s i x t e e n : gossip

I open the unlocked front door to see Shawn's mom butt-ass naked on the couch.

Yep, she's as comfortable as I remember.

I cringe so hard--what the hell is going on?!

I almost close the door quickly and run out, as if I've accidentally walked in on someone in the bathroom--but no: this is a living room, not private. I'm too shocked and shaken up to even move after my eyes register what's before me.

Shawn looks up in surprise, which shifts to embarrassment, then morphs into anger. Hey, I should be angry. I'm the victim here.

He immediately drops a yellow sponge and white rag into a bucket of soapy water.

His mother doesn't even flinch. Is this normal for them?

He seems to have been giving her a sponge bath before I walked in about 30 seconds ago. A large plastic tarp was laid underneath her, and towels were strategically placed on the floor around the couch.

"Didn't I say stay by the car?", he asks--rhetorically of course.

"It had been a while and I got worried", I manage to stumble out. "I didn't know you were in here", I gesture at them with both hands, "Uhh--"

"Just go outside. I'll get the stuff", he quickly adds. "Like I said earlier", he finishes. Bossy.

I honestly wish I had just obeyed.

I couldn't exit any faster.

I open the passenger door and observe the damage. It should be a quick wipe--then I can go home and forget this craziness.

He comes out with Clorox wipes and a wet sponge.

"I hope that's not the one you were just using", I point to the sponge. Too soon?

He just responds with an unimpressed look--not exactly angry, but not neutral either.

"Just don't tell anyone about what you just saw", he looks straight into my eyes, and I see something I've not seen in him this whole time: sheer embarrassment.

"Of course not", I reassure. I mean who would even care... that's weird. "What exactly did I just see?", I ask--just to make sure.

"My mom's morbidly obese", he lets out a breath and looks all around us, as if someone might be listening. I can tell that revealing this information is somewhat relieving for him. "Don't laugh", he snaps his eyes at me.

"I'm not", I say, "I wouldn't", I reassure softly, gently taking hold of his hand.

"I have to give her sponge baths because she can hardly do it herself", he explains. He fiddles with his thumbs. Another emotion I've never seen him express openly: anxiety.

"What about your dad?", I suggest, "Does he--"

"He's gone", he interjects.

"Oh", I look down. He must be a sensitive subject.

"Don't worry", he squeezes my hand, "I'm not damaged or anything. He's just never really been a part of my life", he shrugs. He then rubs the back of my hand with his thumb.

Buzzz--my phone

Why aren't you home?, Jack said.

What kind of stalker shit is he on? Why is he at my house?!

I scroll up to figure out what the fuck this is about. I almost forgot his text from earlier: "I'm coming over to your house". Total mood killer. The sight of his text makes me scowl.

Shawn yanks his hand away and pulls out one of the Clorox wipes. "That wasn't meant for you", I say in my head. He was actually being pleasant for once.

Kara's House

Tiana's POV:

What did she just say? I do a lot of shit, so you gotta be more specific, sweetie.

I bend down to pick up my phone, and there's a crack—a crack! She's paying for this. What the hell's this girl's problem?

"What's your problem?", I whine.

She just walks closer and points directly at my chest. "I know what you did", she re-emphasizes.

"Really what was it? Because I can tell you what I know: you threw my phone across the room for no goddamn reason!", I shout. She's way out of fucking line. Wait. Is she talking about that thing I did? Nah, just kidding, I still have no clue. That guy I did?

"You", she seethes, "spread that awful rumor about Kara and Jack last year", she blurts. Oh. That thing...

I just cross my arms in response. How the hell had she found out? Well, she hadn't found out—it's all heresy until she has proof.

"Sure", I roll my eyes, "I spread a vicious rumor about my best friend. How ridiculous do you sound?", she opens her mouth, then goes into deep thought. I'll answer: hella ridiculous.

"I-I heard you", she settles unsurely.

"Where did you hear me confess that I took a scandalous photo of my friend's boyfriend allegedly cheating and spread it?", I ask, feigning cluelessness.

"In the bathroom", she says, but it sounds more like a question. She points suddenly, "the bathroom at school. You and one of your wannabe popular girls were talking about it", she frowns. Watch out for the wrinkles, sis.

This time I walk up to her. "I have no idea what you're talking about", I settle. I'm done talking about it. It didn't work anyway. I just pushed them together.

"I see right through you", Kaylynn barks. Calm the fuck down.

"Oh no you can't, honey, because she's not made of glass", a deep voice replies. We both couldn't snap our heads faster.

Oh.

It's Kara's weird dad. He's always just around.

"Hello, Mr. Vox", I reply flatly. I use my adult/authority figure voice.

"Hello", Kaylynn scratches behind her ear. How much had he heard?

"Don't mind me", he grabs a water bottle, "I'm just heading to Pilates". As he heads out the door, we return our scowls. She's not letting up. I never saw Kaylynn as a push over, never as someone easily pleased, so I hadn't expected it. She's not gullible, so she needs so see the old Tiana if she's going to be convinced of my "innocence". I need to take her back to before; before I would choose a lusty drunken party night over chilling on the couch—swallowing calories. Because if the truth gets out, our group will blow apart. Although I act high and mighty sometimes, I don't really know what I would do without my dorky bestfriends.

