After getting back to her table all of the girls looked at Samantha "What are you doing Sammy?!" "Yeah Sammy, don't you know about the rumors going on about Jaya and Karla?"

"Now everyone is going to think that you're a homewrecker or a sore loser. This is seriously going to hurt your social status."

Samantha rolled her eyes as she sat down "Homewrecker? Please, we're still in middle school. What kind of home could I possibly be wrecking.

And it's not like the rumors are true. People are just eating this bullshit up because of Karla's slick acting in the hallway."

One of the girls responded "Yeah, you might be right. But what matters is what other people think. Even if the rumors are fake if everyone thinks that they're true what you just did will seriously damage your position in Jefferson's popularity charts."

Samantha seemed to be ignoring the girl's words as she simply drank her chocolate milk. As soon as it was empty she crumpled up the plastic bag and tossed it toward the large trash bin that was just a few feet away.

She kept her hand up as though she had just shot a jump shot with a basketball. After seeing it fall into the trash bin she smiled "Jaya."

Seeing that she was being ignored the girl sighed "Sammy, can you please take this seriously? We need to come up with something."

The smile disappeared from Samantha's face as she turned her attention back to the others sitting with her.

"It's not that I'm ignoring you. I just don't think that this is as serious as you guys are making it out to be.

Things are going to go back to normal when the rumors turn out to be fake. And even if they don't what's the problem?

Popularity isn't the most important thing. I'm not going to let something like that control what I can or can't do."

All of the girls at the table were surprised by what they had just heard "Wow, Sammy just said that popularity doesn't matter."

"Someone pinch me I must be dreaming. There is no way I just heard you say that." "Is this really coming from the girl who was dead set on becoming the most popular back in the sixth grade?"

Samantha shrugged her shoulders "I guess sometimes people change." The image of her and Jason performing at last years talent show popped into her mind.

She began to smile "Or maybe they meet people that make them want to change."

- - -

As the bell rang for the last time for the day Jason, Kyle, and the rest of the guys got up from their seats.

After walking out of the classroom they began to make their way to the gym. Kyle scratched the top of his head.

"Today really been a different type of weird. I still can't help but feel that the girls were paying more attention to Jaya than they normally do."

Vince walked over and gave him a pat on the shoulder "Just forget about it bro. The female mind is a complex maze for guys like us. No point in losing your head trying to figure it out."

Right as they were about to walk into the gym a voice called out "Jaya." They all turned their heads in the direction where the voice came from.

Jason raised his hand up "Yo, what's up Sammy?" Samantha made her way over. She smiled as soon as she was in front of Jason.

"Sorry, I know you're about to head to practice but do you mind if we talk real quick?" Jason tilted his head slightly to the side.

"Uh, sure." He turned his head to the guys "Y'all can head in first. I'll go in after I talk to Sammy." Kyle and the rest of the guys nodded their heads before walking into the gym.

After the boys walked into the gym Samantha and Jason were by themselves as the hallways were completely empty.

Jason looked at Samantha straight in the face "So what did you want to talk about Sammy?" She was still smiling but there seemed to be some worry in her eyes.

She fidgeted with her hand as she kept it in her pocket "It's nothing super serious but... Have you talked to Karla at all today?"

A confused expression covered Jason's face "Karla? Hmmm, can't say that I have. Why? Is this about the project?"

After hearing Jason's answer Samantha began to grind her teeth 'What a coward. I can't believe this bitch. After getting so many chances...'

Samantha gripped the edges of her red flannel long sleeve "It's not about the project Jaya. I don't know how to tell you this but-"

Before she could get the rest of the words out of her mouth a voice shouted out "Wait!" Samantha and Jason both turned their heads in the direction of the voice.

"Looks like everyone is trying to catch me at the last minute. First you come up before practice and now Karla's here."

Samantha ignored Jason's joke as she stared down Karla while she made her way toward the two of them.

It was clear to see that Karla had rushed herself on the way here as her breathing was rough and some of her hair was sticking to her face from her sweat.

She was panting as she finally stood in front of Jason and Samantha "J-Jaya I'm-I'm sorry." Jason was surprised by what she had said.

"What do you mean you're sorry? What did you do?" Hearing him ask that tears started to form in the corner of her eyes.

"I-I'm so sorry Jaya. I never meant for things to turn out like this. I should have kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to start those rumors. You have to believe me!"

Jason walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder "Wow, calm down Karla. What rumors? I don't even know what you're talking about."

Karla began to explain everything. She talked about the rumors that were going around the school about the two of them.

She talked about the hallway incident and why she did it. The entire time she was speaking she would nervously steal glances at Jason's face.

Even though his facial expression didn't change it didn't help to diminish the worry that was growing in her heart.

After she was done explaining the situation to Jaya she returned to apologizing "I know what I did was wrong, but I really am sorry Jaya!

Please, you have to believe me! I didn't want things to turn out like this! I-it's just that things got out of hand so quick a-and things were moving to fast for me to fix."

Despite her desperate pleading Jason just stood there silently. Her heart began to race as her anxiety began to overwhelm her.

Her entire body was trembling as she reached out to Jason with her ice cold hands "Please Jaya! I know that you're angry but-"

Jason shook her hands off of him as he turned around "I have to go. Practice is going to start soon." Those cold and apathetic words hurt her more than any shouting or reprimanding could ever have.

Not knowing what else to do she once again reached out and grabbed him by the hand "Please Jaya! You can shout or curse me out!

I don't care if you yell at me to vent all of your anger! But please! Please don't hate me! I really had no idea that things would get so out of hand! I'm sorry!"

Jason slowly turned his head around. His face had the same deadpan look that he always had but the look in his eyes was a hundred times colder.

Karla was like a deer caught in headlights as her body instinctively froze. Jason stared her down "You're sorry?

Sorry about what you did or sorry that you got caught?" Even though she wanted to refute what Jason had said she couldn't muster up the strength to say a single word.

As she looked at Jason's cold face it felt as though there was a heavy weight pressing down on her. Jason continued.

"I can't believe that I was stupid enough to fall for your little tricks. I feel like such an idiot now. I was actually worried when you came up to me in the hallways.

I thought that you were dealing with something serious and needed someone to be there for you. Turns out you were just using me.

And using me for something as stupid as popularity. Everyone loves to say that I'm a model student because I get good grades and play basketball at the same time.

But now it looks like they were wrong. I'm a lot more stupid than they thought. Hell, I'm even more stupid than I thought.

I never thought of myself as a genius but I thought that I was at least smart enough to not fall for the tricks of some teenage girl."

Jason paused before once again shaking her hands off of him "You said that you don't care if I yell at you to vent my anger as long as I don't hate you.

But you're wrong. I'm not angry and I don't hate you. All I am.... is disappointed." His words cut deeper than she had ever thought possible.

Karla watched silently as Jason walked into the gym.