"Nice manipulation, huh?"
"Oh! I think she has an other article in her backpack."
"Not articles. She probably has birth control pills or even...drugs."
When has the article created these many rumours that weren't even true? Why had this spun out of control like I was some gangster with forty babies? I was once the school's most known person as the quiet one who got bullied by the popular clique. And now, I was the school's most known person as the slut who got high and played with people's boyfriends.
"Don't let them get to you," Lucas told me quietly.
"How can this not get to me, Lucas?" I jolted, irritated. "How can I avoid something that's going on about me right in front of me?!"
A look of concern flashed on Lucas' face, but I didn't have the confidence to keep my head high. I lost all respect‐ if I even had any.
"It's not true. We know that," he said. I stopped in the hallway, ignoring the eyes staring at me. I looked up at Lucas, who was expressionless right now.
"If you did, why are you still here?" I furrowed my brows. "You know what they will think if you are walking right next to me. You know what they will say when they see you acting nonchalant with me. You know‐"
"Maya, I know," he said. I went slack jawed, not believing this guy. "I told you, I'm gonna fix this."
"Oh, nice going," I said sarcastically.
He rolled his eyes and walked into his first period class. I was looking at the ground the whole time, so I didn't even know where we were going. It was now that I noticed his class was on the other side of school, somewhere I've never been before. Looking straight ahead, I saw a looming hallway, dark and a little scary. It was probably the forbidden hallway, the one Stiles and I went to, to look for Aspen.
I tried to find a familiar hallway, and when I did, I probably heard 13 assumptions from everyone around me to what was in my backpack. If I had the guts and strength, I probably would've thrown it across the room and screamed, "A binder, a pencil case, and some sanity!"
I sighed sadly, finding my math classroom and walking inside. It seemed like everyone froze in spot as they watched me sit beside Sofia, who was pursing her lips so tightly I thought she had white lipstick on with it. A second later, whispers broke out and I put my fingers to my forehead. I really was getting a headache now. In fact, I think I might catch up on that cold again.
"Maya," Sofia said softly. I looked at her. She looked sad, no more or less than me. "Maya, I'm really sorry for what ever is going on. I know this really must be a lot to you."
"If I can get a paper bag and a mute button, I'll be perfectly fine," I said. I expected her to smile, but she didn't. She jutted out her bottom lip. Wrong sign. I knew Sofia was even more emotional than me. I didn't want her to breakdown and embarrass herself in front of twenty students.
"Sofia, nothingis your fault. I can promise you that I will hold on until the school year is over. Than I never have to see those faces again or hear those voices another time."
"You know," she said, wiping her nose with her sleeve. "You're so strong. But now, I'm starting to think that it's all woven into your skin like a thread. You got used to it so much, you just forget to get insulted."
Half of my appetite was gone for lunch when I heard Sofia's description of my normality. But she was wrong. I was insulted. I just didn't give.
"So, how were the three days when I was gone?" I asked her. Lucas didn't tell me so might as well ask someone who would. Sofia shifted in her seat uncomfortably. I knew she didn't want to tell me but when I narrowed my eyes, she sighed.
