Chapter 336
WILLA
The rumours did not lessen. They got worse.
In that halls, the corridors, in class, people stared, whispered and pointed. I had held out some hope that other tidbits of gossip would make it's way into the blog and eventually take everyone's attention off me.
That did not happen. I supposed Lucian's status as the Lucan prince was the reason Worchmount wasn't going to get over the news so fast.
Even people I didn't even know and had no quarrel would go out of their way to sneer as I passed.
So I did what Lucian had advised me to do. I ignored them and walk with my head held high.
Seeing I was pretending not to notice what was going on, some of the students made sure I actually heard what they thought of me.
All that day, I heard my name spoken in not too quiet whispers in the halls, mixed up with the words like slut, desperate, cheat.
The only thing they didn't do was scream their abuses in my face though some looked like they wanted to.
It seemed like the student body had unofficially organized some sort of witch-hunt for me.
I tried to put all my attention into studying, but it was hard to concentrate. There was no peace for me even in the library, not when everyone's favourite topic of conversation there was 'That slut, Willa.'
When Sienna found me all alone in an empty classroom, staring blankly out of the window with the book I was supposed to be reading still unopened, and asked if I was okay, I shook my head.
"What do you think?" I said miserably. "Of course I'm not."
Sienna sighed and came to seat by me.
"This is about the post, right?" she said.
I nodded. "The worst part is that part of it is true. Lucian and I are together now. Everyone can see that. So they'll think the other part about me sleeping around is also true..."
I went on to tell her about all the things I had heard the students say, the veiled and not so veiled references to me when I happened to be in a space with them.
I told her of all the incidents I could remember. When I was done, I felt spent but oddly, a little relieved.
It felt good to vent.
"Sorry," I said. "I know I'm talking your ear off."
"That's what I'm here for," Sienna said sympathetically, placing her hand on mine. "I'm your friend. I know you would do the same for me."
I nodded my thanks.
"I can't even do anything to defend myself," I blurted out. "If I did, who would believe me? I'm just... tired. I wish I could get away from it all, even if it's just for a while."
"I understand." Sienna paused. "At least to an extent. I'm not in your shoes so I can't pretend to know exactly how it feels to be in this mess. I'll give you one word of advice though. Don't let the rubbish they're saying get to you. Stay strong."
"How?" I sighed. "How am I supposed to do that? It feels like it's me against the world."
"Do it by putting this at the back of your mind whenever what they're saying starts to get to you; People like to tear down what they can't have. What you don't realize is more than half of the idiots spreading this gossip are jealous of you. Girl, you are dating the hottest and most popular guy in Worchmount. In the whole territory even. A lot of them are dying to be in your shoes."
"You think so?" I said.
Sienna patted my hand. "I know so." She sniffed. "Besides what they wrote about you isn't scandalous enough. I know secrets about students here that would make your toes curl and I'm not kidding!
Later that day, on my way to a practical class, I bumped into a girl as I rounded the corner.
We saw each other a second too late. I clutched her arm to stop myself from falling.
The girl was Jamie, a student in my year. A pale, quiet guy but distant. Uncomfortably aware that she was watching me closely, I muttered an apology and continued on my way.
"Willa?" he called.
I stopped in my tracks, slowly turned, bracing myself for what was to follow. There could be only one reason why Jamie, quiet as he was, would want to speak to me.
He probably wanted to ask me if the blog post was true or to hint that she knew about it, or some such nonsense.
"Yes?" I said.
"I heard about the post," he said and I thought 'here we go.'
Jamie took a quick light step forward and touched my arm.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
