A Surreptitious Relationship

:A Surreptitious Relationship: Chapter Twenty-Nine

On Wednesday I was well rested and ready to face the school day. Humming happily to myself, I nearly skipped up the steps to the doors. I managed to contain myself in order not to make a complete fool of myself. Usually Chris would be waiting in the entrance hallway for me, but today he wasn't. Maybe I'd arrived too late. Shrugging, I continued down the empty hall to the main building, where it was also empty. This time I was surprised. There were always groups of senior students in this hallway in their little groups, chatting. It was our hallway. 

My gaze wandered to the far end of the hall where I noticed a few female students standing idly around, standing on their tiptoes, and trying to see something. Whatever they were attempting to look at was around the corner and out of my field of vision. Loud chatter came from around the corner as well. Curious, I started down the hall, walking a little faster than normal. As I came to the corner, the girls I'd been watching turned toward me, their eyes widening. I returned their look with a hesitant smile. They were obviously way younger than me, probably freshmen. Why were they in the senior hallway?" 

I glanced around the corner and my eyes widened when I realized there was a huge mass of people standing around, some of them talking loudly, some of them whispering. They were all standing around the display case. A few guys in my grade were shoving each other out of the way of the case so they could see into it. Moving forward, I maneuvered around some younger students, trying to look at what they were looking at. 

A sinking feeling spread through me as a few people turned toward me, their expressions turning to shock as their eyes passed my face. Panic began to rise in my throat and I started to push people out of the way, trying to get through the huge gathering to the display case. My thoughts immediately went to those pictures. There was no way Aaron would have posted those for everyone to see. He wouldn't do that... Would he? 

That question was answered as I caught a glimpse of the item inside the case. There were three pictures in it, each about the size of my biology book. Immediately I recognized Jeremy and myself. A wave of nausea washed over me and my hand shot up to cover my mouth. I could have dealt with Aaron telling the administration. That could have easily been resolved by either pretending all those pictures were of the other Holly, or telling them I was Jeremy's cousin. Hell, even Jeremy getting fired wouldn't be that bad. This however... 

"Holly," an amused voice started from behind me. "I didn't realize you had it in you to do something so scandalous." 

Glancing over my shoulder I saw a guy in my grade I wasn't really friends with grinning at me. My mouth was completely dry. "I..." 

"You've got guts," he complimented clapping me on the shoulder. 

"What a slut," someone else muttered from my side. 

I whipped around to see who made the comment. It was a sophomore from the softball team. "You're one to talk," I snapped at her, remembering all the rumors that had gone around. Generally I didn't believe rumors, but she had no basis to call me a slut. 

She looked embarrassed I'd heard her. After glaring at her for another moment, she disappeared back further into the crowd. I returned my attention back to the display case, trying to ignore the people surrounding me chatting about me. How was I supposed to remove the pictures? The case was locked. How had Aaron managed to get them in there in the first place? 

"Mr. Ross? That's not fair! I want to date him!" a girly voice complained. 

I continued to make an effort to disregard the discussion going on around me, but my ears still caught some things. 

"I bet she's using him for a good grade." 

"That's not like Holly at all!" 

"Hey, I don't blame her, I'd tap that."