The Rumor About Me (Luna East No. 1)

Chapter 2: The Aftermath

What happened after we got out of Bianca's guest bedroom was far from what the rumor mill was spinning the next day. While it was true that Tristan and I continued what we had started, it didn't involve making out. We just drove to McDonald's, ate burgers and fries, talked about his dad's infidelity...and then some.

I was still clueless about why Tristan had chosen to open up to me, of all people. He and I had never crossed paths, had never officially met until the party. Still, he had confided in me as if we were the best of friends.

"Remember when I told them I've always been an open book?" He took a bite of his double cheeseburger. "They might know everything about what I do after school, my favorite movies and stuff like that, but they don't know anything about my family."

I frowned at him as I chewed a french fry. "Why? They're your friends."

"Yeah, some of them. But they wouldn't be friends with me if I weren't in varsity."

I wanted to tell him that he was wrong. Even if he wasn't a popular jock, Luna East's elite would still welcome him to their group. One, he was rich. And two, they wouldn't be able to ignore someone as hot as he was. His tousled hair, almost poreless tanned skin (I just noticed now that I saw him up close), deep-set brown eyes and lean frame were enough to earn him a spot in their clique.

"Well, they're not friends with the chess team," I pointed out instead. "They think chess players have no place in their group because they aren't cool enough. In fact, they feel so superior that they think they're the most important people in Luna East."

Tristan didn't say anything.

I bit my tongue after realizing that I had said too much. "Sorry."

He just smiled. "That's okay. Everyone thinks we're mean. But a few of us are okay."

"Like you."

His smile grew wider. "I don't play by their rules, if that's what you mean."

We went back talking about his dad, and he asked again if he should come clean with his mom. I told him it was his call. After all, he obviously knew his mom more than I did. But I advised him to think things through for a few more days before taking action, and that he should still consider talking to his dad first. He still didn't like that idea, but he said he'd think about it.

He sighed in relief. "Thank you, Carly. It was nice letting this all out. I felt like I was about to burst if I didn't share it with someone."

I smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood. "You should have talked to your close friends about this instead of waiting for Bianca to start a Truth or Dare game."

He chuckled, finishing his Coke. "Ah, but I prefer this. It's a good thing I saw you at the party."

I couldn't hide my smile. Maybe being Bianca's waitress at her pool party wasn't that bad after all.

***

"Carlota Gonzaga! Spill!" Marge said in a stage whisper, still wearing her football uniform. Obviously, she'd heard about the rumor from her teammates during practice before heading straight to the library.

"What?" I asked innocently while putting the returned books on the shelf.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about. You and Tristan!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

"Can you keep your voice down?" I hissed, pushing the book cart and stopping at the next shelf.

"I am not calming down until you tell me what happened between you and Tristan at Queen B's guest bedroom," she said, stomping her cleats. "Come on, I can't believe you're not telling me."

"Nothing happened, okay? We just talked," I said, straining and standing on tiptoe to put a book on the top shelf.

Marge grabbed the book from my hand and effortlessly put it on the shelf. "But that wasn't what the girls at the locker room were saying. You two left together right after Seven Minutes in Heaven."

"Yes, we went to McDonald's and talked some more."

She bombarded me with questions. "What did you talk about? Why did you have to leave? Can't you talk at the party?" She leaned closer. "B was furious. You know how she likes Tristan."

I blinked. I didn't know Bianca liked Tristan. "It's a little complicated, Marge."

"Complicated?" she echoed. "Did you two really hook up?"

"No, of course we didn't," I said hastily. "Sheesh, you know jocks don't go out with student-assistants."

"But he picked you for Seven Minutes! He's not even supposed to pick his partner in the first place."

"Five. Bianca cut it down to five minutes," I corrected, then turned to her with a serious look on my face. "Listen, I really want to tell you what Tristan and I talked about, but it's not my secret to tell."

"So you're sharing secrets now?"

I pushed the book cart and went to the next aisle. "He's sharing secrets, not me. I didn't ask for it..."

Marge followed me, pouting. "Still, he chose you."

***

Yep, he chose me. And it still remained a mystery for the next few days.

My routine went on as usual: classes all day with a bit of library work squeezed in the afternoon. But it didn't feel the same. While I was used walking down the hallway without anyone noticing me, this time I felt like I was always in the spotlight.

The rumor still hadn't subsided. In fact, it was getting more and more absurd by the minute. One said that we had parked his car at McDonald's to make out all night, which was dumb because if I really wanted to make out, I would have gone to a more private place.

I usually wasn't worried about what people thought of me-until I got involved in all this. It was lunch break, and I was inside one of the restroom's cubicles when I heard people enter. Their voices told me that they were part of the Elite.

"I still can't believe Tristan went for that ditz," Girl No. 1 said.

"Were you at B's party?"

"Yeah. But I didn't have the chance to see what she looked like," Girl No. 2 answered.

I put down the toilet lid carefully and sat down to listen.

"Ugh, don't bother checking her out. She isn't anything," Girl No. 3 advised. "Typical nobody. I heard she works at the library after class."

"I know, right? I saw her once at the hallway. Eew, you should see her hair. It looked like a broom!" Girl No. 1 giggled.

My hands quickly went up to my hair. Then I felt my chest tighten as the girls started laughing.

"And she looks so pale, like all the blood had been drained from her body," Girl No. 3 went on. "Gosh, it would have been okay if Tristan had just gotten back with his ex. But hooking up with that dweeb? Nah-uh. So unacceptable."

They continued throwing more insults at me. I wanted to get out of there, but it was just too humiliating. Who did they think they were to say those mean things about me? What gave them the right?

Their voices died down a few minutes later. It took me a while before I slowly opened the cubicle door to check if they had already left. When I found out they did, I locked the door again, sat on the toilet bowl and started crying.