Chapter Nine: Rumors

The next day I dropped Rosamund off at her house and went then went to the festival grounds.  Star and I had agreed to meet at the picnic area to talk. I sat there for a while waiting for her to show up and as more time passed, I wondered if she if she was going to show up.

 

“Hey.”

I looked up and saw Star walking up the stairs.

 

“Hey.”

I stood up and walked up to her. “Thanks for meeting me here.”

She stood there looking away from me. “Listen, Star, there’s got to be a way that all of us can be happy. I don’t want to lose you as a friend.  We’ve been friends for way too long. I know I haven’t been the greatest friend lately and I really am sorry about it. I get why your angry about that. What I don’t get is why you think so badly of Rosamund. I know you two aren’t best buds but she hasn’t done anything to you that was mean, has she?”

 

I watched her as she stood in front of me with her arms crossed. She looked so upset but I still didn’t understand why. “No, she hasn’t done anything to mean to me. It’s just like I said. You used to listen to me when I had a feeling about someone and for some reason with Rosamund you won’t listen.”

 

“That’s because I’ve spent time with her. I’ve gotten to know her really well.”

“I’m sure you have.” She said nastily.

“What’s that supposed to mean. Dammit Star. I’m really trying here but you’re not making this any easier.”

 

She continued to stand there not looking at me. She let out a big sigh “It’s just that there are rumors going around that the two of you have, you know. . .”

 

“No, I don’t Star. What are you saying.”

She looked at me with an exasperated expression “You know. That you’re sleeping together.”

 

I was shocked. Who would have even suggested such a thing? “Is it true?” She asked. I looked at her in shock.

“Of course it’s not true! You know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t be that stupid.”

 

She nodded. “Is that why you’ve been upset?” She nodded again. “Well why would that cause you to take it out on Rosamund?”

“Because people are saying that she’s the one going around telling everyone that you two are sleeping together.”

 

“That can’t be, Star. People must be wrong.”

 

“I didn’t think much of it till Peter told me he heard her talking to a girl outside one of the classrooms.”  I couldn’t believe it! Why had Rosamund done such a thing?

 

“I’m really sorry Jeff, I thought it must have been true if she was telling people. Knowing how you are about keeping personal things to yourself I figured the only reason she would be telling people about it was that it was okay with you.”

“You know me. No matter if it was true, I wouldn’t want people talking about it.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“No. Why would I be? I really like her, Star. She’s beautiful, fun, and I thought I could trust her.”

 

We stood there in silence for a while before she spoke again. “So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to go talk to her. Thanks for meeting with me. I’ll talk to you later.”

I didn’t even look back at Star as I walked to the house. I changed clothes and drove back to Rosamund’s house. The whole way to her house I thought about her telling people that we were sleeping together.  How could she do that? We had talked about this in the past and she knew how I felt about it. I pulled up to her house and got out. I walked up the stairs and rang the doorbell. I was surprised that she answered the door.

“Jefferson, are you alright? Did your talk with Star not go well?” I looked around and then at her.

 

“Is there somewhere we can go and not be heard?”

 

“There’s no one here. Momma’s at the spa and Humphrey is at the grocery store. But we can go up to my room to talk if you’d prefer.”

I followed her up the stairs and into her room.  Once inside I lost it.

“Are you going around telling people that we’re sleeping together?” She looked shocked.

 

“Is that what Star told you?”

 

“It doesn’t matter where I heard it. Answer the question Rosamund, did you tell people that we are sleeping together?”

She bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment. “Yes, I did.”

“What the hell Rosamund! Why did you do that?!”

 

She paused before she answered. “As we continued to date I listened to some of my friends talk about how they were sleeping with their boyfriends. They of course would then ask me if we were. I denied it for months, but after months and months of denying it, they started asking what was wrong. To them it didn’t make sense that if you and I really liked each other that we weren’t sleeping together. I got tired of hearing it. I know I shouldn’t have said it but I finally gave in and told them that we were.  I thought I could trust them. One or more of them must have gone around and told people and that’s how it must have spread. I’m so sorry Jefferson!”

 

I couldn’t believe that she had actually done it. She knew me. She knew how I didn’t like anyone knowing my private business. “You know that even if we were sleeping together that I wouldn’t want ANYONE to know. It’s private and needs to stay private.”

 

“I know Jefferson and I’m so, so sorry! I had a momentary slip of my senses. It won’t ever happen again.”

 

“You’re right. It’s not going to happen again. We’re done Rosamund. I can’t date someone who I can’t trust.”

“Please Jefferson. I wish I could take it back! I’ll do anything to make it up to you!” She tried to grab my arm to keep me from walking away but I jerked it away from her.

 

“Forget it Rosamund. It’s over.” I walked out of her room and out of her house, all the while listening to her calling after me. I got in my car and drove off.  I drove around town for a while not really wanting to go home. I had never been hurt by a girl like this and I didn’t know how to handle it. I was always the type of guy that blew how he felt off but this hurt too bad to do that.

 

I turned down a dirt road and eventually came to a waterfall. I got out and walked around. I was so mad at Rosamund! I somewhat understood why she did it. It made some sense to me. But I didn’t understand how if she really cared for me how she could have said those things. I felt my phone vibrate and saw that Rosamund was trying to call me. I sent the call to voice mail and turned off my phone.  I sat on one of the rocks and to my surprise, I started crying. I sat there for a while watching the waterfall while water fell from my eyes.

 

“Hey.” I stood up like the rock I had been sitting on was on fire and quickly turned around. It was Star.

 

“Hey.” I said and I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes.

 

“I take it you talked to her then.”

“Yeah.”

 

“What did she say?”

 

“Long story short, she felt pressure from her friends to say we were sleeping together. She didn’t give in for a while but eventually she did and it started going around the school.”

 

“I’m sorry Jeff.”

 

“Me too.”

We stood there in silence before I started wondering something. “Why are you here?”

“Oh. I come here every once in a while to think. I was surprised to see you here.”
 

“I haven’t been here very often. We used to come here when I was little and have picnics. I think it’s a special spot for my parents.”
 

“Are you going to be okay Jeff?”

 

“Sure. I’ll be fine. I better get going. Mom’s going to wonder where I am and since I turned my phone off so I don’t have to keep hearing Rosamund call, I can’t call her to tell her where I am.”

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Star.”

“See you tomorrow.”