Barry Burton had called and visited me during the bereavement period, and he was there to greet me at my locker when I returned to school in the morning.
"Before you stumble on the gossip," he told me. "I want you to be prepared."
"What gossip?"
"There's talk your father deliberately killed himself, committed suicide."
I felt the hot tears of fury and pain forming under my lids. What right did anyone have making up such stories about him and why did they care anyway? Were they all so desperate for gossip? Or was it just the girls who despised me for being more attractive than they were? All these little jealousies were like termites eating away the foundation of any friendships in this place, I thought, I hated them all.
"If anyone does dare to say that in front of me..."
"Someone will do it just to get you upset. I'm sure," he warned. I could tell from his tone that he more than anticipated it. It hit me as sharply as a rock in the forehead when I gazed into his eyes.
"It's Paula, isn't it?" I asked.
3: Secrets Paige 458
He nodded. "Why?"
He shrugged.
"She's been telling people about how it was when she went over to your house to pick you up that night, things she supposedly felt or heard."
"That's all a lie!" He looked down.
"I think," he said softly. "that Ed was more interested in you than he was in her, and she learned that after we left them together. It didn't sit well with her. Remember English class and Shakespeare, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,''
"This isn't English class and I don't care what Shakespeare or anyone else wrote. It's me and my family that's being scorned."'
Was being attractive a curse or a blessing? Would I never have a close girlfriend because of that?
"I don't know where she got the idea that I cared for Ed Wiley anyway. If he has a crush on me, that's not my fault. I never encouraged him. Bally:"
He smiled.
"I'm glad," he said. "Don't worry about it. Ignore her as best you can."
"Whatever," I said.
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. I've got to get to class."
"Right."
I know he stayed at my side as much as he could that day in hopes of preventing any problems, as well as because he really wanted to be with me. As it turned out. Paula was only a cowardly whisperer. She didn't have the courage to say anything aloud, especially anywhere near me. but I could tell from the way many of the students she had spoken to were looking at me and whispering that she had been spewing her verbal p
oison all around me. I was the one who eventually had to confront her, and confront her I did at the end of the day.
I walked up to her quickly as she was leaving the building and I scooped my arm under hers, pulling her to the side. She was so shocked she could barely resist. I knew she was athletic and more physical than I was, but I was driven by such rage. I think I could have broken her into pieces. She knew it, too, and didn't challenge me.
"I know you've been saving things about my family and my father, Paula. If you do it again,I'll rip out your tongue," I said so calmly, my eyes so fixed on hers, she could barely breathe.
She started to stutter an excuse and I put my hand flatly on her chest.
"Don't do it again," I said, digging the nail of my forefinger into her enough to make her back up. Then I walked away from her, my heart probably pounding louder and harder than hers.
Barry had seen me take her aside. He was waiting in his car to drive me home. After I got in. I told him what I had done and said and he laughed.