Life As I Know It (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-three - Payback

          What the hell was going on?

          I'd separated ways with Drew once we arrived at college, and as I headed to my form room for registration, I got the distinct feeling that people were staring at me. I smiled at a couple of girls that were in my English class as I walked by and was surprised when they didn't smile back or say 'hi'. As I walked further down the corridor, I could see people looking and laughing at me. I knew I wasn't imagining some of the dirty looks girls sent my way.

          A feeling of dread began to build up in me. This was exactly how Kelley had said she'd felt that night she went to the party. Were there rumours going round about me? That had to be it. I was also going to take a not-so-wild guess and say Maddy was behind this too.

         "Slut," a girl sniggered as she shrugged passed me. I ignored her.

           Hearing my phone beep, I pulled it out of my school bag to see that I'd gotten a text from Kelley.

           There's a rumour going around about you too!

           Her warning was a little late, but I appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

           I walked into my form room and saw Kelley sitting by herself in a corner, which was not where we usually sat. There was a large group of girls sitting in another corner and they were staring and whispering, not even caring that she could see and probably hear them too. Judging by the colour slowly making itself up her face, I could tell she was spitting mad.

           I wasn't going to cower. That would only make me seem guilty. So I caught Kelley's eyes and tilted my head towards the seats where we usually sat. She looked surprised but got up and came and sat by me. Our form room, like all our other lessons, had groups within it, with friends sitting next to one another. But although everyone had their own friends, we did usually talk to one another. No one talked to Kelley and I today.

            "So, how was your guys' holidays? Did you do anything interesting?" I smiled and turned to the group of girls next me and acted like nothing was wrong. I could feel Kelley kicking me under the table, but I ignored her.

            "Uh... yeah. It was good..." Shannon, a quiet, mousy girl replied. The girls around her looked like she'd committed a felony.

           One thing I knew for sure due to all my years here was that once a rumour started, it would eventually bowl over as another one took its place. But, it never fully went away. The girl who got pregnant last year, would always be the girl who got pregnant... maybe that was the rumour? I was pregnant?

           I needed a subtle way to find out.

            "Really? That's great." I elbowed Kelley in the stomach as her kicks got harder and more annoying.

            "Miss Devlin?" a voice called from the front of the classroom. I turned to see one of the women who worked in the main office standing there. "Mrs Baker would like to see you in her office."

           The silence that had settled over the classroom dissolved into loud whispering as I got up from my seat and headed towards the door. I could see her frown as she took in the classroom and the empty seat at the front where our teacher should be. No doubt, she would be logging it down somewhere and mentioning it to the head of department or whoever it was in charge.

            "She thinks she's so much better than the rest of us... what a slut..."

            "Is that even legal?"