The Gossip Web (5 page)

6

I TOLD HEIDI
ABOUT
my run-in with Trace in the locker room after gym, unaware that someone else was listening in on our conversation. I didn’t find out until the end of English class when Candace Harper (a known satanic worshiper) passed by my desk on the way out and said, “That Trace Gibson is a real jerk, huh? I can’t believe what he did to you all those years ago. And he was your best friend? Wow, you think you know a person…”

I was absolutely stunned about what had just occurred; I even thought I was hearing things. That was the first time Candace had ever spoken to me, and I was also taken aback by her comment. How did she know about what happened between Trace and I? Had she witnessed our argument in the hall? I was curious to ask her, but before I decided if I should, Candace was already heading towards the door. Jumping up from my seat, I called out to her quickly before she could walk out of the classroom.
             

“Hey, Candace, wait!”

She stopped and turned to look at me, her red eyes almost hidden behind her long black bangs. I had to admit though, even as weird as she was, those red contacts she had went great with her Goth look. As usual, today she wore a black on black ensemble, laced with chains and other metal decals. Her style was almost as interesting as it was scary.

“Yeah?” Candace asked.

“Where’d you hear that from?” I asked her eagerly. “About Trace and I, I mean?”

She scowled at me and I thought I had upset her in some way, but I realized that she was just thinking. “Uh, I think I heard it from Rita Freeman. Yeah…that’s right. She told me she heard it from Ashley Knots.”

“Ashley Knots? I don’t even know who that is?” I replied dumbly.

Candace shrugged. “She probably got her info from someone else.”

“What? But who spread it around to everyone? Do you know who it was?”

Candace frowned and shook her head. “Nah. You know how gossip is, Jade. It goes round and round. Who knows who started it?”

I was dumbfounded because I was one hundred percent certain that I didn’t tell anyone but Heidi, and she wouldn’t pass along any kind of information that I told her in confidence. Besides, what happened with Trace just took place today. How could anyone know about it already? Staring at Candace with a confused look on my face, I muttered incredulously, “This is crazy! I don‘t know how anyone found out.”

She shrugged again and headed for the hall. “Beats me, but I feel the same way you do.”

“About what?”

“I hope that jerk gets what’s coming to him,” was the last thing that Candace said before exiting the classroom.

I was left alone, staring around at the empty desks in the room when it dawned on me. Trace was going to find out about everything that I had said about him. Mental images of girl, after girl, shooting him nasty looks all day caused me to freak out. He would hate me forever if he found out that everyone in our high school knew our business.

“Oh God…” I moaned in panic, jumping up from my desk and fleeing the room in search of Trace. My eyes roamed the halls and I hoped to find him before anyone else did. Maybe, if he heard it from me first, he would understand. I prayed that he would.

             
When I found Trace he didn’t look too thrilled to see me. He was outside of his fifth period class, leaning up against a wall with his arms crossed, a big frown formed on his face. I almost decided against approaching him, but since all of this gossip was somehow my fault, I knew that I had to explain. Plus, he looked really hot at that moment and I couldn’t resist. As I drew closer, I had to take a few deep breaths to soothe my nerves.

             
When I stood only a few feet away, I mumbled his name. “Trace?”

             
He gazed up slowly, his eyes flickering in my direction. Then, almost instantly, he glanced back at the floor. Not a good sign. I watched him drag a hand through his brown hair before pushing off of the wall and walking towards me.

             
“What‘s up, Jade? Are you here to spread more trash about me?” He asked nastily. “I don’t know what else you could say, though. You pretty much covered all of it.”

             
I bit my lip as my face flared with shame. I took a short step near him, preparing for the worst. Since he was already aware of the gossip, I knew that the only smart thing to do now was apologize. “I’m really sorry, Trace.”

             
Trace shook his head and scowled, “Yeah, I’m sure you are.” I watched him cross his arms once more, and it was painfully clear how upset he was. “What I want to know,” he began, “Is why you would turn on me like you did?”

             
“But I didn’t tell anybody!” I told him anxiously. “It’s not what you think, Trace! I didn’t---”

             
“Right, you didn’t breathe a word about it,” he interrupted angrily. “That’s why the whole school knows about me treating you like dirt back in ninth grade. I know you’re pissed off at me, Jade. You have every right to be upset, but letting everybody know what a complete jerk I am isn’t going to fix things between us.”

             
“Trace, I wasn’t---” I tried to explain what happened, but he kept on.

             
“It just amazes me that you would stoop to Gloria’s level, just to get even with me. I didn’t think you were capable of something like that, and I thought you were above gossiping.” Trace shook his head suddenly and gave me a long, cold look before adding, “Maybe I was wrong about you.”

I was already growing agitated with him since he wouldn’t let me get a word in other wise, but when I heard him compare me to Gloria, it pushed me over the edge. No matter what I did, it could never be as bad as what that witch had done.

Balling my hands into fists, I yelled, “Would you just shut up and listen to me!”

