“Um, is, is it true?” he mumbled out, sounding almost afraid to ask.

“Is what true?!” I was fuming. The teacher just looked at me, not knowing why I was shouting. Well fuck her.

“What everyone’s saying.” Did he not understand the concept that I didn’t know what was going on?

“My fucking God kid, what the hell are they saying?” All eyes were on me now easily. There were even some people that had been wandering the halls that had come to watch.

“About that girl,” he stated sounding like a deer caught in headlight. He was probably wondering why he was getting yelled at when everyone else was starring too.

“What girl?”

“Alex…”

“Alex, Alex?…” I couldn’t breath.

Have you ever had one of those moments when it feels like all the wind has been knocked out your lungs, and you’re left gasping for air? Well, that’s how I felt right now, times about a hundred. When he said her name, I couldn’t breath. It felt like smoke was all around me, being forced into my lungs. It scorched my throat, like I was breathing fire. The flames blazed everywhere, while ash laid scattered across the room. It was everywhere…

“What about Alex?” I was practically whispering, trying to escape the image. Oh god, Alex.

“They said, they said that you let her die.” I could feel the color drain away from my face. How do they even know anything about Alex?

“Who told you that?” I asked trying to build my confidence back up. Whoever this was, they were going to get so fucked up.

“Everyone.” Another answer that brought me no closer than where I was in the beginning.

“Did everybody hear this?” I yelled at the entire room just to watch people slide into their seats trying to not get involved. They all knew what happened to people that fucked me over.

“I fucking said did anybody else know about this?” I asked again standing up. I didn’t care if I looked crazy. I needed to know.

“Ashley,” the teacher tried to search for words.

“Ok, I’m going to ask one more time. Who told you this?” I ignored the teacher. No one responded. They only looked away, trying to avoid all eye contact. Pussies.