together as she surveyed me from head to toe. "You know, it's always the quiet ones."

"It's crazy, isn't it?" Jade replied.

"Pardon," I said, and they parted to let me open my locker. I didn't know what they wanted, and I had a feeling I didn't want to find out.

"So, how was it?" Jade asked as she faced me.

I glanced at her in surprise, then at Jenna and Anna who both looked away. "How was what?"

"How was it, sleeping with all of the Dashwood brothers?"

I dropped my English textbook and gaped at her. "Excuse me?"

"Did you go in order?" Krista added, lips curling. "Adrian, Alek and then Andre to top it off?"

"Hold on," Anna protested. Jenna remained silent, only looking at me.

"Oh my god, Krista," Jade laughed. "That's disgusting."

"It really is," she agreed. "Isn't it, Clair?"

I shook my head and closed my locker. Anna handed me my textbook with an apologetic glance before she pulled Jenna away. Krista and Jade remained, silently daring me to reply. I really only had two options: I could walk away and ignore them or I could talk back. I didn't see any point in doing the latter because I'd never before heard such a stupid rumor about me and the boys.

In the end, I tucked my book inside my bag and walked away.

"No wonder she walks funny," Jade called out, loud enough for everyone to hear.

***

I was grateful I didn't have any classes with Krista and Jade. They'd never really talked to me before today despite the fact that we all grew up in this town. Their hostility both surprised and unnerved me and I found that I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes. I knew their rumors had circulated because I found my classmates sneaking glances when they thought I wasn't looking.

It has been said before, but I hated being the center of attention.

I was able to avoid more stares only because I spent my lunch hour in the library instead of joining Julia and Andre at the quad. I told them both I had to finish an assignment for my next class.

The day progressively got worse when I was called on in French class and my mind completely blanked. I couldn't remember how to conjugate perdre in past tense and another student had asked out of turn, "Avez-vous perdu votre cerise?" to the amusement of the entire class. I ducked my head in apology when madame's eyes narrowed and counted down the hour on my watch.

Andre had track and told me Adrian would pick him up so I was free to leave right after. When the bell rang, I was the first one out the door. Just before I reached my car, my phone alerted me to a text message from Julia.

Why are people extra stupid today??

That was enough for me to know that she'd heard. I replied with a sad face and got in my car before the lot filled with students. I didn't want to know if Andre had heard.

Before I could register what I was doing, I made a left turn heading to Alek's neighborhood instead of going straight to my own. When I saw Elba in the distance I breathed a little easier.

I let myself in and found the house empty. I went upstairs to Alek's room where I found his computer and his reading materials gone. He probably went to the library to study. I dropped my bag by the door and took off my shoes before I curled into his bed, hugging one of his pillows to my chest.

I found it easy to close my eyes and let myself drift off.

I came to when I felt the side of the bed dip. I opened my eyes and found the sky turning dark outside the window. Alek gently pushed my hair off my face, tension marking his normally relaxed features.

"I guess Andre told you?" I mumbled. He settled down beside me and I found myself moving closer as his arm circled around me.

"He called," he said quietly, and his arm tightened around my waist when I buried my head in his chest.

"It was so humiliating," I whispered. "Why would they do that?"

He was quiet for a long moment, as if he couldn't figure out the answer to that question either. Then he said, simply, "Let's go."

"Where to?"

"Where we always go when you've had a bad day," he said, thumb tracing circles along my hip. "The bookstore."