Next thing I knew, Kyla said “Hey Spence, what’s up, you look like you just saw a ghost.”

“Huh? Oh, nothing, just spacing. So Ashley’s gay?!”

“Well, bi is the word on the street but close enough. I never saw it coming!” Kyla practically yelled, causing some of the older girls to look down the hallway at us.

“Shhh! They’re gonna hear!” Chelsea warned, “And I know girl, it’s so weird!”

“Seriously!” Kyla replied. I just sat there listening to the conversation and thinking about this rumor.

“Oh, Carmen just texted me, she’s ready to take me home. You guys need a ride?” Chelsea asked.

“Yeah” and “Sure, that’d be great” were our replies.

Chelsea surprised us by whispering “Maybe we’ll even ask her about Ashley,” on the way to the car.

“Okay, but let’s be subtle about it,” I said.

The car ride started off slightly awkward. Carmen was friends with Chelsea because they met in art, but Kyla and I didn’t know her very well, and it didn’t help that we were all thinking of a way to broach the subject about Ashley. Carmen was a senior, but she didn’t really fit in with the older girls on the team, so she befriended the younger girls, like us.

Chelsea finally just blurted out “We heard that Ashley’s bi.” Really nice Chels, very subtle.

“Um, who told you that???” Carmen responded nervously.

“Aiden’s best friend, who got told by Aiden,” Kyla put in.

“Well, I really shouldn’t talk about this, but… She is. She told us all earlier this year because word got out that she did stuff with a girl from another school. As far as I know, her parents found out and got really mad, but she just told them it was a phase. And not a lot of people know. Pretty much just the softball team because she got outed by another senior, and her best friends because they started asking questions,” Carmen answered. ”You guys cannot tell anyone you heard this from me!”

“We won’t” we all said at once.

“Okay, good, I’d be dead if anyone found out that I told. Even though technically I didn’t tell you first.” Carmen said as she pulled up to my house. “Well Spencer, here’s your stop.”

“Alright, thanks for the ride Carmen, I’ll see you guys tomorrow!”

“Yeah, see you Spence,” they responded.

I went straight to my room in order to process this new information. It led to more questions about mine and Ashley’s relationship, my sexual orientation, and really just everything surrounding this rumor. I also felt bad for Ashley and Aiden. I wouldn’t want all these people talking about me behind my back, so I thought I owed it to them to try to tell them that they can’t necessarily trust everyone around them. But how would I do this? I sat brainstorming of a non-threatening way to tell them, but I also wanted to be anonymous. I decided on getting Aiden’s number and texting him, but not telling him it was me.

My text: Hey, I know you don’t know who this is, but I just think you should know… Someone you told about your sister told someone else, and now people are finding out. I just don’t want to see either of you guys get hurt.

Aiden’s text: Who is this? And what are you talking about?

My text: I’d rather not say, and I’m talking about your sister being bi.

Aiden’s text: What?? Who told you that?!

My text: Someone on the JV softball team who got told by one of your best friends who said you told him. I just wanted you to know so you could tell him to stop spreading it around.

Aiden’s text: Well thanks for the heads up… Spencer.

My text: Wait, how did you get my number?! Please don’t tell your sister… I’m just trying to protect your family.

Aiden’s text: I have my ways. But don’t worry, I won’t tell Ash a thing. And thanks for trying to help.

My text: No problem, good luck with everything.

I was glad that that was over. I wondered how he got my number, not that it mattered because he said he wouldn’t tell his sister. I just hoped that he would stay true to his word and leave me out of this.