Walking Disaster

birthday party?” I asked, trying to think of what he could be referring to. Several things had happened that would have the rumor mills churning, but nothing some random guy
from oblivion would hear about.
    Elizabeth checked to see if Dr. Park was looking in our direction, and then turned back around. “Abby and Parker.”
    Another girl turned. “Oh, yeah. I heard Parker walked in on you two the next morning. Is it true?”
    “You heard where?” I asked, adrenaline screaming through my veins.
    Elizabeth shrugged. “Everywhere. People were talking about it in my class this morning.”
    “Mine, too,” Levi said.
    The other girl just nodded.
    Elizabeth turned around a bit more, leaning in my direction. “Did she really go at it with Parker in Brazil’s hallway, and then go home with you?”
    Shepley frowned. “She’s staying with us.”
    “No,” the girl beside Elizabeth said. “Her and Parker were making out on Brazil’s couch, and then she got up, danced with Travis, Parker left all pissed, and she left
with Travis . . . and Shepley.”
    “That’s not what I heard,” Elizabeth said, visibly trying to contain her enthusiasm. “I heard it was a threesome sort of deal. So . . . which is it, Travis?”
    Levi seemed to be enjoying the conversation. “I’d always heard it was the other way around.”
    “What’s that?” I asked, already irritated with his tone.
    “Parker getting
your
sloppy seconds.”
    I narrowed my eyes. Whoever this guy was, he knew way more about me than he should. I leaned down. “That’s some more of your fucking business, asshole.”
    “Okay,” Shepley said, putting his hand on my desk.
    Levi immediately turned, and Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up before she followed behind him.
    “Fucking dirtbag,” I grumbled. I looked to Shepley. “Lunch is next. Someone’s going to say something to her. They’re saying we both bagged her. Fuck.
Fuck,
Shepley what do I do?”
    Shepley immediately began shoving his things in his backpack, and I did the same.
    “Dismissed,” Dr. Park said. “Get the hell out and be productive citizens today.”
    My backpack thumped against my lower back as I sprinted across campus, making a beeline for the cafeteria. America and Abby came into sight, just a few steps from the entrance.
    Shepley grabbed America’s arm. “Mare,” he puffed.
    I grabbed my hips, trying to catch my breath.
    “Is there a mob of angry women chasing you?” Abby teased.
    I shook my head. My hands were trembling, so I gripped the straps of my backpack. “I was trying to catch you . . . before you . . . went in,” I breathed.
    “What’s going on?” America asked Shepley.
    “There’s a rumor,” Shepley began. “Everyone’s saying that Travis took Abby home and . . . the details are different, but it’s pretty bad.”
    “
What?
Are you serious?” Abby cried.
    America rolled her eyes. “Who cares, Abby? People have been speculating about you and Trav for weeks. It’s not the first time someone has accused you two of sleeping
together.”
    I looked at Shepley, hoping he’d figured a way out of the predicament I’d gotten myself into.
    “What?” Abby said. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”
    Shepley winced. “They’re saying you slept with Parker at Brazil’s, and then you let Travis . . . take you home, if you know what I mean.”
    Her mouth fell open. “Great! So I’m the school slut now?”
    I had done this, and of course it was Abby that was getting the shit end of the stick. “This is my fault. If it was anyone else, they wouldn’t be saying that about you.” I
walked into the cafeteria, my hands in fists at my sides.
    Abby sat, and I made sure to sit a few seats across and down from her. Rumors had been spread about me bagging girls before, and sometimes Parker’s name was even mentioned, too, but I
never cared until now. Abby didn’t deserve to be thought of that way just because she was my friend.
    “You don’t have to sit down there, Trav. Come on, come sit,” Abby said, patting the empty table space in front of her.
    “I heard you had quite a birthday, Abby,” Chris Jenks said, throwing a piece of lettuce onto my plate.
    “Don’t start with her, Jenks,” I warned, glowering.
    Chris smiled, pushing up his round, pink cheeks. “I heard Parker is furious. He said he came by your apartment yesterday, and you and Travis were still in bed.”
    “They were taking a nap, Chris,” America sneered.
    Abby’s eyes