Rumor Has It

Chapter 1

"Hey, Zahle! Who'd ya fuck to get that A this time?" A young man sporting a bomber with his college's emblem calls out from a distance. His peers snicker around him, and they too have their eyes locked on Hayden as he passes them by. With a nonchalant front, he flips them the bird and smirks at their scoffing, ignoring their outrage as he makes his way for his first class of the school year.

Fourth year. Spring. University life is frustrating, but for Hayden, the grind is all the same. The sight of blooming flowers and excited freshmen are meant to refresh his eyes after a long and dreary summer filled with heaps of papers and books, but the slightest thought of optimism irks him. Behind all those smiles are mouths shaped and set to spread baseless rumors, needless gossip, and dubious hearsay. It doesn't matter who, what, when, or where—for him, everyone is all and the same. Even the sweetest of faces hide their own dirty secrets behind the cleanest of intentions.

Hayden passes by the faculty office and takes a quick peek at a sheet of paper pinned on the bulletin by the door. The Dean's Honor List, it reads, and written right under it is his name. Hayden Zahle. GPA 3.8/4. A proud smile lines his face as he walks off, ignoring the petty whispers from the crowd that surrounds the board. His classroom's just a couple of doors away—under two minutes of enduring stares and gossip.

Sitting alone at his favorite corner by the door, he slides off his bag and drops it on his desk. He sees new and familiar faces alike from his seat, but as he's about to take out a notebook, everyone's eyes are on him like he's at the center of the spotlight. The professor eyes him from the top of his glasses and hums.

"It's a pleasure seeing you in my class this semester, Zahle," the man—around his early forties or so—greets with half a smile. "Will I be seeing you next meeting, or will we meet again during the preliminaries?"

The class looks at each other with hushed laughter.

"I watch my absences rather keenly, Mr. Olsen," Hayden retorts with cunning.

"You have them planned out already? I admire your forethought."

"For someone who's used to this, I'll take that as a compliment."

His classmates' grins shift into grimaces and begin to whisper among themselves. "He's got the balls to tell that to the prof." "How can he be so proud of his shitty attitude?" "I guess the rumors were right after all." Their criticisms cease only when the professor hushes them to mark the start of the class. The bell rings, and out comes everyone's pens as they hear marker squeaks across the large whiteboard.

* * *

In Hayden's next class, the doors slam open and everyone's heads turn towards the back entrance. In comes a slender yet haggard young man with unkempt hair, sweats, and a parka—his fashion sense screaming 'I grabbed the closest thing I can find so I won't miss the train' more than anything else.

"Desmond Irvine!" the professor chides. "You have the gall to be late in your first class!"

Desmond pinches the area between his brows and moseys to an empty seat. "Professor, please... Not too loud... I have a really bad headache right now..."

"Great, now we get two whores in the same room," one of the students in the third row whispers. His seatmate snickers, but stops upon witnessing the professor's glare, not wishing to incur her wrath. Still, murmurs and whispers float around the classroom as the lecture goes on. Simply put, Hayden's classmates find him just as detestable.

"For goodness' sake, all you shut up and settle down!" the irate professor exclaims, and her voice echoes within the now-silent lecture hall. "Mr. Irvine, sit down and try to keep your nightly activities to a minimum. For this semester, at least."