“What?” He yelled back angrily, giving me a stern look. “Why are you even here? Haven’t you had enough fun ruining my reputation for one day?”

Shocked that he was more worried about his popularity than me, I asked hotly, “That’s all you care about, huh? Your stupid reputation?”

Trace sighed and shook his head. His fury eased up a bit as he mumbled, “No, of course it’s not, Jade.“

“Well that’s how you’re making it sound, Trace.“

“I’m sorry, Jade, I‘m just mad.” Gazing off, he added, “And I don‘t understand why you‘re so upset with me. I thought we had gotten past all of that stupid drama from ninth year.”

I stared wide eyed at his face, thinking I had heard him wrong. “Stupid drama?” I stammered, suppressed rage hanging off of the words.

“Yeah. I mean, all that stuff happened a long time ago.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I spat, “It wasn’t that long ago, Trace.”

“You know what I mean,” he replied softly.

I backed away from him and replied hotly, “No, I don’t think I do. You left without a word seventh grade. We were best friends, Trace, and you never said goodbye. For two years I waited everyday by the phone, but you never called. I had no idea what happened to you. Then, when you finally came back, you acted like I didn’t even exist! How do you think that made me feel?”

His blue eyes traced my face before he replied, “I know, Jade. I messed up. There’s nothing I can say to make up for what I did to you. I’m really sorry.” Giving me a small smile, Trace added, “Jade, I really want us to be friends again.”

“What for?” I whispered sadly.

“Because…” His voice fell and a stupid grin formed on his face. Trace’s cheeks turned slightly red as finished, “Because I care about you, Jade.”

That statement overwhelmed me, but I managed to ask, “So, what? You just want to pretend like ninth grade never happened?” I frowned and added, “Because I don’t think I can do that, Trace.”

Trace shook his head. “I’m not saying you have to forget, Jade, but can’t we at least try to get passed it and start over?”

I shrugged, knowing full well that I wanted a do-over. I hated fighting with him, and being so depressed all of the time. Maybe I couldn’t forget what he had done, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t give him a chance to make it up to me.

“I guess I can try, Trace.”

His face lit up. “Thanks, Jade. You won’t regret it.” Smiling, he took a few steps in my direction and he reached out for me. I allowed him to pull me into a hug, and the warmth of his body and the smell of his cologne caused me to forget all of the negative thoughts I was thinking. I just stood there happily in his arms as he squeezed me tight.

“Now,“ Trace spoke softly in my ear. “Promise me that the next time I do something to piss you off, you won’t go around spilling your guts, Jade Cannon.”

I narrowed my eyes to keep them from falling out of my head. “What?” I asked sharply.

“I need to know that I can trust you, Jade, and that nothing like this is going to happen ever again.”

My jaw dropped in disbelief. He actually believed that I had openly gossiped about him? I didn’t know how to react; his mistrust hurt more than he would ever know.

Pushing him away, I snapped, “You know what, Trace? Despite what you think, I didn’t go around telling people our history. In fact, I found out about this whole rumor like five minutes ago. I felt terrible about it, so I came over here to apologize. I have no idea who was gossiping about us, but it wasn’t me, and that’s the truth!” I sighed angrily and added, “I really don‘t care if you believe me or not.”

Everyone passing in the hall stopped dead in their tracks to stare at the both of us. I didn’t care that they were watching and whispering, the only thing that mattered at this moment was Trace. I studied his face, watching it shift into a shameful expression. I couldn’t help but be pleased at the sight of his distress.

There was a heavy silence barricading us as we stared back at each other. I refused to utter another word until he apologized, but after a few minutes passed, he offered nothing in return. If he wasn’t going to apologize, then I had nothing else to say to him.

Determined to have the last word, I whispered, “If you really thought that I could involve people that I don’t even know or care about into my personal life, then you never knew me at all.”

I suddenly turned to gaze at all of the nosy students in the hall. Shaking my head at them, I shouted, “Enjoying the show?”

I didn’t care if I was making a spectacle of myself, I was disgusted by their unfathomable interest in my life. They had no right to poke their noses in my business. This dispute was between Trace and myself---nobody else needed to be involved. After a few moments of awkward silence from the two of us, the crowd suddenly dissipated and I was relieved.

Turning to glance back at Trace, I felt a pang of regret when I noticed how sad he seemed. I never wanted to hurt him, but I was sick and tired of getting hurt myself. No matter how much I cared for him, I was not going to let Trace upset me anymore. If that meant that I could never see him again, then so be it. It was time I stood up for myself.
             

Staring straight into his blue eyes, I murmured sadly, “Maybe we just shouldn’t be friends.”

I turned away from him without another word and continued on to the last period of the day. As I trudged down the hall, not once did I glance back at the boy who used to be my whole world.

7

             
WHEN I GOT HOME,
I was so happy to be far away from that prison and all of the tragedy that came with it that I forgot what day it was. But unfortunately for me, I was about to be reminded.