Page 83 of Finding a Melody
“What really happened? Another rumor said you cheated on someone in the Ryder gang so they went to hunt you down to punish you.”
“That’s probably closer to the truth than fucking someone while they were driving.”
“Technically, giving head isn’t fucking.”
I glared at her. “Hazel.”
She raised her hands up in mock surrender. “Just clearing it up.”
“I can’t talk about why, but the Ryder gang did attack us. Ran Seth right off the road to hurt me. Is it about me dumping one of them or cheating on one of them, no. I can’t say anything else, and frankly, I’m uncomfortable talking about it.”
“Okay. I get it.” She leaned closer to me. “Are you okay?”
Her concern was so genuine that it took me by surprise.
“I’m okay.”
She didn’t believe me at all, but at least she dropped it, turning to doodle in her notebook instead, a package of different colored pens nearby. We were about halfway through the period when she finally got up the nerve to talk to me again.
“Be careful, Cadence.”
“What do you mean?” I looked up from my textbook.
“The rumors about you and the guys have really ramped up thanks to that particular rumor. They’re nasty rumors and most definitely not in your favor.”
“I’m assuming they think I’m screwing all of them at this point?”
“You’ve already heard about all the rumors, haven’t you?”
My smile felt wavering and fake. “They get pretty spicy.”
“Damn. We tried to curb the rumors, but people love the drama and embellish stories to make it all too exciting. Every time someone talks about it, they add on to it.” She was ready to go on a tantrum.
“Hazel.” I laughed. “I know how rumors work, trust me.”
She snapped her mouth shut. “Of course, you do. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I appreciate your concern. I really do.”
“Good. Here, I drew this for you.” She passed me the sheet she had been doodling on.
As soon as I glanced at the paper, I began giggling. She had drawn little chibi characters of me and the guys. They stood all around me, looking so goofy, yet their basic features were there enough for me to know who was who. I absolutely loved it.
Paxon was at the front, wearing his beanie, a soccer ball under one of his feet. Justin had his black hair and intense blue eyes, wearing goggles on top of his head and stood in swimming trunks and a loose tank. Toby had a guitar case strapped to his back and candy in his mouth, his eyes looking a little sly. Seth stood slightly behind Toby, with illegible writing on his shirt and a hammer in his hand that he currently held over Toby like he was going to knock him out with it. Bryan had big goofy glasses on, black hair slicked back. He had a computer case strapped on and looked absolutely nerdy.
“You know them well,” I said. “And you’re very talented. I wish I could draw like this.”
Hazel smiled. “I make it a point to know everyone in this school. Yearbook, remember?”
I snorted. That was true. She made it her business to have to know about everyone. I carefully slid it into my notebook, not wanting for it to get ruined. The bell rang and even as I packed up my things, I kept wondering what frame to use for the drawing. It was definitely something I wanted to preserve.
The Wright twins really weren’t bad people. I was beginning to warm up to them. Everything they did only ever felt genuine, never mocking or condescending. Just a little nosy.
Chapter Twenty-Six
~Toby’s POV~
By the time I made it to lunch, I was pissed the fuck off. And I didn’t understand why Cadence didn’t seem affected by it at all. As soon as we’d walked into music class, the loud whispering started and I heard it all. How she was servicing all of us, about how good she must be to have so many men at her side. Yada fucking yada.