The party had helped me feel better. Well, I believe it did. For once, I spent wonderful time with my friends, earning multiple presents and a better connection. I felt happy, as if a pressure stopped weighing on my shoulders. I surely needed that. The girls were right about needing time, as I’m often busy with school, or overthinking. The second option would describe me better. I had always been like that, even before my mother’s death. 

The gang didn’t sleep home. It wasn’t a huge event, and it was a Tuesday night. Their parents picked them up at eleven, considering how neither of us has our driver’s license just yet. I’m the oldest of the group, and some of them started their courses, yet it’ll take a while for them to finish. I’m a little late on the schedule. The two first days of school went by quickly. 

It’s already Wednesday. Two days left before the weekend. It isn’t this much, which reassures me. I’m surely not the only student who doesn’t like school very much. Yet I do endure it, and I know it is mandatory to continue my education. I could decide to stop it, but I won’t. I do not know what job I want to have later, but I don’t want to end up in a fast-food restaurant. 

Outside, it is rather windy. It isn’t snowy nor it is cold, but I must put a hoodie on or else I’d be shivering. In addition, it’s raining. How ironic. It makes me think of some way that the weather wasn’t so bad at my birthday and then it’s getting a bit bad, as if the sky was sad. That’s my child mentality, naturally. But it does make me smile. 

I step over to my locker, and I hear whispers around me. Subtle ones. People are gossiping about something, but I don’t hear what. I gently remove my hoodie, not bothering to focus on the everyday talk. Now’s not the time to worry about something so casual. Though I feel observed, as if they were watching me. Come on, relax, Nora, it’s nothing. It’s just me. 

Perhaps it’s just me, but I feel an odd sensation. My ears perk up and I instinctively decide to listen the nearby conversation, trying not to be so obvious. Multiple people are watching me, chattering. It’s probably a hazard; they’re distracted or something. I try to convince myself, yet I can’t shake off the thought that something is wrong today. 

“It’s her.” I hear someone whispering, tilting their chin towards me. 

What the hell are they saying? What about me? That’s it, I’ve gone crazy. I hallucinate people talking about me. I adjust my backpack and walk over to my first class. That was always the way that I acted. Even though I stopped listening in to all those people, I feel their eyes on me. I should stop this. Those guys were pointing at someone else. 

“Nora! Took you long enough!” Jules greets me, his warm smile plastered on his face as he grabs my hand, “How was the party?” 

“Very good!” I exclaim, smiling back at him, unable to stop myself from doing that. Our eyes meet, and I tilt my head to the side, “How do you know that?” 

“I overheard you talking about it to the girls.” He admits with a shrug as we enter the class. 

Ah right. We only talked about that yesterday. It was the main subject, and they didn’t stop mentioning it. I really hope that they’re fine with the party at last. I did it last minute, the best I could-only because they have insisted. I do not regret it though. Jules didn’t come, only because I wanted a girls’ night. To be honest, I believe that was a good decision. 

As Jules and I sit up next to Addison, I feel that odd sensation again. Those whispers in my head, those sharp eyes judging me cautiously with interrogation marks in their gazes. My gaze wanders around, I notice Ann-Marie. She’s sitting there with an arrogant expression, one of satisfaction. When she realizes me looking at her, she winks and smirks, before watching the teacher. 

What if she did all of this, to turn everyone against me? What if rumors started? What a stupid thought; those voices were in my head at first, she just wants to affect me. Yet I know she’d be willing to try everything. I shake it off as the teacher goes in front of us, clearing her throat to get the attention. Everybody stops talking, and I hold onto my boyfriend’s hand onto dear life, trying to calm myself down. 

“Students, open your manual at page forty-five. It’s time to verify if you did your homework.” The professor speaks, and we all do so. 

For a moment, I’m unsure if I did it. Good for me, I did. I look over at Jules and realize he seems stressed out. I do want to help him out, but in some way, it’s his problem. And the teacher might give me a sanction for doing this. I hesitate for a moment, then I lend him my textbook. 

“Here, copy my answers.” I tell him, still not knowing if it was the right thing to do. 

“Oh, thank you.” He sighs in relief. 

