Paper Thin

• 109: Mad •

Melody

At school the next day I noticed the whispers and hushed conversations. They were paired with either pitiful stares or accusing glares. Both made my skin crawl especially when I overheard what my peers were saying.

"Melody's lying about it all..."

"... hooked up in the bathroom at Veronica's party..."

"... made out at Veronica's..."

"... assaulted Melody at that party..."

"They totally did it in Veronica's bathroom!"

"... she said he sexually assaulted her..."

"The cops were here to take Diesel away!"

My head was spinning before first period. I sat through that class; my eyes glued to the desk while everyone's were glued to me. All I could do was try not to squirm under the pressure of it all.

As I walked briskly to my second class, I noticed Rose, Jennette, Veronica, the twins, and a couple jocks standing around by her locker as she reapplied her lipstick in the mirror. I held my breath, hoping they'd say nothing as I walked by. But luck is never on my side and a football player was the first to speak up.

"What you're doing sucks, you know," he said. His dark brown eyes were harsh. I glanced up in confusion. "Yeah, I'm talking to you. You're ruining Diesel's rep."

"You made out in the bathroom and feel guilty for cheating on White but deal with it yourself. Don't go spreading shit around," his buddy piped up.

"I didn't –" I started.

"You wanted him and now that you got him you changed your mind?" Jennette chimed in. "Don't think I didn't see you two flirting in art," she added, folding her arms across her chest. The jocks 'ooh'ed when she said that.

"Classic buyer's remorse," Rose smirked, putting the cap on her lipstick. "Hook ups don't come with receipts you know."

"We never–"

"Not to mention my parents now know all about it thanks to you," Veronica said.

"What do you mean?" I mumbled.

"The police were at my house looking for surveillance cameras or something to prove you're not a liar," Veronica replied.

"Did they find anything?" I asked, quietly.

"No! Now I'm like grounded for life! I thought you were cool!"

"Big mistake," Rose said, with a sarcastic laugh. She slammed her locker shut. "Just because a photographer worked hard enough to get a decent shot of her, doesn't mean it fixes the rest of her." She gave me a once over, making me feel uncomfortable in my baggy sweater and boyfriend jeans.

She started walking away from me, taking her posse with her.

"You got that right," Jennette smirked, walking by me.

The football players brushed by me as well, my body stiffening as they almost brushed my shoulder.

"Dunno what he was after," the one who spoke to me first said.

"She's nothing much to look at," another guy said. "Oh, there's the ass."

"Sweet." A bunch of laughter followed.

It took a moment for me to move, feeling completely horrified. I glanced around quickly at bystanders who caught the any of the conversation. Some smirked, others looked confused or sympathetic. I walked to my next class dreading the rest of the day.