Everyone Knew Jax Morrison

f o u r // rumors

My eyes flicker between my left and my right, and although something seems off, I can't quite put my finger on it.

Everyone is giving me weird stares, and by everyone, I mean every single breathing creature I have come across. Even the street cats seem to eye me suspiciously as I walk into the school lot.

I am used to pitying stares, curious stares and even indifferent stares. But I am not used to people looking at me like I am some character straight out of a cartoon, or like I have three heads coming out of my back. So much for being a ghost, it seems.

I dart towards my locker, my legs moving faster than bullets. I quickly open it, sorting my books into place, before I realize a note has just fallen off onto the ground. Weird.

I bend down, picking it up and unfolding it. I look over my shoulder, trying to figure out whether or not the guilty individual is still in sight.

My looking is unproductive and it even turns out to be unnecessary, as I read through the carefully designed words.

We need to talk. What the heck happened between you and Lara Reynell? -Kayin

I scowl at the question. I guess now I understand why everyone is eyeing me suspiciously. Knowing this high school like I do, rumor has probably already spread about mine and Lara's moment at yesterday's party. None of these people know a thing about what actually happened though, and any outsider would've thought it was more than it actually was.

I sigh, running a hand through my tangled brown locks. Kayin has probably tried to text me at least a dozen times, but I had forgotten to check my phone, after waking up almost too late to reach first period and joining the marathon to get here on time. My guess is correct as I stare at the ten unread messages from his number. Still, Kayin just couldn't wait for lunch break, he just had to leave a note the old fashioned way. Well, he would wait anyway.

Even though people are whispering nonsense, for sure, all that happened was that Lara needed a shoulder to cry on. I just so happened to have a shirt I didn't care enough about. Besides, there was this feeling inside me that I owed her that.

I close my locker, heading towards Biology class. I am not surprised by the fact that everyone seems to already be there, so I choose to sit by myself at the very back row. This is one of the two classes me and Kat don't share, the other being Economics, so I know this is going to be a questionless class. She and Kayin are the only ones who would have the guts to ask for the truth, and while I would be more than happy to explain, I'd rather not do it in front of a very angry Biology teacher.

So, taking a long and deep breath, I endure almost an hour of silent 'what were you doing with Lara Reynell' stares.

***

"So you're telling me you didn't make out with her?" Kat grips her apple juice in her calloused hand. Her eyes are fixated on me, and Kayin has his hands behind his head, a smirk on his face.

"I've been told there was some heavy groping, too," my eyebrows furrow in confusion. With such vivid imaginations, I bet half of the student body will become famous writers someday.

"And you believe them?" I scoff. Suddenly, the idea amuses me. Me, invisible Nico Morrison, sucking the life out of Queen Bee, Lara Reynell. Well, that would've made it two Morrisons to have done it.

The school's canteen is busier than usual, and that is probably because today's menu is somewhat appealing. That is, if you're into hot dogs. Kat and Kayin are sitting in front of me in our usual table, right next to a soda vending machine. The loud chattering of my school colleagues is almost deafening, but at least it isn't half as bad as yesterday's music.