After I left school with Ashton yesterday, there were rumors that Ashton and I were the ones who spiked the drinks at Michael's party. Because, apparently everyone from school minus Ashton, Kat and I went to that party. Someone saw us leaving with our friends after midnight. And after we left school yesterday, many of their videos of doing weird things at that party was uploaded on Facebook from an anonymous account.
And to make it worse, everyone's but our friends and siblings video was uploaded.
Now people started to believe it was us the whole time who were spreading those rumors.
Some said that it's me who started it then blackmailed Ashton info this. But most other things it's the other way around.
There's some more interesting theory that made me wonder if I should start to collect them and upload them on Wattpad.
And then after lunch, those posters of Ashton and mine were all over the school which twisted the tale. They're saying someone did it to take revenge on us.
When we arrive at Ashton's locker, Nyako is already waiting there. He nods at Ashton sadly. A massive crowd has gathered around the locker.
But they part to make way for Ashton to walk towards his locker. I follow after him. Some of the students send nasty looks in our way but I shrug them away. Now is not the time to worry about what people will say.
When we reach the lock, a gasp leaves my mouth.
'Leave this school if you want to keep your pity secret safe,'- is written with sprayed color on his locker. A rainbow is drawn on his locker.
"What's the meaning of all this?" I mumble and look at Ashton.
From the way his fists are clenched, I'm pretty sure he knows the answer.
"Ashton?" As soon as those words leave my mouth, Ashton punches his locker.
I flinch.
Students behind us cheers. I look at Owen and he nods at me. Then together, he and the other boys push the crowd away.
"But we want to know what happened!" A girl exclaims.
"Don't worry hun, if someone dies it'll be on the news tonight," Owen says and pushes the girl away.
"But we all know it's them who are doing it!" A boy shouts.
"Yes and we also know Kiara is cheating with Ashton over her boyfriend," his friend says.
This gets on my nerves. I turn around and shove the second guy against the locker.
"What did you say?" I glare at him. But Owen pulls me back.
Soon they all leave and it's just us and our friends. The rest of our committee arrives shortly with Cora.
"What happened?" Payton asks.
"I found it like this when he arrived this morning," Nolan says. "I told Asher and we went to look for Ashton."
Ashton punches his locker again. This time, an envelope falls out. I bend down to pick me.
"What is that?" I shrug and open it.
There's a paper folded inside. Grace takes it from me and reads, "I would've watched out if I were you."
Owen snatches it from her.
"This is all my fault," Ashton mumbles. We all look at him.
"Why would it be your fault?" I ask him.
Ashton looks down at me, I can see the anger and regrets in his eyes. "They were after me first," he says. "If I had left the school as they warned me, none of these would've happened."
"Threatened?"
Ashton nods. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this, but a week before senior year started, I received a threatening note."
"Why didn't you tell us about it before?" Grace says at the same time Miles asks, "What did it say?"
"There were two of them," Owen says. "The first one was received right before Ashton went to Uganda. They threatened Ashton to resign from the captain and quarterback position."
"And in the second one they threatened me to leave the school," Ashton sighs. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this before. I didn't think it would be anything serious. I used to get this type of threat every now and then."
I stare at him with my open mouth. Ashton has been threatened the whole time and he didn't tell us?
Well, it doesn't matter now.
"I thought I was imagining in the beginning but I think the boys of our team have been divided into two groups," Nyako says.
"What'd you mean?"
He sighs. "I should've told you this before, but I was doubting it myself. But ever since we won the champions trophy last year, our boys are divided into two groups. One that wants Ashton, and others that don't. Though I'm not sure who's on which side."
"Do you think Derek started it?" Miles suggests.
"I have my doubts but I'm not sure," Nyako says and looks at me. "I'm sorry Kiara."
I shake my head. "It's fine." And I don't think Derek isn't into groupings. He never was.
Yes, he has been acting weird lately, and so do his friends, but I don't think Derek will involve himself in somewhere that can threaten his career.
I glance at Ashton. He isn't looking at anyone, just staring at the paper in his hands.
I walk to his side and take it from him. This makes him look at me.
"None of this was your fault," I tell him. "When the first article came, they published it using my name. And then they continued using our papers for their sick games. You didn't involve us in it. They, whoever is doing all these, did."
"But-"
"No buts," I tell him. "They started this, and we will send it, together." Well, maybe not all of us. Someone's still too busy assessing her nails.
Ashton pulls back and turns around. I sigh and look inside the envelope again. There are some photos inside it too.
"Now what's that?" Miles wonders. I shrug and take them out. My breath hitches when I see them and I hand them to my friends.
"They were keeping an eye on us," Jason confirms.
I nod. Otherwise, there's no way they could have photos of our committees' meeting of the last few weeks. There are different photos inside our committee room. Of our meeting, when we were working on new articles and printing them. And photos of Ashton and me alone. In some, we were laughing and teasing each other.
