Rumor Has It (Rumor Has It #1)(28)

He shrugs and walks away. Letting out a low grumble, I sit in front of my locker, while Matt looks on and the rest of the guys start leaving.

“You finally gonna tell me what happened yesterday?”

I take a long breath, staring aimlessly at the metal locker in front of me. I feel like the lowest piece of scum at the bottom of a five-gallon bucket filled with monkey crap. Yeah, it's that bad. So, now, not only did I hurt a girl I care about, but I also scorned another who is now spreading rumors about me. And not the kind of rumors I've grown fond of.

“Dude, I screwed up.”

“How? I thought you were all psyched to meet that girl.”

“I was, but …” I let out a deep breath. “Damn it. Okay, you can’t tell anyone this.”

“Carter, come on.” He gives me a look asking if I’m serious.

“I know, I know. But I’m just saying. Even if you had let it slip before that I liked a girl I didn’t know, when I tell you this, it’s going to freaking blow your mind. It blew my mind and then I screwed it all up.”

“Okay.” He nods with a concerned look.

“The girl? Emerald22? It’s Emma Sanchez.”

His face drops, stunned. “Are you shitting me?”

“No. And she hates my guts. Now with this stupid rumor out there, I have no clue what I’m going to do.”

“Wait, hold up. Why does she hate you?”

“Because of what everyone thinks. What I’ve portrayed for the last two years of my life. That I’m some basketball-cool-kid that can get any girl he wants. She didn’t even consider the possibility that I was there to meet her. She wanted to blow me off. She kept trying to get rid of me because she thinks I’m some Don Juan jock that’s hooked up with every girl in school.”

He chuckles.

“Matt, it’s not funny. All those stupid rumors about me hooking up with girls, and that stupid homecoming bathroom one? She probably thinks I’m a walking STI.”

The silence sits in the air for a moment. “What are you gonna do?”

“I have no clue.”

Getting home that night, my mom left a note that she was working late, leaving twenty dollars for me to order a pizza. After placing the call, I sit at the dining room table, staring at my phone. I turn it on, stare at the last text she sent, then turn it off. The pizza place said it’d be forty-five minutes until it’s delivered and when the bell rings I realize just how long I’ve been staring at my phone, trying to decide what to do.

Grabbing a slice and taking a bite, I sit down and turn my phone back on. Scrolling through our last set of messages, I see our #SecretSunday. I need to talk to her. Tell her how sorry I am.

BigBaller27: I royally screwed up. I don’t blame you if you hate me :(





I sit there, staring at my phone, unsure if she’ll even reply. Finishing my slice, I grab a second piece and just wait for my phone to go off. After the third slice, I figure she’s probably so mad and hurt she’ll never talk to me again. Then my phone chirps.

Emerald22: No biggie





No biggie? She's blowing me off. I did screw everything up.

BigBaller27: It might not have been for you, but it was for me. I’m soooo sorry. Seriously. I’m an asshole. I AM SO SO SORRY.

Emerald22: If it was such a big deal for you, y didn’t u show?

Emerald22: Why have u ignored me for 2 days?





The pathetic ball of shame reappears in my throat. "Because I'm an idiot who you can't even stand to be around", I feel like writing. But I can't just come out and tell her who I am now. She's learned who I am. The real me. And I like that she knows me. I like that I know her. I have to figure out how to fix this and if I tell her who I am, there's no way in hell she'll ever speak to me again, in real life or through text.

BigBaller27: I wish I could explain, but I can’t. I’d like to, someday, but right now, I can’t

Emerald22: Do u have a gf? Is that what this is about?

BigBaller27: No, I swear. I…





I have to put it out there.

BigBaller27: I was hoping that was gonna be you

Emerald22: Ha! You’ve got a weird way of trying to show that

Emerald22: And that’s a super pissed off “Ha!” btw, not some cutesy sarcasm thing





Even though she’s still furious, just the way she explains how mad she is makes me smile. I have no idea if I can fix this, but it gives me a little spark of hope.

BigBaller27: I get it

Emerald22: Whatever





It’s time to take a shot.

BigBaller27: I seriously don't blame u for hating me. And if u never want me to talk to u again, I'll accept that. And u don't have to forgive me because I'm not asking for that. I'm not even sure I deserve your forgiveness. But please, if u want to keep talking, I'm here.





I hit the send button, squeezing my eyes shut, and wait. No reply. I stare at my phone until the screen turns off and then turn it back on. My message is still there, but nothing from her. Not even a ‘typing’ prompt.

Getting up from the table, I put the pizza box in the fridge and walked back over, turning my phone on. Still nothing. An hour goes by, and I have no idea if she's ever going to talk to me again. I finish up whatever homework I have, take a shower, and just lay in bed, constantly looking at my phone. Just waiting and wishing for it to go off.