The Stillburrow Crush

"Is Abby Eggrow really pregnant?" was all he could say.

"Where'd you hear that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Everyone's been asking me since I'm your friend and you're Marty's sister, and he's roommates with my brother." He puffed out his chest a little, like that gave him importance. "Is it really Marty's kid?"

"Look," I said, and edged in closer to him so I could speak confidentially, "that's nobody's business but Abby and Marty's. Who started the rumor, anyway? Does Egghead know about it?"

E.T.'s eyes shot open wide and his head bobbed. "He knows," he said in a horrified whisper. "I saw him storming down the halls right after class. He's fuming."

"Well I would be too if everyone was spreading rumors like that about my daughter."

"Rumors?" E.T. frowned at me. "She's not pregnant, then?"

I sighed. "I guess you'll find out in nine months when she does or doesn't have a baby, won't you?" E.T. gave me a disappointed look. "Fine," he said, already turning away. "Don't tell me."

"Fine, I won't," I called after him. "And quit spreading gossip. It's beneath you, E.T."

I had to go the bathroom before the next class started, making me almost late again. The girls in there shut up when they saw me enter and they quickly began to file out. I turned on the water and let it spray out into my cupped hands. I 171

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dipped my head and wet my face, shuddering when the icy cold droplets hit my nose and cheeks. When I dabbed myself dry with a handful of paper towels, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

This was not the way I'd wanted to end my terrible weekend. But I should've expected it. Of course the news would leak and spread. I knew that. I just hadn't been aware it would seep out so fast or that it'd personally affect me. Liz and Jill came inside the bathroom but pulled up short when they caught sight of me. Then they glared and folded their arms until I dropped my head and murmured an,

"Excuse me." I brushed past them and fled. I wasn't sure if they held me responsible for Marty and Abby's actions or what, but I could tell I wasn't on their A-list. I could've stuck around and defended myself but I didn't feel like going into a battle at the moment. If they wanted to be mad at me for something my brother and their friend had done, then I wasn't going to cry about it and throw a fit. They could think whatever they wanted. I didn't care about their opinions.

Suddenly, I wanted to see Luke, but I missed him in the halls.

My next class was history with Mr. Decker. It was the class I shared with Abby, but she wasn't present when I arrived and she never showed. When the sign-up sheet hit my desk, I read the word Excused by her name. I'd just signed my own name on the list when the secretary's voice came through the intercom.

"Mr. Decker?"

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The teacher paused and looked toward the speaker box at the corner where the ceiling met the wall. "Yes?"

"Could you send Carrie Paxton to the principal's office, please?"

Mr. Decker glanced at me. "Sure," he called.

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173

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Chapter Thirteen

The principal of SEC shut the door to his office. I was already seated at the chair in front of his desk when he came in, but I had no idea what this was about. I figured it had to involve Marty, but why would Abby's dad want to talk to me about that? I would've thought he'd prefer to avoid me. Mr. Eggrow came around his desk silently and sat in his chair. He rested his elbows gingerly on his desktop and stared at me as he folded his hands, carefully interlacing each finger. I sank back in the chair. For a moment, he said nothing and my eyes began to wander around the room, catching sight of pictures on the wall of Abby and her sister, Sidney. Finally, he spoke. "Do you know what the penalty is for defamation?"

I frowned. "Defamation?" I said slowly. His voice rose to a harsh, almost uncontrolled pitch. "Lying about another individual, Miss Paxton." He spat out the name Paxton like it was a piece of stale gum he needed to be rid of. My mouth worked. "I don't..." What in God's name was he talking about? "No, I don't know the penalty."

"People go to jail for it," he said. He was quickly losing control of the anger I could see simmering just beneath the surface, and I was becoming increasingly confused. But defamation? I tried to think of anything I might've written in the paper but came up blank.

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hope you realize the destruction you've not only done to this school, but what you're doing to yourself." My chest sucked in around my ribs when I inhaled sharply. I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

He stood up slowly, his fingers flexing into a fist and then loosening. My eyes bugged. I had the feeling he wanted those constricting fingers wrapped around my neck. It didn't matter that his wide desk was between us. His looming stance scared the living daylights out of me. "Lies have been going around this school that my daughter's pregnant, and I know you started them."

I shot to my feet. "What?!"

"I'm giving you out-of-school suspension and refusing you any make-up homework. Your mother's already been called, so you can leave right now." My mouth dropped open as he nailed me with a menacing glare. "I don't want to see you in these halls for the rest of the week."

"But I didn't—"

He held up his hand and looked away. His jaw worked a few times before he hissed, "Just leave, Carrie." My chin trembled. "Mr. Eggrow, I swear I didn't say anything about Abby to anyone. And besides, it couldn't be defamation because it's not a lie. She is pregnant. Marty told us—"

I knew the instant I said it, I shouldn't have. His eyes flashed warningly and his hand fisted again. But this was injustice. I had to defend myself.

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"I'm aware your brother went to your house and told your family that," he said with strained patience. "But we've taken Abby to a real doctor since and had everything checked. She is definitely not pregnant."

The air left my lungs. Not pregnant? All this fuss and the girl wasn't even pregnant? I shook my head and stared at the desktop. Why hadn't Marty called and straightened everything out? My parents were fighting, my schoolmates were gossiping, and all because someone wasn't pregnant?

"Pregnant or not pregnant," I said, using the calmest voice I had, "I didn't talk to anyone. Mr. Eggrow, I don't—"

"Get out of here!" He roared it so loudly I jumped. "Get out of my office. Get out of my school." He started around his desk after me. "Get out of my town." I stifled a scream and fled. The doorknob seemed slippery under my palm and I could almost feel how his hand would clamp around the back of my throat and squeeze if he caught me. But then I pulled hard and yanked the door open, flying into the secretary's domain. Egghead slammed the door shut behind me. Again, my body jerked. My hand came up to muffle a sob. Two secretaries sat at their desks watching me. One gave me a sympathetic look while the other glared. I swept by them and dashed out into the hallway. I sprinted all the way to my locker, not caring that I wasn't supposed to run in the halls. Egghead could give me another week's worth of suspensions for all it mattered. As I raced by opened doors of classrooms, I caught glimpses of students seated at their desks. I didn't care if they gawked after me either. I just had to get out of there.