chapter 10

Although Summit High was a large school, it boasted of a grapevine so sleek and aerodynamic that it could spread a rumor from the cafeteria to the west wing in less than a sixty seconds. It could take the slightest morsel of information and disseminate it to all networks of cliques and social groups in a matter of minutes. Information traveled through locker rooms, into computers, on bathroom walls and through hallways. Kandi learned this the hard way. Her morning following the sleepless night started off fine. She was fatigued but hanging in there. But as the hours progressed she watched her reputation fade from an attractive, friendly new student at Summit to the new villainous tease.
She started perceiving the evolution as she walked through the halls between first and second hour. As she passed two groups of girls, they stopped their frantic talking and began their glaring the moment she walked by.
Is this really happening? Are they really staring at me or am I just feeling a little self conscious, she asked herself. If looks could kill, Kandi would be embalmed sometime between third period and lunch. Those types of glares are reserved only for prostitutes and thieves. Her suspicions were confirmed when she went to her locker and saw defaming vulgarities written on it in bright red lipstick. She was fuming. She knew what this was all about. Troy was letting her know of his disapproval by alienating her from the entire student body.
As the warning bell rang for the end of her lunch shift, Melissa filled her in on the news. "I don't have much time, but let me put it this way. Word has it that you seduced Troy. You had sex with him and then you dropped him cold."
Kandi stood in stunned disbelief and then erupted in volcanic anger. "What?! You've got to be kidding! That's a lie!"
"Kandi, I didn't say it was true. I'm just telling you what I'm hearing."
"And you just sat there and listened to that junk?"
"What was I supposed to do? I didn't even know what they were talking about. I didn't hear your side of the story."
"My side of the story? How dare you! Don't you know me! Do you think that I'd-"
Melissa interrupted tearfully, "That's the whole point, Kandi. I don't know you. We just met last week."
Kandi looked away as her eyes moistened. She felt as if she couldn't defend herself. She knew that her reputation had been destroyed before it had a chance to develop. She was beyond disappointment. She was enraged and vowed not to talk to anyone for the rest of the day and she didn't until after school when she happened to see Troy walking down an empty hall, smoking a cigarette. He acted like she was invisible as they almost crossed each other.
"Troy."
"Yeah?", he said as he flicked the butt of the cigarette on the hall floor and stepped on it.
"I really can't believe this. As if yesterday afternoon wasn't enough," Kandi fumed.
"Touchy, touchy..." Troy said with his hands halfway in the air.
"I should have turned you into the police for attempted rape!" She continued, her voice gaining in intensity and volume.
"Shut up, chick." He said looking around, quickly checking the hall for onlookers.
"Don't call me that!"
"You wanted it and now look at you." Troy said in a hushed voice.
I wouldn't have believed it could possibly get worse, but listen to him!, She thought to herself. "What are you talking about? What planet were you abducted from? I never wanted ?it'!"
"Listen Kandi. You're new here. This is my house and you'll play by my rules at Summit." His voice lowered as he got right in her face, "I've never been turned down like that before."
"Well I'd say it was about time."
Troy grabbed Kandi's arm and squeezed it hard, "Shut up!" he said, then spewed forth a string of obscene attacks on her character. Kandi wept in pain and humiliation. Neither of them noticed Clipper who stopped at the front of the hall about 50 feet from the two. The moment Clipper saw what was happening his instincts took over. He bolted straight for Troy's mid-section like a red streak. Kandi and Troy saw him as he went airborne about eight feet from them. WHAM! Clipper, tackled him with the force of an all-state linebacker. Kandi stood there in stunned disbelief and then walked and soon after, ran away not looking back. Troy fell on his back but quickly rolled Clipper over and retaliated with a series of blows to the chin and nose and an occasional shot to the stomach. Clipper's instincts didn't accurately estimate the mismatch. Troy finally stood up, looking down at Clipper who was writhing in pain, the wind knocked out of him, nose bleeding and lip busted. "I wouldn't try that again if I were you." Troy said smiling, "We're supposed to be on the same team." Then he kicked Clipper in the stomach for good measure and walked away.

That night Melissa called Kandi. She felt terrible about their conversation that day. "I'm sorry, Kandi. You were right. I shouldn't have listened to them. I should have defended you. We haven't known each other that long but I trust you more than I trust Troy. I wouldn't trust Troy further than I could throw him. There's no way it could be true. You're a good person."
"Is it as bad as you made it out to be?" Kandi asked.
"Truthfully?"
"Yes. Of course truthfully."
"Yes. They've made a five course meal out of what happened last night. I'm sure Troy started the whole thing. Who else? So what did happen?"
"Melissa, I don't want to get into it right now. I'm tired. I hardly slept two hours last night."
"No problem. I understand. But sooner or later you're going to have to stand up for yourself, you know? Troy's a egotistical jerk. I'm finally catching on to that. He thinks he owns the school."
"After he ruined my reputation in less than three hours today, I'd have to say that he just about does," Kandi said.

The next morning, Kandi's mom knocked on her door. She went to bed at seven the night before and was still asleep. "Kandi?" She knocked again, louder this time. "Kandi?"
"Yeah, Mom. I'm awake."
"You had me worried, Kandi. It's 7 a.m.. You've been asleep for twelve hours. Are you OK? Planning to go to school, aren't you?"
"I don't know. I'm fine," she lied. "Guess I'm just a little tired from all the change."
"Feel free to take a day off if you'd like," Kandi's mom offered.
"I really can't. Did you say seven?"
"You got it."
"I'm late."
"I can go in to work late if you want me to drop you off at the school."
"That'd be great. Thanks Mom."
"By the way, a guy came by last night at around eight. Two guys in one week. I'm impressed. He wanted to talk to you but I knew you'd probably wouldn't want me to wake you up so he wrote you a note. Justin. I think that was his name. He said that he invited you to a Bible study and wanted to give you a map. He sat in our kitchen for about 30 minutes writing you a note on the back of the map. That really impressed me. Seems like a nice guy. Another basketball player. Go girl!," Sylvia said in a forced parental hipness. "Don't worry. I didn't read it."
She tossed the note to Kandi who sat up and folded her legs on the bed. "I'll be ready in about 30 minutes, Mom," Kandi called out.
"I'll believe it when I see it!" Sylvia said laughingly.
Kandi opened the note and read-

Hi Kandi,

I came by hoping that I'd be able to talk to you. I really wanted to see you. I know that this was a day that you'd probably like to block out of your memory. I saw Clipper after school and took him to the hospital to get his nose checked out. (By the way-- he's fine.) Sometimes he acts before he thinks, but if I'd have been there too, I would have probably done the same thing. I'm so sorry about how things have worked out here, but I believe in you and we really do care about what's going on. I heard some pretty strange stories- stories that made me mad because I know that they weren't true. I wish I could convince you that I believe in you. Troy and I have known each other since we were in elementary school. He's got a big mouth and throws his weight around by lying about people who cross him. I know that you probably don't want to talk about what happened Monday, and that's fine. I just had to let you know that I'm your friend, and I've learned over the past couple of months that being a friend means believing the best of someone. That's the way I feel about you. Melissa feels the same way. I talked to her and she feels like she really blew it. I hope you'll give her a second chance. I'm glad to hear that you're getting some sleep. I hope I can sleep tonight. I'm having a hard time about the whole situation. I don't know how to say it, without sounding sappy, but what the heck... I'll say it anyway, I care.

Your friend,
Justin

P.S. On the other side of this paper there's a map to my house where we're having the Bible Study. Hope you can make it! (Don't worry. I'll try to keep Clipper from tackling people that talk to you! He's an animal, isn't he?)