No Pills

School of Gossips

* Mia's P.O.V*

"So," Noah asks, "did you find him?"

"Yes." I sit back in front of my desk.

"And?"

"And what?" I snort at his expectant look.

He groans. "What happened?"

This makes me tell him that I asked Charlie to tutor me, to which he says, "No way," and sits up.

I shrug, opening my textbook when he frowns. "Wait - why?"

"Because when I asked him how Chemistry went, he was like -" I lean back and lower my voice to mimic him. "- Easy."

Instantly, Noah's jaw drops. I nod my head as if to utter I know, right?!!

"Bro's magnificent. Restrain me when I see him again. "

"Bars." I slap the desk. "Now, get behind them before your girlfriend does."

"She's aware that I'm attracted to brains."

"Oh, so..." I survey the class for nerds before continuing, "You find Anna attractive?"

His grin falls. "No."

"Why not?" I'm genuinely surprised. They like teasing each other, and some classmates have shipped them.

"Because." He hesitates, then looks at me, astonished.

"Do you not know why?"

I shake my head.

"Mia." He sits up. "Who is the flip-the-bottle champ of the school."

I shrug.

"What's our football team's colours?"

"Don't ask me the colour of anything, Noah."

"Who is the quarterback?"

The jerk." Joshua Diler."

"Well, at least you know that," he sighs. "What do you even come to school for if you don't know what's up?"

"To learn," I say in a 'duh' tone

"No, Mia." He makes a tsk-tsk sound. "Repeat after me, "We come to learn and gossip."

"Ok, that's enough of you." I turn away.

"But, seriously," he says, grabbing my attention again. " How do you not know? The rumour was literally in the magazine's last edition, and heck- I'm sure Anna had to sell her soul to make the school press revise the copies that weren't sold."

I do not like meddling in people's affairs, but this guy has been hinting at this for so long now that I have to ask, "Ok, what did Anna do?"

Our teacher chooses this moment to walk in.

*

I don't get my answer, not even at recess, because I have to go to the sick bay and the school counsellor. My tummy stings from climbing so many stairs to the rooftop, and now that the exams are over, I have no reason to postpone a counselling session primarily intended for me to stay alive.

When I reach the school nurse's workspace, she recognises that the area she creamed the last time is where my reddened stitches are.

"Did you bump into someone again?" She gives me a knowing look.

My head shakes. "No. We had to run several laps."

The way she snorts tells me she's used to injured kids trying to get chits to avoid physical education class.