Break the Bad Girl

Changes

"So, I heard this insane new rumor," Aria said as she sat on the empty seat opposite to me in the cafeteria, her eyes burning with excitement.

"Hello to you too, Aria," I chuckled, taking a fry off her tray and nibbling on it.

"Yeah, yeah, hello, Lia," she waved me off, but then leaned forward, "Won't you ask what I heard?"

Aria was the gossip queen of the school and honestly, if you want to know anything about anyone, you go to Aria. There's nothing that she doesn't know of and sometimes that scares me, because there are some things that I'd rather her not knowing.

Sighing, I gave in, deciding to humor her, "What did you hear from the 'oh, so wonderful' gossip mill of this school, Aria?"

"Well, since you're so excited to hear it, I'll tell you," She grinned, pleased to have gotten her way with me once again, "I heard that the new boy is staying at your place."

I kept my face blank as I looked at her. "Um, okay."

A small part of me didn't want Aria or anyone in our school to know that Reece was actually living with us. I was not ready to deal with all the stupid rumors that will get associated with them finding out that one truth. As gossip obsessed as Aria was, this information will be like feeding her inner demons, satisfying them – I didn't want to do that.

"Okay?" she asked, her voice masked with shock, "Is that all you can say? Why aren't you calling that rumor stupid?"

I shrugged, taking a bite out of my burger, enjoying the taste. Contrary to popular beliefs, the cafeteria food in our school actually tasted very good. Whoever held the contract for cafeteria at our school had to be a professional chef or something; I was in love with the food they prepared.

"I think I'm going to go get another cheese burger."

"Wait," she muttered, narrowing her eyes at me, "You didn't deny the rumor like you usually do."

"Aria, you know I stopped bothering with all these a long time ago." I tried to play it off as nothing.

It was like she didn't hear me at all, "You don't deny it, unless it's not true," she gasped, her eyes widening a little, "He is living at your house!"

I sighed, giving up again. I have no idea why I was the one always giving up when it came to Aria. What Aria wants, Aria gets. "Yes, Aria. He is." I shrugged, "I'm not denying them because they aren't actually rumors."

"The new boy is staying at your house..." she said, the words slipping out of her mouth slowly.

I nodded, choosing to remain silent. She was going into shock and considering that she wasn't going to be eating her lunch anytime soon, I picked the cheeseburger off her tray. I gave her a few seconds to protest, but when she didn't, I took a huge bite out of it, relishing in the taste.

Just when I thought that she wasn't going to be speaking anything at all anytime soon, she did. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

I made sure not to look at her as I replied, "I'm just seeing you through all day."

"Um, there's something called the phone; I have one, you have one," she placed her phone on the table as if to make a point, narrowing her eyes at me, "You can use it sometimes, when it's something so important."

"I didn't think it was important."

"Hey, Lia," Kevin took that moment to slide into the seat next to me, his tray in front of him. I lifted my hand to give him a small wave as my mouth was busy chewing my food. The ever-present smile on his face slowly slipped away when his eyes travelled from me to Aria. "Whoa! Why are the crazy eyes out?"