Love Lies A' Bleeding

Chapter 8: Bull's Eye

I didn’t have a chance to tell Noah.

First thing in the morning I received an MMS from Molly while I was busy looking for my math notebook. I knew I had put it at one point on top of my study table. But for some reasons, it had gone missing the exact morning when I had an assignment on it, and I received a picture of me and Noah kissing at Martin’s party.

Wer did u get this? I hastened to reply via SMS.

After a couple of seconds, a reply popped up on my screen. It’s everywhere.

Sheet. So here came the delayed reaction . . .

The news had spread extensively at school that I was so sure the next edition of the school paper would have my pretty face occupying the entire front page and not just a portion at a gossip column somewhere in the middle. At first, only the people who attended the party knew what had happened. It was strictly a junior party, or that was what I told myself. But I guess I could never be so certain now.

The minute I stepped foot inside the gates of Luna East, a girl with blonde highlights walked to me and gave me the middle finger. Then, her legion followed, giving me the same dramatic expression. I just ignored them, knowing I would only put more fuel to the fire if I fight back.

And this was what I dreaded the most: the Junior Section A classroom crowded with rotten tomatoes. I mean, girls trying to get the full story. And it was all because of me. What a big surprise.

“Oh-em-gee! You—you—you and Noah? Is it true?” She couldn’t even say my name.

Everyone fell into silence when I appeared—a little bit early that for the first time in my life I regretted the lack of heavy traffic on the road.

“Is it true?” the girl wearing too much makeup repeated, stopping me from stepping my foot into the room.

What was this, an exam with true or false? Unless it was photoshopped there was really no reason for the answer to be false. However, if they really wanted to know the truth, all they needed to do was ask gossip girl, and she would surely tell straight on. I knew she was one of the girls sitting at the couch near the place where Noah kissed me. And I was pretty sure she was the one who took the picture. But it seemed like she suddenly went into a hiatus, same with Noah, and I was all by myself as I tried to consider what to say, or what not to say.

Luckily, Molly fell in beside me and patted my back. I smiled at her. It was all I could do to stop myself from saying something unimaginable. “Can’t you see she’s not in the mood for answering that nonsense question?” she hissed.

The girl wearing too much makeup, most probably a freshman as her boldness showed it, looked like someone just put a masking tape on her lips.

I muttered a small thanks to my best friend but she just rolled her eyes at me in return. Then, we entered the room. And as soon as were inside, the crowd outside slowly dispersed. But it wasn’t the end yet. My classmates were the much greater danger.

There was silence inside the room. I didn’t dare looked at anybody, afraid of what I might see. Though as soon as I was seated on my chair, the room went back to its former buzz. I tried to close my ears from the noise, but two escaped, and had gotten my full attention.

“She’s pretty, but I don’t get it. Noah wouldn’t just fall for someone like her. It’s just way too impossible. Noah should have at least chosen someone in his level.”

“Maybe she used a love potion or cast a spell on him. Maybe she’s a witch.”

Then, there were giggles. It sounded vaguely familiar. The giggles, I mean.