Behind Your Walls

20 | you and me

My Mom once said that being good requires effort. You have to be there for others. You have to have impulse control. Don't mock people, don't laugh at their misfortunes, and don't assume things about someone without hearing their side of the story.

But turns out, she forgot the most important one of all — that being good takes effort because the world will keep trying to force you to its bad side.

These are the thoughts that fight for space in my mind as I walk aimlessly out of the canteen and stroll through the corridor. The students around laugh when they notice me. I don't hear them; I don't hear anything. It is like my ears have lost their ability to hear.

"Sommers, wait!" Stephen's voice is clear and I can feel the thump of his footsteps right behind me but I don't stop.

I want to go home and forget about these bad people who think it is funny to laugh at someone who has just had her privacy harmed. It may not be a huge issue for someone but for me, it is huge.

I am the topic of gossip and I hate it.

I drag my footsteps like a zombie until I collide with someone. My phone drops from my hand as I catch hold of their shirt to steady myself but hands find my waist, helping me get my balance back. I look up to find familiar green eyes staring at me.

Carter's face is filled with small cuts and bruises from this morning's fight and yet his eyes look attentive when they see me.

"Hey," he says, letting me go when his gaze falls on my phone screen which is still turned on and the contents of it visible from afar.

He leans down before I can stop him and picks it up. The laughter around us stops as soon as the expression on his face darkens. I swallow a gulp when he looks up from the screen to look at me.

"Carter, I'm sorry...I had no idea."

"Did this make you cry?"

His question startles me and I don't know what gets over me but I nod, looking down at my shoes. I see his feet move past me and I follow them as I turn around and find myself behind him, facing his broad back.

"This is the only gossip you found from the party last night?"

His voice is loud and so sudden that I shiver at its impact on our audience. The students around us have faces that look scared and I know they are wondering what else happened at the party.

"No, seriously...or did you miss all the other hits? Shall I refresh them for you?" Carter continues and the bewilderment in their faces grows. He takes a few steps forward to stand in the middle of the corridor and looks around at his viewers. He puts the phone up to show the picture. "So you found the news of Amaya sharing a kiss with her boyfriend to be more interesting than any other things?"

The blood drains from my face at the word 'boyfriend'. The rush of adrenaline in my body is fast and my eyes widen at the surety in his voice. I take a few steps back until I am pressed against the wall, horrified at what Carter is doing.

"So I guess it doesn't matter to you that Devon peed in his pants yesterday after getting drunk or that Jamie cheated on Karl with Brandon or that Cherry Mariana was missing because she was grounded for throwing that very party which we all attended?"

Gasps erupt from our audience and I feel the air in my lungs returning slowly as I let the words sink in. It guilts me that I am finding relief in hearing people's secrets being revealed but I find peace in the guilt. I still stay attached to the wall, fearing that if I leave my spot, I will end up bringing the attention back to myself.

"Dude, fuck off! It's none of your concern!" one of the students interrupts in rage.

He sounds like someone from History class who is very well known for his anger - Brandon.