High School Kinda Sucks

"SHE DID WHAT!" Ross exclaimed. Sean tried to keep Ross from over reacting. He took him into the locker room. "SHE FUCKED WHO AGAIN?" he asked again.

"It's a rumor, but i wanted to make sure you heard it from a friend" Sean said.

"Who did you hear it from?"

"I just heard like random girls talking about it in the hall" Sean said. "I don't even think Leena knows" Ross sighed. He sat on the bench in the locker room and put his face in his hands. "Sorry"

"Why would Joe do that?"

"I don't know...i think it's a rumor. I really do"

"How long ago do you think this happened?"

"Someone said like three weeks ago" Ross sighed again. He could cry though, not in front of Sean at least. He sucked it in and stood up again.

"Ok i'm fine...where's Leena this period?"

"Study, why?"

"I'm skipping gym to talk to her" Ross left.

...

Ross got to the study hall room and sat with Leena. "Where's Joe?"

"Wandering, why?"

"Good" he said. "Did you hear about these Joe and Deanna rumors?"

"Yes"

"Well what do you know"

"I was told by Bryan not to talk about it with you" she said. "Because it's just a rumor"

"How do you know?"

"Because Joe's my best friend and he would tell me something like that"

"No offense, Lee" Leena gave him a look. "Ok, maybe you'll be offended but...your friendship with Joe isn't like most friendships. Just because you guys are best friends doesn't mean he'll tell you everything. Guys don't tell each other everything"

"Well i'm saying he's my best friend and he would. He told me he liked Rory before any of you guys, he told me he liked Sohee at the begining of the year, and i told him i had a thing for Dakota. Just because we're a mix gendered friendship doesn't mean we're so different"

"Trust me, Lee" Ross said. "Boys don't tell each other things like that..." Leena rolled her eyes. She was getting annoyed again. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Why should I?" Leena asked. "You're being kind of rude to me"

"Just ask Lauren if she knows anything" Leena rolled her eyes.

...

Lauren confronted Deanna once and for all. "Are you pregnant?" Lauren asked her. Deanna was confused.

"I use protection, i shouldn't be pregnant...am i? can you see those things?? should i get a test?"

"Nevermind" Lauren said. "It's about the rumors"

"What rumors"

"That you fucked Joe McDevitt" Lauren said.

"When did that start?" Deanna said.

"I came into school and people were talking about it. Did you?"

"Of course not" Deanna took Lauren into the closest bathroom. "I don't know why anyone would say that. I don't even talk to Joe, we're not friends, i don't have any classes with him" she said. Lauren shrugged. "Does Ross know?"

"MOst of the fucking school knows" Lauren said. "So i wouldn't be surprised if he did" Deanna sighed. She sat on the floor.

"I feel so terrible. First he finds out i cheated from someone else and now he's hearing these rumors about his friend!!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry" Lauren said. "But you need to tell him. If the rumors are false, of coursse"

"They are false...you believe they are false, right?"

"I want to believe you're right, but with all that's been going on" Deanna stood up. "You have to understand why i have doubts" Deanna nodded.

"They aren't true" she said. "I had a crush on Joe for a little bit, before i got with Ross maybe two months ago" she said. "BUt i only told..." it all made sense now. "I only told Mackenzie that"

"Are you sure?"

"I don't tell alot of people who i like" Deanna said. She left the bathroom with Lauren close behind. "It was just a little crush, i think he's cute, that's all" she said. "And i only told her, i know for sure" she said.

"That's what i thought"

"So what's this rumor exactly?"

"That you fucked Joe a few weeks ago and you're pregnant" Deanna sighed "BUt now that we know it was Mackenzie who started it--"

"You don't even have to say it. I know what i have to do"

...

Leena approached Lauren as she was getting lunch. "I know what you're going to ask" Lauren said. "I don't need mind reading powers to see"

"I don't care anymore" Leena grabbed a lunch tray. "I'm so done. Ross is probably the most rude and arrogant person i've ever met"

"Preach, girl"

"He thinks that just because i have an unconventional relationship with Joe that we can't be best friends" she said. "Joe tells me everything and i know FOR SURE that he did not sleep with Deanna"

"And you're right" Lauren said.

"Right about what?"

"Joe didn't sleep with Deanna, she told me for a fact" she said. "I asked like three times and i told her i wasn't sure and she assured me. It can't make sense. They don't know each other at all"

"Good point, he brought Dee to a bro's night dinner once but they didn't sit with us"

"She said she thought he was cute like two months ago to Mackenzie"

"Of course Mackenzie started it"

"I feel like I've heard this before it feels all like deja vu" Lauren said. THey paid for their lunch. "But yes, you can tell Ross i'm 95% sure she did not cheat on him with Joe"

"What about the other 5%?"

