"are you Carson's girlfriend?"

"I heard he was paid."

"Really? What about blackmail?"

"Maybe she paid him."

"Was it a dare?"

"If it is, he's really into it."

"Yeah, I agree."

"He hasn't eaten with the populars in a month. Now we know where he's been spending his half hours."

My lip was on the verge of bleeding from all the biting I'd been doing since I stepped foot into the school.

Carson was attending a special event at his older brother's from college in another town. Bailey was older than Carson four or five years, he would've gone to the community college but he wanted to be with his girlfriend.

So he wouldn't be here all week. He said he'd come back on Thursday but may not go to school. He's been eating with me every day for the last month, making it two months since he started 'flirting' with me.

It was kind of empty without him but the rumours and whispers filled that gap straight away. It was actually not bad with Carson. I actually enjoyed the last two months and my stuttering almost stopped. Now everything backfired. I shouldn't have been so stupid. I should've stayed away.

I didn't dare look up, I kept my eyes trained on the floor in front of me and watched as the sneakers and heels scattered as I walked. Usually, I would have to push through the crowds but this time, they parted.

It was a bad idea to not look up because in a matter of seconds, I was crushed against something hard and fell to the floor.

I sat up, rubbing my tailbone and blinking a few times.

"Sorry," the boy apologised, picking up his books and mine too. I nodded as a small thanks, taking back my books. I was about to walk away when he exclaimed, "Hey! Are you that Iris girl? The one Carson's been all over."

I nodded slowly.

I think the boy's name was Kyle. He was in a grade lower than me so I wasn't quite sure.

"Yeah, it's all over school. What's up with that? I mean, some people witnessed him claiming that you were his friend. Are you? No offence and all but you don't seem like it."

I didn't answer but it wasn't silent for long because the boy continued talking.

"So you're not friends with him? I haven't seen him in the cafeteria for more than a month. People are saying he's been with you. Is that true?"

I bit my lip harder.

"I just wanted to get a clear answer because everyone is talking about it. Are you paying him to talk to you?"

That question struck me harder than lightning. I looked at the ground, practically chewing on my lip. It hurt, it legitimately hurt me that people would think that.

Why would people think that? I've never spoken to anyone before, how could I approach the most popular boy in school and actually have the nerve to pay him to be my friend? I guess that could be why; I never spoke to anyone, making it easy for them to think the unexpected.

I looked up at Kyle with no facial expressions and only a stone cold look. "No."

"All right, I just wanted to make sure. Later." He nodded and walked off.

First period hadn't even started and the day was definitely turned for worse.

The next day wasn't any better. It was much worse, to a point where failing Business class looked like a great idea.

"So...you're the girl Carson's been spending his luxurious time with," Oliver's teasing voice taunted as he sauntered over to me with two other boys tailing behind him. I recognised the two boys as Dante and Gabriel who I know was Carson's friends. Even though I didn't talk to anyone, I was observant and knew that those three boys were from the populars group.

I was only trying to keep my head down and avoid all eye contact with everyone in the hallways. Unfortunately, there was no other way to reach my locker so I had to cross through the dangerous storms of students.

"Hey! Don't ignore us."

I didn't dare open my mouth, pushing past them quickly.

"You don't look so special. Why would Carson waste his time with you?"

That stung, worse than a bee. I could feel my brain telling my eyes to cry but I stopped the signal from travelling to my eyes.

There were a few murmurs in the crowd; all of agreement and suspicion.

I tried my best to ignore them and continued to my locker.

Wednesday came and the whispers constantly pricked my skin. I just brushed them off.

Pushing the toilet door back, the stench hit my nose immediately so I held my breath.

I expected to rinse my face swiftly so I could get to class but that didn't happen.

"Iris!" Alison squealed. "It's so good to see you again!"

I turned around to see if anyone was behind me, who she could possibly be talking to but only the door was there.

She jumped in happiness and ran over to hug me. Her arms wrapped around my two stick arms that hung by my side frozen like hard ice. My limbs didn't work like they were switched off by a remote someone had.

Why was she talking to me? She's not my friend and never was. Alison Shayne was the school's 'It' girl. She wasn't the queen bee though; we didn't have one. All the popular girls were friendly but mean when they could be and I was hoping that Alison has chosen to be friendly today.

Her two friends trailed behind her, hugging me too for several seconds before letting go.

