Rodney’s shoes squeaked against the polished linoleum of SDCI’s hallway as he snaked his way past hoards of gathering students. He could hear parts of their conversation, mostly about Ally outing a student at Holy Cross. He couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease, his rumour was working better than he had expected.
He made his way to the library, hoping to have a quiet morning to himself. Slipping into the far corner, Rodney settled into the comfort of a sunken armchair, ignoring the stained fabric. He cracked open the spine of a book on marine biology, eager to learn more about the coral reef biome. Flipping through the thick pages covered in marine life, Rodney smiled faintly at the relief that pulsed within him. His greatest fear, Ally telling everyone he kissed Hunter, seemed like a distant nightmare now. But beneath that relief was a knot of confusion, he wasn't gay but he wasn't exactly straight either. Thoughts of his feelings for Ally and Hunter confused him, so he pushed them aside, focusing on the safety of scientific facts.
"Mind if I join you?" The voice pulled Rodney back to reality.
Looking up, he found Derek lowering himself into the neighbouring armchair. With his sandy brown hair slightly tousled and a slanted smile, Derek had a look like he wanted to talk.
"Hey, Derek," Rodney greeted, preparing himself for the question Derek was going to ask. "Sure, have a seat. I was just doing some reading before class,"
"I can see that, so I overheard Ally and Erica talking the other day," Derek leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "And I gotta ask...any idea who started that rumour about Ally outing someone?"
Rodney stiffened, Derek's question felt more like an accusation to him. He did his best to keep his composure. "I have no idea who started that rumour. But it could be true, who knows?"
"Come on, we both know it's not," Derek pressed gently.
"Ok, then what's the big deal? it will blow over eventually!" Rodney shot back, louder than he wanted to.
Derek sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, Rodney, I'm not accusing you of anything here. You know I almost ruined Ally's call back after all. I'm just worried this rumour is doing some real harm, Ally was asked to step down as the head of the yoga club,"
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. But there is nothing I can do about it." Rodney frowned, picking at a loose thread on the armchair. He could feel Derek's eyes on him, he knew Derek wasn't buying any of this.
"Rod, you were the one fighting for us to stop hurting Ally," Derek said softly. "If you did do this, I'm sure you had a good reason to do it,"
"For the last time, I didn't start this rumour." Rodney’s voice rose, a blend of frustration and vulnerability. "I'm fine, Derek. I just want to forget about Ally but no one seems willing to let me do that."
"You've been saying you're fine for months now, I'm starting to think you're not," Derek insisted, meeting Rodney's gaze squarely.
"So you don't believe me? why did you come here, just so you could accuse me of being a liar?" Rodney retorted, feeling cornered.
"Rodney, I believe you," Derek assured him, leaning back. "But I think you might be trying to convince yourself you're fine. I feel like if you were honest with yourself you'd realize you're not fine and that's ok,"
Silence fell between them as Derek finished his thought. Rodney's breath hitched as realization dawned, Derek knew he had written the rumour. Derek was trying to give him the chance to fess up. Panic clawed at him, and the walls of the library suddenly constrictive.
"Enough," Rodney snapped, standing abruptly, his book forgotten as it tumbled to the floor. "I've had enough of this conversation."
Without waiting for a response, Rodney raced out of the library, the weight of Derek's stare heavy on his back. As the door swung shut behind him, Rodney felt numb. He walked faster, leaving behind the one person who might understand him best, yet fearing that very understanding the most.
As the final bell of the day echoed through the now-deserted halls of SDCI, Rodney slung his backpack over one shoulder and made for the exit with a sense of relief. He had successfully avoided everyone all day, now all he had to do was make it home and he would be safe.
"Hey, Rodney, wait up!" Hunter's voice called out, and Rodney turned to see his car idling at the curb. He was waving Rodney over with a sly grin.
"Need a lift?" Hunter asked, leaning over to push open the passenger door of his spotless BMW. "I'm actually heading your way today, I have a fencing lesson in London."
Rodney hesitated, but as he glanced down the street he caught sight of Derek, clearly waiting for him by the stop sign. Not wanting to talk to Derek, Rodney climbed into the car, the door closing with a solid thunk behind him.