"I'm her closest friend slash cousin so i know her. BUt there's still a doubt because of what she did to him already that we know for a fact" she said. "But it's so small i'm mostly sure she didn't cheat...have you talked to Joe?"

"When i get the chance"

...

Sohee looked over the texts she had sent. She was looking for a text she sent Shay about Matt so she could show Matt how much Shay appreciated him.

"I can't find it--give me a minute" she said. She saw a text from Lauren. "I haven't texted Lauren in a month why did i send her a text yesterday?" she asked. She opened the text and she DEFINATELY did not send any of these texts, i mean why would she? she usually doesn't care about rumors and if she does she'll ask in person.

"Who founds my phone again?" she asked Matt.

"I found Mackenzie with it by the office, she said she saw it on the floor" Sohee still didn't understand.

"Where would i have dropped it?"

"Do you have a class with her?"

"Yeah, Environmental Science last period"

"Did you drop it?"

"No, it was in this pocket"

"Maybe you forgot" Matt shrugged. "But she asked me if i would see you and i drive you home so i said i would get it to you" he said. "Why?"

"I think she texted Lauren from my phone"

"Texted me what?" Lauren sat down at their usual window seat lunch table.

"I think Mackenzie took my phone or found it or whatever and she texted you yesterday" Lauren looked at her phone.

"So i told her about Deanna and Zack" she said

"Deanna slept with Zack?" Bryan and Matt asked, they turned to each other in shock. Lauren sighed.

"I didn't mean to, how could i have known?" Lauren asked.

"You couldn't have" she said. "But that's why she's starting rumors about Deanna. She knows Deanna slept with her boyfriend...well ex-boyfriend"

"Oh god, i started all of this"

...

Casey, the president for the Students for Pro-Life Abortion group approached Deanna as she was at her locker at the end of the day.

"Deanna" she started.

"Hey Casey, do you need anything?" she asked.

"I'm a representative from the students against abortion group" she said. "We heard about your pregnancy and we were just wondering if you were going to keep it. Because we highly highly suggest you do. There's a human growing in there and it has rights to" Deanna closed her locker.

"I'm not pregnant" she said. "Nor was i ever"

"Oh" Casey faked a smile. "HAve a nice day!" she walked away. Deanna sighed She leaned against her locker. She felt like she was going to throw up.

...

"Why would Ross say that?" Joe said. "Of course we're still best friends, no matter what. If i was having an affair i would fucking tell you" Leena nodded.

"I know, but Ross is confused and pathetic" they got to Leena's car.

"Do you think he hates me?"

"Probably" Joe sighed. "Don't worry about it"

"Sean hates me, your parents hate me, now Ross hates me? Soon Bryan will hate me"

"Bryan can't hate anyone, trust me" Leena said. "So you're good"

"JOE!" Ross ran out from the school and into the parking lot.

"Should i take off?" Leena asked.

"No, i wanna talk to him" Ross ran up to Joe and slammed him against Leena's car.

"Why did you do it!" he exclaimed. Joe was so taken back by being slammed against a big metal object that he didn't respond. His TBI jumbled up his mind sometimes and made it hard to think or talk. "WHY DID YOU DO IT!" ROss kept repeating as he screamed in Joe's face. Leena tried to get in between Ross and Joe but he wouldn't stop.

But Ross got the message when he looked into Joe's helpless eyes. You could see it in the defenseless way Joe was carrying himself. He couldn't do something like that. Ross let go of Joe.

"I'm sorry" he said.

"Get in" Leena said.

The three of them left the school and drove around for a bit. "I'm so sorry" Ross kept saying to Joe. Joe had to sit back and drink water while he calmed down.

"See, you've startled him" Leena said She touched Joe's forhead. "You'll be fine" she told him. "Are you ok?" she said to Ross.

"I don't know why i did that. I'm just so angry"

"We all are, but Joe's our friend so we shouldn't jump to conclusions next time, right?" Ross nodded. "You owe him apologies for life" Ross nodded again. "I talked to Lauren and she is like 100% sure Deanna did not sleep with Joe and i think after that little incident you're convince, too" Ross nodded. "You just need to forget all about Deanna and move on, bro"

"I'm just so sick of this" Ross said. "Being cheated on. It's the worst feeling in the world to know you weren't good enough"

"I can only imagine" Leena said.