Whispers. Everywhere.
The moment Skylar stepped inside the campus gates, she could already feel the shift in the air. Students grouped in tight circles, eyes flicking toward her and then darting away as if being caught staring might infect them with the same rumors spreading like wildfire.
Mia groaned, holding her phone in front of Skylar’s face. "Tell me this isn’t you they’re talking about."
The screen was filled with an anonymous confession post from the school's gossip page:
“Rumor has it the reason why a certain favorite council member is always close to a certain someone is because they’re secretly dating. Hint: it’s not who you think.”
Skylar's jaw dropped. “WHAT?! I don’t even talk to the council that much!”
“Yeah,” Mia snorted. “But that does not stop them from twisting things like pretzels. I bet it’s Bianca’s doing.”
Skylar scanned the crowd again, spotting Bianca just a few feet away, seated like royalty on the stone bench with her signature coffee cup in hand. She wasn’t even fazed. As if the entire school buzzing with tension was her morning entertainment.
Aiden came out of nowhere. "You saw it too, huh?"
Skylar turned. “Don’t tell me you believe it.”
He scoffed. “I believe most people here have the IQ of a rock. But no, I don’t believe it.” He looked annoyed, more annoyed than usual. But this time, it wasn’t directed at Skylar. It was aimed at everyone else.
Then came Jace, grinning like the world wasn’t on fire. “You guys trending again? Impressive.”
Aiden threw him a look. “Shouldn’t you be kissing Bianca’s shoes or something?”
“Jealous much?” Jace replied smoothly, hands in his pockets. “It’s okay, Aiden. Not everyone can be publicly adored.”
“You mean feared,” Aiden shot back.
Skylar interrupted, raising both hands. “Guys! Not today. Please.”
As if on cue, rain began to pour. Out of nowhere. Like the heavens decided to join the drama.
"God, please help me have one day of not getting involved to this two idiots." Skylar scream inside her head.
Mia grabbed Skylar’s arm and dragged her under a nearby ledge. “We are not getting drenched just because the school turned into a soap opera.”
Then Lucas appeared—his jacket already soaked—walking straight toward them.
“You okay?” he asked Mia, pushing his hair back, rain dripping down his face.
“Yeah,” she said, trying hard not to stare.
He reached out and tugged his hoodie off, placing it over her head.
Mia blinked. “What are you doing?”
“You were shivering,” he said simply.
And there it was—the eye contact, the air shift, the blush that Mia tried to hide but failed miserably at.
Skylar watched with a slight smile. It was a distraction, sure, but one she needed.
Back in the hallway after the rain cleared, the gossip had worsened.
More posts.
Now Skylar’s name was tagged in one. Her and Aiden. Her and Jace. Her and... Bianca?
“Okay, who’s behind this?” Skylar muttered.
“I have a theory,” Aiden said, leaning on her locker. “Bianca’s been extra quiet since yesterday. That’s dangerous.”
“Wait,” Mia interrupted. “Weren’t you supposed to meet her last night? For council stuff?”
Aiden nodded. “Yeah. But she didn’t show.”
Skylar narrowed her eyes. “That’s weird.”
Then suddenly, an announcement buzzed over the intercom:
“All council members and student representatives, report to the auditorium immediately.”
Students started murmuring again. The chaos just leveled up.
Inside the auditorium, Bianca stood at the podium, council members lined behind her.
She held a piece of paper, her nails tapping against it like a slow countdown.
"A rumor has spread regarding my personal involvement in... unprofessional relationships,” she said coolly. “So, let’s end it. Right here.”
She raised the paper. “This is a full list of the student account IP addresses linked to the gossip page submissions. One of them? Is from inside our council.”
Gasps.
Jace stepped forward. “What the hell?”
Aiden’s brows furrowed.
Bianca’s gaze scanned the crowd. Then she tossed the paper down, letting it scatter.
“Happy hunting,” she smirked.
Whispers erupted again. Everyone was looking at everyone.
Skylar’s stomach dropped.
This was only the beginning.
And someone in this school? Was about to get exposed.
Hard.