Chapter 4: Rumors.

LEAH's POV.

Something was wrong.

I didn't realize it until the next morning as I walked through the doors of Ashwood High to the hundred eyes staring at me. I made my way towards my locker with my heart in my throat.

There were people whispering, even a sophomore walking past me did a blatant double take before whispering something to her friend. Both of them looked at me, then burst into laughter.

Something was definitely wrong, I frowned.

Luckily, I heard my name from across the hallway just then.

"Leah!" It was Hazel. The expression on her face showed she was relieved to see me and so was I. "Hazel!" I turned toward her.

"What the fuck is going on?" I asked as we weaved through the shoulders of gossiping students in the hallway and made our way towards art class. The class was empty and Hazel pushed the door open. When we got inside, I could finally heave a deep breath.

"Tell me it isn't you," Hazel said, pulling out her phone and I arched my brows.

"What?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"You seriously don't know?" She stared at me for a long, disbelieving second before handing me the phone. At first, all I saw was a picture of Hardin and I in the hallway yesterday.

But then I looked closer.

He was standing inches away from me, one hand lifted toward my face and his fingers tangled in my hair. He was picking out the pine needle but from this angle, it sure looked like he was about to kiss me. My stomach dropped as I read the caption. It was a lot worse.

Mystery New Girlfriend Of Star Hockey Player?

Could it be possible that there was finally a woman able to tame the wild player, both on and off the pitch, Hardin West?

My eyes dropped to the comments. There were over three hundred of them and the post was at a thousand likes. I scrolled until my throat started to tighten. The comments were brutal. I'd never had this many eyes on me—this many people know me.

I stopped reading and turned off the phone.

"What the hell?" I turned back to Hazel. "So it was you?" She asked. Of course she knew but to her, none of it made sense. It didn't to me either.

"What? How did this happen?" She asked. "When did this happen?"

"It was the night I..." I paused, realizing Hazel still had no idea about Ethan and I. Or why I had disappeared that night.

I pulled her to the table on which we sat.

"Look, there's something I have to tell you. Ethan and I were seeing each other for a couple of months before the school formal..." I said and I watched her jaw drop.

"Hardin's brother?" She muttered. "It was really private and it was just us sneaking around literally the whole time. I had a feeling he was ashamed of me but finally he said he was going to tell everyone about us the night of the dance but then I caught him with Julia," I said and Hazel didn't seem surprised.

"You caught him with his girlfriend?" She asked and my brows creased. "What?" I asked.

"Well, not a lot of people knew but Julia told me she was seeing someone a few weeks ago. It wasn't until later she told me it was Ethan West." My stomach tied into a knot.

"That two-timing bastard!" I cussed.

"So what? He was playing both of you?" Hazel asked.

I ran my hands through my hair. "God I'm so stupid. How did I never see it?"

"Well, Julia wanted it that way. Clearly, she was right with her reasons because look how the school blog has blown up with you two." She shrugged. For a moment I had forgotten the issue at hand. I opened the phone again to the now-viral post.

"What do I do now?" I turned to Hazel.

"It's all fake...I ran into Hardin that night after finding out Ethan had been cheating on me and he took me back to his place. We kissed for a bit but nothing happened..." She chuckled.

"The most notorious fuckboy on campus, you want me to believe that?" Hazel perched up a brow. "Hell yes. I could never be someone like Hardin," I contested. "He has like the worst reputation. Falling for him would be the biggest mistake of my life." I added.

Hazel was hesitant but she believed me. We'd spent all of junior year talking shit about how he used and dumped all the girls he slept with. When I thought of an asshole, he was the one who came to mind.

I let out a sigh as I buried my head into my hands.

"This can't be happening to me," I muttered. "A rumor like this would never die down. Everyone already thinks we're dating but I was only there to return his hoodie I swear. I don't want Hardin," I said. I looked at the phone and the comments were still flooding in as I refreshed.

The bell rang in that moment and I looked at Hazel who strapped her backpack.

"Well, we can't stay in here forever," She said. As much as I wanted to, she was right. Grudgingly, I stood up on my feet and made my way down the halls. Once the bell rang, it had somewhat cleared up so it was easier for me to blend into the crowd.

Hazel and I separated down the hall because she had math while I had history. I clung to my locker and pulled out my book. But the moment, I closed it. He was right in front of me.

"Ethan!" My breath caught in my throat as my heart sank.

He pulled me by my arm into the storage closet at the end of the hall and when he shut the door, I turned to meet his displeased face.

"What the fuck?" He cornered me, raising his voice. I parted my lips, but the words couldn't come out. This was the first time I'd seen him since the night of the school dance.

The night I saw him with Julia.

It was easy to be mad at him, especially now that I knew the truth.

"Is it true?" He asked. "You and my brother?" He scrunched up his face, his eyes filled with anger and jealousy. "And how does that concern you?" I asked, a laugh of disbelief escaping my lips.

Ethan was almost surprised at my reaction. But what did he expect?

"You cheated on me, Ethan." I said to him. "What I do or who I hang out with is none of your business..." It was the first time standing up for myself and I watched as his face dropped.

"I know..."

"But Hardin?" The room fell silent as I pulled away from him. Of course, it wasn't true but watching him squirm filled me with satisfaction. It couldn't nearly be as much as the hurt he'd caused me that night but it was something.

"Tell everyone it isn't true," Ethan said. "Because I know my brother would never do that...not with you. Who would be with someone like you?" He asked. There was a derogatory look in his eyes and my heart shattered at his words. I knew immediately that Ethan never loved me. He never even respected me.

I clenched my jaw as I looked at him, my blood pulsing with revenge.

"Believe what you want. I don't care." I muttered before brushing past his shoulders. I closed the door behind me and my eyes became foggy as I ran down the now quiet halls. I made my way into the bathroom and it wasn't until I was alone that the tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Who could be with someone like you?" Ethan's words echoed in my ears. I pulled out my phone and looked at the photo of Hardin and I. Ethan had already hurt me so much and I knew just the way to make him pay. Unfortunately, I needed Hardin's help.