"Hayes broke his hand over some girl drama," one of them says. "Fucking stupid."
"I heard she's the one who caused it. Her ex showed up, and Declan lost it."
"Why is he even with her? She's nothing but trouble."
I keep walking, my face burning. I pull my hood up and duck my head, hoping no one recognizes me.
But the comments follow me everywhere.
By lunch, I want to disappear.
People are acting like I grabbed his hand and swung. Like I begged him to hit Cole.
Keira finds me hiding in a corner of the science building.
"There you are. I've been texting you."
"Sorry. My phone's off."
"Because people are being assholes?"
"Something like that." I close my textbook. "Everyone thinks this is my fault."
"It's not your fault. Cole is a creep who wouldn't take no for an answer. I think it’s hot that Declan defended you. Super alpha."
I smile. “It was very sweet, but he didn’t need to hit him. I mean, I wanted to hit Cole, but I didn’t want Declan to hurt his hand.”
“Cole has been harassing you for weeks. He got what was coming. Hopefully, he got the message and will leave you alone.”
“I’m still not sure it was worth it,” I mutter. “I seem to keep making myself the star of gossip lately. I’ve managed to pretty much go unnoticed the last four years, and now I’m a walking scandal.”
"People always have something to say. Ignore them. Look, I know you and Hayes have a complicated situation. But don't let the court of public opinion make you feel guilty for existing."
I nod, not trusting my voice.
The rest of my day pretty much goes the same way.
Finally, I was free. I walked out of my last class thinking about the big sandwich I was going to make when I got home. I was starving. I didn’t dare go to the cafeteria. It would be nothing but gossip and stares.
I wanted to be invisible again.
I’m thinking about the thick cheese slices in the fridge. I bought the good stuff with my tips the other night.
I smell her before I see her. That rich, thick scent of expensive perfume that’s better suited for an eighty-year-old woman than a twenty-two-year-old cheerleader.
Of course, I couldn’t get through the day without coming face-to-face with Bree.
"Oh! Sutton!" She steps back like I'm contagious. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."
"Sure you didn't."
"I heard about Declan's hand. That's so unfortunate." Her voice drips with fake sympathy. "Right before the big game, too."
"Yeah. Unfortunate."
"You know, if he had someone who really understood his world, this kind of thing wouldn't happen." She examines her nails. "Someone who knows how to handle attention. How to de-escalate situations before they become problems. Someone who wouldn’t have an ex that would be a problem."
"Someone like you?"