"Thanks for the ride," Rodney murmured, as Hunter pulled away from the school.
"No problem." Hunter's eyes looked over to Rodney before returning to the road. Small talk filled the space between them, about the biology test and the upcoming hockey game, Hunter was the captain of the hockey team after all.
"Thanks again for the ride, I've had a rough day so this makes it a little better," Rodney confessed, "You know when I first met you I thought you were totally full of yourself."
Hunter laughed as he turned the steering wheel, and then he blew out a breath that seemed to carry his hesitation with it. "Yeah, I actually wanted to make sure we were cool, you know," he confessed, his cheeks taking on a light shade of pink. "The way I acted at the party wasn't really me, there is just a lot of pressure to be a certain way at home,"
The words hung heavy in the car, and Rodney signed, looking out the passenger side window. "I know and honestly I overreacted. I know you were just trying to do something nice, in your own way.”
"So we are good then?" Hunter asked, he began to blush but his gaze remained focused on the road ahead.
"Yeah Hunter, we're good," Rodney finally said, offering a small, uncertain smile as Hunter pulled up to his house.
"Well, we're here. See at school Rod," Hunter gestured to the door, Rodney paused as he gathered his bag from the floor. Hunter had never called him Rod before and it gave him a strange warm feeling inside. Rodney nodded before stepping out of the car and watching Hunter drive off.
Inside, Rodney tossed his backpack beside the front door and made straight for the sanctuary of his room. But before he could make it, a knock sounded, rhythmic and persistent.
Opening the door, Rodney found Derek standing there, his expression earnest and concerned. Behind him, Madison's hair caught the fading sunlight, while Matt’s muscled form leaned against the railing and Jordan shuffled his feet, looking unsure.
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"Can we talk?" Derek asked, his voice soft but firm.
"About what?" Rodney's guard was up, his heart rate ticking higher as he tried to close the door.
"About what's going on with you," Derek said, holding the door open. "We're worried."
Rodney sighed, relenting, and stepped back to allow them entry. As the group filed in, they all stood awkwardly in the kitchen.
"So why are you all so worried about me?" Rodney demanded, crossing his arms.
"We've noticed some things have been off," Madison said, her gaze not leaving Rodney's face. “You’re not yourself lately."
"Like what?" Rodney echoed, skepticism lacing his tone. "What exactly has been so off about me?"
"Maybe we should move this to the living room? that way we can all sit down," Matt suggested, trying to guide the conversation to a more comfortable space.
Rodney didn't budge, misreading the worry etched on each face as accusations. They weren't hear because they cared, they were here to get him to confess to being the bad guy.
Rodney's eyes narrowed, and he turned to Derek, "You told them, didn't you? That you think I started that rumour."
"Rodney," Derek replied, his voice level, "I didn't tell them anything except that you might need help."
"Help?" Rodney scoffed, "I already told you I didn't do it" doubling down on his lie.
"Seriously Rod, this has nothing to do with the rumour," Derek tried to explain.
"Yeah, we know you have no reason to start a rumour about Ally outing someone," Matt interjected.
"Oh, come off it, Matt," Rodney shot back, unable to control himself. "You must've figured it out by now. I mean I went with Parker to the spring formal after all. And Ally found out. So it would make total sense for me to start that rumour to protect myself."
"Rodney—" Jordan began, only to be cut off.
"Save it! I don't need you to protect me." Rodney stepped away from them.
"So let me get this straight, you're gay?" Matt blurted, eyes wide and searching.
"Isn't it obvious?" Rodney retorted before Madison, Derek, and Jordan chimed in unison, "He's not!"
Matt's face fell, hurt flashing across his features for a fleeting moment. "So everyone else knew, huh?"
"God, Matt!" Rodney's laughter was sharp, mocking. "You always make it about yourself."
"Rodney, stop," Derek interjected, calm yet firm. "He just didn't know."
"Why are you defending him?" Rodney's voice rose, losing control. "You were the one helping me win Ally over, you were so eager to help once you found out it was Matt she was dating,"
"Rodney, you need to stop," Madison interjected, her tone soft.
