There’s the usual ‘she’s pregnant’ rumors, the ‘she’s transexual’ ones that come from being enrolled in BSA for my first few weeks in Bellevue Springs, then of course, the obvious ‘she’s fucking Colton to get ahead in life’ rumors.
None of them hold any merit and as the girls at this school have gotten to know me over the past few weeks, they’ve come to learn this shit isn’t enough to faze me. All of it is too obvious, too much too soon.
The bitches only just arrived back at the school and within seconds, rumors are flying like announcements being made. If they wanted to make it believable, they should have waited a few days and then spread it like Chinese whispers so the gossipy girls would take their word for it. Instead, they just look like a bunch of bitches, annoyed that their big brother’s attention is somewhere else. Besides, the girls of this school would rather hang onto me with my connection to Colton than be on the side that’s so clearly against him.
I drop into my seat in the cafeteria and take a bite of my sandwich as Drix drops down beside me. “Girl,” she laughs. “Have you heard the latest rumor?”
I groan and roll my eyes before glancing over at her. “Is this one actually worth mentioning or is it some stupid shit about being abused as a child?”
“Oh no, nothing like that,” she tells me. “They’re starting to get a little more creative.”
“Oh, yeah?” I question, actually intrigued for once.
Drix nods. “Yeah, so the word is that you were booted out of BSA because you were having an affair with that PE teacher that got arrested.”
“Hmm,” I say, thoughtful, trying not to gag at the thought of getting with that predator. “That one’s got a little bit of merit. It’s certainly more entertaining than the pregnant one and would leave someone wondering. I give it a solid six out of ten. Though, they would have earned extra points if they combined the pregnant rumor with that one. Now that’s a scandal that would have got the student body talking, but in reality, they’re only doing me a favor by highlighting the very real issues within that school.”
“Right?” she laughs. “They really haven’t thought this one through. But I’m not done yet. It gets a little juicier.”
I wave my hand out, inviting her to continue. “Then what are you waiting for? Hit me with it.”
Hendrix laughs, knowing all too well that these rumors have been bouncing straight off me. I mean, after spending my night fretting that I was maybe a murderer and having Nic and the boys tear my life apart with the truth of who I am, a little scandalous rumor isn’t going to hurt me.
“So, you were screwing the old PE teacher and then dobbed him in when you thought you were going to get caught, but instead of having the Dean kick you out back then, you started screwing him too and that’s why he allowed you to stay there for so long.”
“Ewwwww. Dean Simmons? He’s balding, fat, and has a sweaty, body odor issue.”
“I know,” she laughs. “but don’t worry, that one won’t stick either. As if anyone is going to believe you were dropping your panties for them when you were screwing around with guys like Milo, Charlie, and Colton.”
“You know I never actually screwed Milo, right? We’re just friends.”
A knowing grin spreads across her face and she gently nudges me with her elbow. “Uh-huh. Really, really good friends.”
I roll my eyes. Clearly, she thinks I’m holding back on that one but whatever, it really doesn’t matter. The more girls that people think Milo’s been with, the better for his whole ‘hiding out in his closet’ thing he’s got going on.
Realizing I'm not about to give her anymore to go off, she moves the conversation along but the excited sparkle in her eyes instantly puts my nerves on edge. “You know, I think our parents really hit it off at the Gatsby party. Who knows, we could be sisters one day.”
“Oh, geez,” I laugh. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. They danced for a little while and had dinner together. It’s not as though they were planning their wedding.”
“I don’t know,” she says with a shrug, looking down at her lunch. “You don’t know my dad like I do. He was so into her. To him, that’s pretty much a done deal.”
I raise my brow as I look back at Hendrix with a million thoughts roaming through my mind, every single one of them wondering if Mom is even ready for something like this. “Are you sure? Because I haven’t seen my mom like that for ages. She was practically shining with him. My dad only died eight months ago, and that’s still really fresh for her, for both of us, but at the same time, I want her to be happy. If your dad could make her happy …”
A seriousness comes over her and she looks at me as though she’s diving right into the bottom of her heart to find the right words. “You know, my dad is a real genuine guy and if your mom isn’t ready and whatever they felt on Saturday night is real, then I really think he’d wait. He's not the kind to screw a woman around and to be really honest with you, I haven’t seen him happy like that in a really long time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “As long as your mom feels the same too, then I think this could actually turn into something.”
“All this from just one night together?”
“Just think about how romantic it would be. It’s literally a Cinderella story. They met at the ball and everything.”
“I’d hardly call the Gatsby party a ball.”
“True, but around here, it’s probably the closest we’d ever get.”
“Bullshit,” I laugh. “If I even hinted to Colton that I wanted to go to some fancy ball, he’d have the party planners and caterers there within minutes.”
“Good point,” she laughs. “That guy has got it bad for you.”
I can’t help the warm, fond smile that stretches across my face. “Yeah, he kinda does, doesn’t he?”
“Understatement of the year,” she tells me. “We might not have really known each other during that masquerade ball but I was there, and I saw the way he danced with you, everyone did. And then that kiss … fuck me, if only I was that lucky. Everyone here knows what you mean to each other. There’s no denying it. At every party and even on that boat right at the beginning, he watches you. He’s so aware of everything that you do. You two are like a real-life Romeo and Juliet.”
I gape at her. “Romeo and Juliet died at the end of the story.”
“Yeah, well, take out that part and the whole families at war thing and then ...wait. I’m pretty sure there was an arranged marriage in there somewhere too. You know what, screw it, you guys aren’t Romeo and Juliet. That was a bad example. You can be a modern-day telling of Cinderella.”
“How did this conversation go from trying to set up our parents to figuring out what me and Colton are supposed to be? Can’t we just be us?”
Drix shrugs, looking less than impressed by the idea. “I mean, I guess you could just be you two, but that’s so boring.”
“Forgive me, I didn’t realize my life was supposed to be here for your sole entertainment. However shall I make it up to you?”