"Hey Jack. How ya doing?", Kara's dad greets Jack, who side-steps his way in, looking godly. He's so fine, I stop breathing—this happens more often than I'd like to admit. I've had a crush on this boy for 9 months. A human's gestation period—aka. A long ass time. Even before he and Kara got together. I don't get crushes—Guys crush on me, so this felt very much different to what I'm used to.

"H-Hey Jack", I wave. Fuck! I sound like a blubbering idiot. It's a wonder no one's found out yet.

"Uh, hey, Tiana", he sends me a half-wave. Passive. Again. Jack and I have never been close—even though I've wanted to jump his bones since I've met him. Out of all the guys, he's the one I wanted. His curly black hair, decorating his forehead, bounces slightly with each step he takes. His sharp jaw is honestly the most attractive feature, among other things. He looks just like his father in the old pictures—not that I look at his father like that, but I could bang him, too.

"Hello, Jackson", Kaylynn says, not even looking in his direction. I think she's eating a leftover popcorn crumb out of the couch cushion—trashy. She uses that weird nickname for him, even though his name is literally just "Jack"; Kaylynn can be corny that way. It took forever for her to stop calling me Titi—but she pronounced it like titty, not teetee. I just ignored her, and she got bored of it, which is what I'll do for this rumor situation: ignore the hell out of her ass until she forgets—it's irrelevant now, anyway. Kara has the guy and I have no one.

I seem like a player to some, because I hook up with at least 2 guys at a party, but that's just what I want them to think. No one looks up to the overly romantic and dorky girl with no life. I need the lowest members of the social chain looking up at me, not straight.

In actuality, I wanted Jack back then, and I want him now.

Last Year

Tiana's POV:

There he is; I'm just gonna tell him. Tell him, Tiana—just do it, the voice in my head said. I can't, I replied—out loud. Some band kids look at me sideways, but they have no room for judgement, so I just shoot them a disgusted look, and they scurry away with their instruments.

He's a star player on the mens' basketball team at our school. Granted, they got less funding than womens', but still the same quality... kinda. He's high quality to me. I know I'm a bitch most of the time, but God, please give me this one thing—him.

Phew, I blow out a deep breath and get ready to approach Jack Thompson. One caveat, though: he's Kara's boyfriend. I saw him first, though. But he saw Kara. Just as I make the fatal move, some guy starts talking to him. Shit. Just when I built up the courage... welp, I'll try next time.

Wait.

This guy is flirting with Jack. He's touching his shoulder and laughing too damn loud—Jack's cute but he's not funny. Bad news for him: Jack's straight; aka. Good news for me.

But, plot twist, he plays into it? I'm hiding behind this random group of girls while Jack is just laughing along with this other guy.

"Jaden you are funny, you know that?", Jack smiles genuinely. Why is he staring into that guys eyes like that? It's weirding me out, to be honest.

Suddenly, "Jaden", whoever the fuck that is (I've never seen the guy in my life), spills a beet-red smoothie on Jack's pants. Fucking clutz.

"Ahh", Jack exclaims, jumping back.

Jaden rushes into a nearby classroom, and grabs a roll of paper towels. He dabs Jack's thighs and crotch with the tissue. This looks suspect as hell.

Jack's just telling him it's fine, and the Jaden guy is dabbing away. Is he enjoying this? My first instinct, as I have extensive experience in getting dirt on people, is to take a picture of the act. I served as head camera girl to Brittany Murphy during freshman year—I'm a pro.

Seeing me in my natural habitat—around her anyway—Brittany sneaks up behind me.

"Fuck, Brittany, you scared the shit out of me", I exclaim. She raises an eyebrow. "Sorry for the tone, but I got scared", I'm even more afraid now—she might put me on the shun list if she's mad enough.

"What are you doing?!", she snaps, "You were supposed to get me a smoothie from around the corner", she crosses her arms.

"Around the corner?", I blurt, "Sophomores aren't even allowed off school property".

She shrugs, "Make it work if you want to be a part of our crew". Okay, I'm definitely on the waitlist for the shun list. I end up getting the picture and it is scandalous as hell.

Before I know it, Brittany's snatching the phone and sending the picture around the school.

"Wha--", I begin.

"That's your punishment for forgetting my smoothie", she pouts, "I'm parched". She points at her tongue, saying, "and for leaving me out of whatever gossip you have".

And so it begins.

Weeks later, people whispered—about Jack, Jaden (who was still unknown to most of the school), Kara—anyone they could. The school bubbled with gossip, and the tea was piping hot.

Kara, the pretty girl with rich parents, experienced the most ridicule of her life. For the first time in her life. She needed to be piped down a notch. Or so I thought at first. Then when she came to me crying—on many occasions—I almost broke down with her and confessed. But then I remembered what I lost to her, and so I reveled in her situation and my involvement in it instead.

Present Day, Kara's House

Tiana's POV:

He just sits on the couch awkwardly. I make a move toward him, just hoping for some conversation, and the door slams open. It seems that the universe has focused on keeping us apart—with these interruptions—last year and now. Luckily, I'm stronger than it.