Travis jogged to where we stood and grabbed his hips, puffing until he caught his breath.
“Is there a mob of angry women chasing you?” I teased.
He shook his head. “I was trying to catch you … before you … went in,” he 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?” I 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.”
Travis and Shepley traded glances.
“What?” I 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.”
My mouth fell open. “Great! So I’m the school slut now?”
Travis’s eyes darkened and his jaws tensed. “This is my fault. If it was anyone else, they wouldn’t be saying that about you.” He walked into the cafeteria, his hands in fists at his sides.
America and Shepley followed behind him. “Let’s just hope no one is stupid enough to say anything to him,” America said.
“Or her,” Shepley added.
Travis sat a few seats across and down from me, brooding over his Reuben. I waited for him to look at me, wanting to offer a comforting smile. Travis had a reputation, but I let Parker take me into the hall.
&n
bsp; Shepley elbowed me while I stared at his cousin. “He just feels bad. He’s probably trying to deflect the rumor.”
“You don’t have to sit down there, Trav. Come on, come sit,” I said, patting the empty surface in front of me.
“I heard you had quite a birthday, Abby,” Chris Jenks said, throwing a piece of lettuce on Travis’s plate.
“Don’t start with her, Jenks,” Travis 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.
My eyes darted to Travis. “Parker came by?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I was gonna tell you.”
“When?” I snapped.
America leaned into my ear. “Parker heard the rumor, and came by to confront you. I tried to stop him, but he walked down the hall and … totally got the wrong idea.”
I planted my elbows on the table, covering my face with my hands. “This just keeps getting better.”
“So you guys really didn’t do the deed?” Chris asked. “Damn, that sucks. Here I thought Abby was right for you after all, Trav.”
“You better stop now, Chris,” Shepley warned.
“If you didn’t sleep with her, mind if I take a shot?” Chris said, chuckling to his teammates.