Rumors

Elle has a rumor spread about her by jealous girls. She wants to be alone forever, when she remembers, Luke, the boy she truly loves, and cares about, will be over tonight.

Today had probably been one of the worst days of my life, so far. I stomped out of the bus emotionless. My expression was blank. I looked the opposite of happy, that’s for sure. I swung my backpack onto my shoulder. Although I had barely any homework today, it still weighed a ton. I walked home as if it were a walk of shame. Not that I should be ashamed of anything--- I didn’t do anything wrong. At all. I didn’t want to do anything for the rest of the day, week, year--- I didn’t want to do anything ever again. I wanted to sit alone in my room, locked inside. I wanted to stare at the ceiling and never do anything. I didn’t want to socialize. I didn’t want to speak. I didn’t want to communicate whatsoever. Then I remembered--- Luke.

I loved him with all I had to give, and with all my heart. He was basically my whole life now, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better to love. It’s impossible to explain to you how much we’re in love. I fell for him in ninth grade, when he was in tenth. We’ve been together for two years and counting. I smiled for the first time today just thinking about him. We were going to see each other later today. I didn’t know what I should do. Should I cancel? No, I couldn’t. He didn’t do anything wrong at all. Should I tell him? I’d have to. Should I hide it from him? Or would he be able to tell something’s wrong? I decided that I would just wing it, and see what my instincts are.

When I arrived home, my dad was at work until late, and my mom was out doing errands, and then having dinner with her friend tonight. I was thankful, though. I didn’t want to have to get around explaining to my parents tonight.

The house was empty except me. I dropped my backpack on the chair, and went upstairs to change. I changed into my Calvin Klein sweatpants and bralette pair. I really wasn’t interested in doing anything besides laying on the couch, with a million blankets watching a show. Luke loved home dates, as well. They were better than getting all fancied up for an expensive dinner that neither of us wanted to pay for.

I sat in the living room, trying to forget about the night, when the door opened. I stood up quickly, to see Luke with his usual big, perfect, smile on his face. I grinned a bit, and shut the door behind him. I didn’t know what to do after that. He observed me for a few seconds.

“Are you okay?” He asked. I nodded.

“I’m fine,” I said, turning around quickly. I went down the stairs to the basement, where we usually hung out. He followed me quickly, trying to catch up.

“Don’t lie to me, Elle. You don’t need to lie to me when you’re upset.” He said, behind me.

“I’m not upset,” I forced a fake laugh, while curling up on the couch. He had a deep look of concern inside him.

“You can talk to me about it no matter what. If someone else gets you down then it’s my job to bring you back up. You know that, and you don’t need to hide something from me no matter what.” He looked me in the eye, and wrapped his muscular arm around me. I leaned my head onto his shoulder, staying silent. Slowly, tears began to fall, one by one.

“It doesn’t have to do with you,” I told him, with a weak voice. He held me tighter in his arms.

“I don’t care if it’s about me or not. All I care about is that someone hurt you, and I need to know how, and who hurt you. It’s my job to protect you, and when someone hurts you when I’m not around, I need to know.” His voice was sturdy, and certain.

Immediately, I broke down to tears, my hands on my face, knees into my chest. Luke lifted me up off the couch beside him, and into his arms, holding me as tight as he can. My eyes were in his shoulder, my arms around his neck. I didn’t know how to speak. My voice was taken from me. The only thing I could do was cry.

After a little while, Luke kissed me on my forehead, and lied me beside him. We continued to hold me and comfort me, fore I was far from healed.

“It was Katherine,” I told him, with a soft, weak voice. He looked me into the eye with a serious expression, while I stared at the ceiling, my vision blurred with tears. “She’s always hated me more than anyone. I never understood why. I never did anything to her at all.” Luke had all of his attention on me.

“She’s just jealous,” He whispered. “There’s nothing she could be angry at you for,” I looked the other way, and raised my eyebrows.

“There has to be,” I told him.

“What did she say?” He whispered, wrapping pieces of my hair behind my ear.

“She told everyone she saw for the past few days that I was anorexic. She told everybody that I was starving myself to be skinny, and I hadn’t eaten for days. And now,” My tears, and voice crack cut me off. I wiped them away. “Whenever I walk down the hallway, or sit in class, all people look at is my body. I don’t know whether they are ashamed of me, or feel bad for me---- I could care less! All I care about is the fact that everybody is looking at me differently now. And nobody’s talking to me like they used to, or even talking to me at all.” I began to cry a bit again. Luke held me tighter, and ran his fingers through my hair. And now, when people ask about me, I’m going to have to tell them everything I’m telling you, while looking like the big mess I am now.” He shook his head.

“Don’t start telling me lies again, Elle. You’re the opposite of a mess. Who’s the real mess is that Katherine girl. Elle. You didn’t deserve this. This is a punishment for something that you didn’t do. And I’m not going to let anyone hurt you again, alright? And I’m going to stand by your side always until everybody forgets about it. And they will, I promise. People have better things to worry about than stupid things that girl told them. Okay?” I nodded, and hugged him tightly.

“But there’s something else you should know about this whole thing,” I told him. He looked back at me in the eye. “This isn’t the first time someone has spread rumors about my body,” I told him. He looked even more concerned, and worried as he had before. I sighed. “A handful of people have called me anorexic, and other names about me. I just never told you in the past, because I didn’t want you to get involved, and get worried about me.” He stared into my eyes for a minute. I couldn’t stand looking directly at him, so I looked to the side. I turned the other way, my other shoulder facing him. I was too ashamed of what I did to see him, and his reaction. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

He wrapped his muscular arms tightly around my waist. I held his hands tightly. “Don’t be sorry,” He told me quietly. He rested his chin on my shoulder, speaking into my ear. “None of this was ever your fault, and you know that. All of these people know nothing about you except that you’re beautiful, and you’re better than them. All they are is jealous. If I were a girl, I’d for sure be jealous of you,” He joked. I smiled a bit, and turned back facing him. I hugged him around the neck, and while he squeezed me tightly.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you, too, Elle,”

Author's Note

No hate please! Just doing this for fun. Ignore punctuation mistakes, I might've missed one while reading over.