Leo/Luna

Chapter 11: Rumors

(pictured above: Maya)

Leo carefully applied a delicate brushstroke to his canvas, his eyes focused on the intricate details of the scene he was painting. The art classroom was filled with the quiet hum of students working on their projects, the faint scent of paint and charcoal in the air. He glanced over at Kyle, who was seated next to him, his brow furrowed in concentration as he sketched.

"Hey, how's it going over there?" Leo asked, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Kyle looked up, his expression softening as he met Leo's gaze. "Better, thanks to you. I never thought I'd enjoy this class so much."

Leo's smile widened. "I'm glad to hear that. Your sketches have gotten a lot better. I think you've got a real talent for this."

Kyle chuckled, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "Thanks, but I still think I'm more of a doodler than an artist. I only took this class to have an easy senior year, but working with you makes it a lot more fun."

Leo's heart warmed at Kyle's words, feeling a sense of pride and happiness. "Well, I'm happy to help. Besides, your drawings have a lot of personality. That's what makes them great."

They continued working side by side, their conversation filled with light-hearted banter and shared laughter. Leo found himself enjoying these moments more and more, the easy camaraderie and the gentle teasing that seemed to flow naturally between them.

Across the room, a girl watched them with narrowed eyes. Maya was taller than Leo, a little above average height, and was cast as the lead in the fall musical. She was gorgeous, thin as a rail with strawberry blonde hair and perfect curtain bangs. She had noticed the growing closeness between Leo and Kyle over the past few weeks, and it made her stomach churn with jealousy. Kyle had always been her man, her crush, her's to take to homecoming, and seeing him laugh and joke with Leo made her blood boil.

Maya's irritation grew as she made excuses to walk past the two of them, listening to their conversation. It pulled at something deep in her, the way they seemed to share inside jokes and support each other's work. She had always prided herself on her popularity and influence, but this new dynamic between Leo and Kyle felt like a personal affront. She decided she wasn't going to let it go without a fight.

During a break, Maya made her way over to a group of her friends, her lips curling into a sneer. "Have you noticed how Leo and Kyle are always hanging out together lately?" she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

One of her friends, a girl named Emily, looked up with curiosity. "Yeah, it's kind of weird. What's up with that?"

Maya crossed her arms, leaning in conspiratorially. "I heard Leo's been doing some crazy stuff to get Kyle's attention. Like, plastic surgery, just to get close to him. And it's not just the clothes and makeup. I heard he's been sneaking into the art room at night, messing with Kyle's projects to make his own look better."

"No way. Seriously?"

Maya nodded, her voice lowering to a whisper. "Oh, it gets worse. Someone told me they saw Leo talking to himself in the bathroom, like, full-on conversations. He's totally lost it. And he's been bragging about how he's going to make Kyle fall for him, like some kind of sick game."

The group exchanged shocked glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and intrigue. But Maya's cruel rumors spread quickly, taking on a life of their own as they made their way through the school. By the end of the day, whispers about Leo's supposed obsession with Kyle and his erratic behavior had reached nearly every corner of the campus.

Meanwhile, Leo remained oblivious to the malicious gossip swirling around him. He continued to focus on his art project, enjoying the creative process and the growing bond with Kyle.

As the day wore on, Leo noticed that people were acting strangely around him. Whispers followed him through the halls, and he caught snippets of conversations that made his stomach twist with anxiety. He overheard someone mention his name in the cafeteria, followed by hushed laughter and pointed looks.

Feeling a growing sense of unease, Leo sought out Kyle after class. They met by their lockers, and Leo's expression was tense, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Kyle, do you know what's going on?" Leo asked, his voice wavering. "People have been acting weird around me all day."

Kyle's expression darkened, and he glanced around the hallway before leaning in closer. "Yeah, I heard some stuff. It's... pretty bad. Apparently, someone's been spreading rumors about you."

Leo's heart sank. "What kind of rumors?"

Kyle hesitated, his jaw tightening. "They're saying that you're obsessed with me. That you've been sneaking into the art room to mess with my projects and talking to yourself in the bathroom. And that you're trying to... I don't know, make me fall for you or something. It's all bullshit."

Leo's eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling. "I didn't do any of that! I would never—"

Kyle placed a reassuring hand on Leo's shoulder, his expression softening. "I know. I don't believe any of it. People can be really cruel, especially when they're jealous."

Leo felt a lump form in his throat, a mixture of anger and hurt bubbling up inside him. "Why would someone say those things?"

Kyle's gaze flicked across the hallway, landing on Maya, who was talking animatedly with a group of her friends. "I think it might be Maya. She's been giving you the stink-eye ever since we started hanging out more."

Leo followed Kyle's gaze, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Maya's smirk. "I didn't do anything to her. Why would she..."

Kyle sighed, his hand squeezing Leo's shoulder gently. "Sometimes people lash out when they're jealous. Maybe she doesn't like seeing us getting closer."

Leo felt a surge of frustration and sadness. "What do I do? How do I make this stop?"

Kyle looked at him with a mixture of determination and compassion. "We'll figure it out. Just keep being yourself, and don't let the rumors get to you. I'm here for you, Leo."

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