They sent a spy. And I already know who it is.
I mean it was obvious. Why else would she agree to help us in the first place?
I turn to her. As I thought, she's still too busy with her nails.
"You did this, didn't you?" I tell Cora. She turns to me with a bewildered expression on her face.
"Kiara, what are you saying?" Grace asks.
I ignore her. "It was you who was spying on us. Ashely was so right. Why haven't I seen it coming? I mean why else did you want to help us? From the goodness of your heart?" I snort. "You hated me and my friends more than anything else. You bullied some of us. How come you're so nice to us all of a sudden?"
Cora's lips tremble. "I'm not the spy!" She cries. "I was-I was just helping-because I wanted to make things right."
"Things right?" I ask her. "So you finally realized people other than you do exist on this planet? Did you think I'll really believe that crap? You al-"
"Shut up Kiara!" Ashton yells at me. "Just shut up."
My eyes widen. Not just because he yelled at me. Because he called me by my name. He never calls me by my name.
"Ashton-"
"Don't say another word," he turns to me fully. "I don't think Cora is betraying us."
"But all the-"
Ashton chuckles. "You didn't learn anything did you?" He shakes his head. "I think the only one who hasn't changed in the last few months is you?"
My eyes start to tear as he continues, "We all are going through the same thing as you did, even Cora," he points at her. "Did you ever consider for once what she had gone through since that article came out? Did you wonder if she was okay."
I didn't. So I don't reply. Ashton shakes his head. "All you can care about is yourself and your survival theory. The universe doesn't orbit about you," he says. "They just threatened me once again," he points at his locker. "But instead of focusing on it, you just jumped to the first chance you get to prove Cora guilty."
"I-"
"Don't deny Kiara," he says. "I remember the look in your face the time Cora went to your house. And whenever she's around. You just can't accept the fact she changed. You can't expect the fact that anyone other than you can change." He spats the last part and bolts to the exit.
That's not true, I wanted to tell him. But he is long gone already.
Bonnie whimpers as Promy wraps an arm around her. Cora leaves too and Asher follows after her.
Nyako comes to my side and pats my shoulder. "It's okay, he doesn't know what he's saying."
I do my best to hold my tears. Still, a traitorous one leaves and I wipe it quickly. We walk to Mrs. G's class together. Grace, Miles, and Owen join us too to walk me to the class despite all my protests.
They keep asking me if I'm fine and if I want to go back home. I assure them saying I'm fine.
And even though I want to do nothing other than go back home, I can't skip school twice in a row. I ignored most of the classmates in my first three classes and things were going fine until Chemistry class arrived.
Derek is sitting in our usual spot. His friends, Emery and the twins, and a few guys from the football team stand surrounding him.
Emery notices me entering and whispers to Derek.
Derek turns towards me. I try to ignore them and sit in the back of the class, but Derek blocks my way.
I look at him. His jaws clench and he stares down at me.
"Derek-"
"You are a fucking whore," he spats. This earns us everyone else's attention.
I whimper. "Derek the poster-"
"I don't wanna hear about it," he says. "I was wondering for a while why you were so distant from me for a while now. At first, I let it go."
What the hell? "You have no idea what you're talking about," I mutter.
He lifts a brow. "I don't?" Then he tilts his head towards our classmate. "Did all of you see the poster yesterday?"
They all nod. He turns back to me, "I don't know who did it and it did rain on your and your fuckboy's plan," he says. "No wonder who handled our break up so easily. You almost made me feel guilty for breaking up with you."
I don't say anything. What's the point of it if he's not going to believe me anyway?
But then he says it, "I wonder if he's the only one you were fucking around the whole time." The bell rings and he walks away.
My whole body turns numb as my mind registers those words. Is this what he thought of me all the time? That I was the one who was falling off our relationship? Does he think I was cheating on him?
Still, I somehow manage to leave the class before the teacher comes.
I had enough. Whispering behind the back is one thing. But being called whore by your ex-boyfriend when you did literally nothing takes things to a whole new dimension.
There's no one else in the parking lot when I arrive there. I get in my car and drive home. At the red light stop, I realize I left my phone in the holder earlier. I text Grace to let her know I'm going back home and then switch it off. Not like anyone's going to miss me.
Reaching home, I enter the house hoping to welcome the loneliness of it, only to find dad in the living room with his head between his hands.
What is he doing here? They weren't supposed to be back till next Saturday.
"Dad?" He lifts his head. His eyes are red and full of tears. He sounds almost broken when he says, "I'm sorry Kiara, I messed up everything."
My heart picks up its pace as my whole world crashes.
(The end)
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(BOOM! Just kidding, continuing in the next chapter)
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So, yes, what'd think will happen next?