"Iris! It's so nice to meet you again!" Maddy squealed too.

"I'm so glad!" Hannah agreed.

I was too speechless.

What were they even doing? They were standing within ten feet of me and that was strange. Then they claim to miss me? They've never even spoken to me.

The three girls took a few steps back, Alison put her hands on her hips, Hannah who stood on Alison's left, put her right arm on her hip and Maddy did the same on the other side.

It became even more awkward when they just stood there. They didn't squeak a word. They just stood still.

My eyes fell down to the floor and I felt their gazes fixed on me. My habits kicked in and my lip was bitten again, my hands clenched in fists and I put all my weight on one foot and switching it every few seconds.

"Come on, Iris, let's go." Alison beckoned, walking towards me. She hooked her arm through mine and pushed the toilet door open.

I didn't need to look behind to know that the other two girls were following. It was just their natural instincts.

Once we were out in the hallways, everyone stopped and stared. Why wouldn't they? They was the most popular girls in school, cat walking around with a girl like me.

"Anyway, it was so much fun talking to you! I'll see you Friday night!" Alison announced, as if talking to the whole school instead of me.

"Bye!" The girls said in unison, waving their manicured nails at me. They waltzed off in the other direction and most people followed them.

Only a few were left wandering around, but thankfully they paid no attention to me.

That was the most bewildering things that has ever happened to me. What were they talking about? Friday night? They said nothing to me in the girls toilets.

I don't understand why they would do that. What did I do? Did I say something? Did Carson say something?

I shook my head, trying to forget all the issues and focus on school.

Wednesday went agonisingly slow but Thursday eventually came. My lunches were spent normally but instead of sketching well detailed leaves or flowers on the school ground, I drew jagged lines and scribbles. And I'd forgotten to bring food and water too.

As I was walking to my locker, a random girl approached me. She was short and a little plump. Her blonde hair was cut short, a few centimetres shorter than her shoulder. I believe she was in freshman year, then again I wasn't so sure.

"Are you Carson's girlfriend?"

I flushed red at the thought. "N-No."

"Did he get you pregnant?"

I choked on my own spit and my eyes popped open. I had to hit my chest a few times before clearing my throat. "P-Pregnant? Why would I be p-pregnant?"

She shrugged and spoke so casually that it felt like being shot not my a small gun but being hit by a large black cannon. "I don't know. My friends have been wondering why a popular like Carson would hang with someone like you."

I shrugged, trying to pull of the 'I don't know and I don't care facade'. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Can't, he's popular and I'm not," she replied before walking away to her group of friends.

I sunk my teeth deeply into my bottom lip and turned on my heel, heading for the direction of my locker.

But as I walked I heard the girl whispering to her friends, "She said she's not pregnant. What if she's lying? She could be pregnant, maybe that's why she's wearing such an old fashioned baggy jumper."

My steps dragged behind me heavily, as if I was carrying a boulder on my shoulder. The weight was definitely accurate when it can to comparing to the weight of the whispers and rumours.

I walked up to my locker, opening it and placing books in and taking others out.

"I heard he was paid."

"Really? What about blackmail?"

"Maybe she paid him."

"Was it a dare?"

They wouldn't stop. The voices echoed in my head.

"I heard he was paid."

"Really? What about blackmail?"

"Maybe she paid him."

"Was it a dare?"

They were edged in my mind. They were more permanent than tattoos.

"I heard he was paid."

"Really? What about blackmail?"

"Maybe she paid him."

"Was it a dare?"

And they wouldn't leave.

"I heard he was paid."

"Really? What about blackmail?"

"Maybe she paid him."

"Was it a dare?"

I slammed the locker door shut, breathing heavily.

"Breathe," I mumbled to myself. "Relax."

People just want drama. They want entertainment. Don't give them satisfaction by creating a reaction.

I sighed, leaning against my locker, slowly sliding down and sitting on the floor. I tilted my head back and hugged my books close to my chest.

At this point in time, I couldn't care less about school. This week has been the worst. Every single day, there are people whispering and muttering untruthful things.

I hate attention. Maybe when Carson comes back, I'll just ignore him. Then he'll leave me alone. Then I can go on with school like nothing ever happened. Everyone would forget eventually and so would I.

I shut my eyes.

Forget. Ignore. Forget.

a/n: vote and comment x