Octopus Lips

Boys Are Dumb

The sound of the bustling school crowd is nothing but mere noise the next morning. It doesn't take long me to start noticing the whispering and the point rippling off of people in thin yellow waves as the rumors burn like wildfire. I am Gwen Degray, I am now the subject of gossip and glares. I can tell who knows and who doesn't by the way people look up at me when I approach. There are few people who don't.

My overall mood was something close to okay. There was one point in the morning where I felt like crying again but then Rosie was up and texting me and it was okay. She was currently the only thing keeping me somewhat presentable, the satin, rose scented bow around my hacked-up bouquet of flowers. Our table is its normal level of Johnny-driven chaos, and I'm picking quietly at a tuna salad with Rosalie glancing at me out of concern, then he walks up.

The table goes silent as Gordon stands a few feet away, hesitating, staring at the remaining five of us, nothing but a question in his eyes. It wasn't even a question, it was a beg for permission. My brow crinkled and I shot him a dark, angry look, seconds away from snarling at him like a lioness. Gordon's face fell, and he slowly turned and shuffled away pathetically. I'm then met with three wide staring eyes.

"Dang, Gwen." Chase remarks and pats my shoulder gently. "You really hate him now?"

I realize I'm clutching my utensil with a death grip and release the fork slowly. "Yeah, something like that."

"What happened?" Johnny glanced around like a lost puppy.

Ramon punched his arm, and he put his hands up in surrender. "I honestly don't know!"

"Its fine," I said, swallowing my burning coal of shame. "Gordon cheated on me."

Johnny's eyes widened. "Oh, you found out about that?"

We all simultaneously turned to stare at him. Chase actually took her arm off from around his shoulder to stare at him with her fiery eyes. Johnny, like a cornered rat, seemed to realize his mistake.

"You... knew?" Chase raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, kind of? Gordon didn't mean to tell me he actually.... It was one night we were hanging out a few months ago and he just... broke down, all gross and everything." He shifted uncomfortably. "He ended up telling me."

My heart strings rotted and I felt the organ drop out of chest and fall to the group with a splat. It wasn't entirely news but every time I was reminded of how long this had been going on I wanted to scream. Chase's frowned deepened and even Ramon, who was loyal to Johnny above anything else, looked disgusted.

"It didn't faze you to tell Gwen any of this?" Ramon accused.

Johnny shrugged. "Not really? It's just a guy thing."

"A guy thing?" Chase scoffed. "Are you seeing other girls behind my back?"

"Of course not, babe." Johnny tried to reach out for her face but she swatted his hands away.

"What Gordon did was trashy and irresponsible and you shouldn't condone it as his friend." Chase snapped.

"I just meant... if his girl is holding out... it's normal if a guy wants a little something on the side." He raised his hands.

"No?" Ramon looked so confused. "Have you ever heard of something called respect?"

Johnny shrugged, brushing back his slick black hair like he was unbothered by his unfiltered word vomit. Chase shook her head in disbelief and bopped him on the back of his head. Ramon was still deeply malcontented and wasn't following Johnny's laid-back demeanor about this at all.