The teacher starts checking on the other side, leaving him time. She goes by quickly, and it starts to worry me. I just want to snatch the book away, but he’s still writing. I chew on my lower lip anxiously, trying to keep my composure. He writes very slowly, his handwriting rather messy as he glances at the teacher from time to time. Thank God, he knows. 

“Nora? Open your manual, please?” A deep voice blurts out, pulling me out of my trance. 

I blink a few times, opening it in front of her, though I don’t even look at her, “Here you go Miss.” I mumble incoherently, feeling my cheeks flush. 

Damn, why do I have to be so awkward? 

“Thank you, Nora. Oh, Jules, why did you write the same thing as Nora? Did you copy each other?” 

Both of us remain silent, and my eyes widen. I thought we were more subtle than that with the idea. Jules notices my look and squeezes my hand harder, but neither of us dares to utter a word. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. He comes to my rescue. 

“Uh, we didn’t copy each other. We just answered the same questions, of course we’ll have the same answers.” He says in a hesitant voice, showing off his best smile, yet the corner of his lips twitch, making his grin falter. 

The institutor looks at us both skeptically. She doesn’t seem to believe his lies. She even looks amused, knowing well that he copied on me. I look at Jules, then at her, then back to her. Is she going to give him a consequence for not doing his homework? Or at me for doing it? What about both? 

“That’s right.” She admits, her eyes twinkling with amusement that she can’t quite hide, “I’ll let it slide this time, Taylor.” 

“Eh, you guys were lucky!” Murmurs Addison, shaking her head. 

“Shut up...” I whimper as I glance at her, slightly annoyed but reassured. 

The woman walks off and gazes other copies, her heels knocking on the ground. This time, no doubt. I’m being watched. Jules too, but everyone judges me. Why? Perhaps because I helped him out. Yet they look shocked, and some even scoff in disdain. My shoulders slump down at the change in the mood-nobody last year stared at me weirdly, fear in their eyes, but now, yes. What did I even do? 

Then, I realize. Ann-Marie has something to do with it. I eye her silently, and she smirks back at me, waving her hand teasingly as she watches me slyly. It’s her, I’m sure it’s her. I think as I feel my heart thumping faster in my chest in anger and frustration. Why can’t she just leave me alone? I wonder what she told them. Rumors are so easy to spread, and it goes by amazingly fast from the moment one person learned about it. Yet Stephany and Riley are completely neutral. They’re sitting next to her, though they’re looking at her blankly. Did they agree with her doing this? I hope not. I hope they know whatever she said isn’t right, because it seems like a pretty negative thing. Concerning Jules and me. 

Time passes by slowly, an eternity. The math teacher explains her concepts lazily, not bothering to ask students about what to write, what the answers are and more. Her voice is low, she just stares at the wall behind all of us. We can hear the noice of the fan in the background. As soon as the bell rings, everyone rushes out of the class. Even Addison hurries there but goes to the bathroom first. Jules tells me he’s in a different class that is far, and he leaves too. 

My thoughts wander elsewhere as I think about those rumors. Usually, I wouldn’t care much, but this time I’m certain it has something to do with Jules. I’d hate if he’d be affected with that idea. Whatever it was, surely something about me using him or a taboo idea. I leave the classroom slowly, and I hear people whispering again. About me, perhaps. About a “her”. I decide to be bold, taking a deep breath. 

“Hello.” I interrupt them, my eyes flickering, “Sorry to barge in like that, but who are you talking about now? I feel like there are rumors going around about me...” 

They consult each other, hesitant and awkward. I knew it. They were talking about me. I feel proud that I guessed it right, yet it’s something negative. I want to know so bad, and I want to strangle Ann-Marie. It’s her fault, isn’t it? If it isn’t hers, who would’ve done that? 

“Uh, nothing you must worry ‘bout, Nora.” One of them tells me, grinning, though sweat drips along their forehead, “W-we’re just talking about a friend.” 

As if. I think to myself in disappointment. Those guys are bad liars. If I did this to everyone else, they would react the same way, probably. I hate how it’s about me because I’ll need someone else to help me. If it was Avery, I’d convince others it wasn’t true. Yet the girls can’t help me because they don’t know what the rumors are for now. Ann-Marie chose selectively who to tell, visibly, so I don't get helped. You want war, Ann-Marie? You’ll get it.