"Madison, you should be thrilled," Rodney snapped. "There'll be plenty of juicy tidbits for you to spread around the school on Monday."
"That's enough," Jordan pleaded, their voice tinged with worry. "Stop before you say something you can't take back."
"Something like what?" Rodney turned on them, face flushed with anger. "Like how it's odd that Steven isn't here with you. But then again he is never around when things get serious, is he? he just leaves you to deal with it all on your own,"
Their silence was heavy, the hurt evident in everyone. Before anyone could muster a response, Rodney pivoted on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him so hard the windows rattled. The house seemed to hold its breath, stunned by the sudden outburst, as Rodney disappeared into the fading light outside.
Derek's hand hovered over the doorknob, ready to fling it open, but his friends remained clustered in the entryway, rooted in confusion and hurt. His eyes implored them, a silent plea for unity.
"Guys, we can't just stand here," Derek said, urgency lacing his words. "Rodney is not in a good place right now and we need to find him."
"Maybe we should call his mom," Madison suggested, her voice hesitant. "Let her deal with it."
"His mom's on shift at the hospital," Derek responded, shaking his head. "She might not even see the message until it's too late. We need to do this; Rodney's our friend."
"Is he?" Matt's question hung in the air, raw with emotion. "I mean after all of that is he really our friend?"
Derek turned to face them. "That wasn't him, Matt. I don't know what's going on but that's not who Rodney is. Something's wrong, and we've got to make sure he is safe. Then we can work on helping him."
"You're not his dad, Derek," Madison countered, arms folded across her chest. "You can't fix everything."
"I'm not trying to fix everything," Derek conceded, jaw set. "But I'm going to find him, with or without you."
Matt exhaled a long breath that seemed to carry the weight of their collective uncertainty. "I'm in," he finally said.
"thank you," Derek nodded. "Let's split up. Cover more ground."
"Right." Madison sighed. "I'll call Luke, and we'll head to the park."
"Right then I should call Steven too," Jordan interjected, pulling out their phone.
"Wait," Madison paused, catching Jordan's arm. "I thought you said Steven was busy tonight,"
Jordan's expression softened, the hurt apparent in their brown eyes. "This is serious, I'm sure he'll come to help."
The group dispersed, leaving Jordan at the door, watching as Madison went with Luke. Matt and Derek paired up, heading out into the night. Jordan stepped outside, the evening chill wrapping around them as they waited for Steven's response.
---
Rodney's feet pounded the sidewalk, as he tried to get as far away as possible from home. Ally's house loomed ahead, its warm glow mocking him. He stood, staring at the flickering shadows behind the curtains, a knot of betrayal and resentment tightening in his chest.
"I wish you never moved here," he muttered under his breath, envisioning what life would have been like without her here.
It was all her fault his friends turned on him, she was the one who ruined everything, and he wanted to wound her as deeply as he felt wounded. With a sneer, he pivoted and marched toward the library.
Meanwhile, Steven had shown up to look with Jordan, their voices echoing down streets lined with slumbering houses.
"Rodney!" Steven called as Jordan followed behind him.
"So, everything is good between us, right?" Jordan finally asked the question that had been weighing on them since the search began.
"Of course," Steven replied, puzzled. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just that I was thinking and I've noticed you don't seem to be free very often,"
"I have a busy schedule. Doesn't mean anything's wrong," Steven reassured him.
"I guess so," Jordan conceded, though uncertainty clouded their thoughts. "It's just you always seem to be busy whenever I ask you to meet up."
"Look, it's just because I have more stuff to do than you. It's not a big deal," Steven countered, eager to the conversation.
"Right but remember that paint night I invited you to?" Jordan offered a hopeful note in his voice.
Steven winced. "Yeah, I remember. I was behind on my gym days though and had to make it up,"
"Right," Jordan said, now seeing the excuse as flimsy.
The conversation fell into a contemplative silence, both lost in thought until Steven broke it.
"Let's talk about this after we find Rodney, okay? It's getting late after all."
"Ok," Jordan agreed, and they continued their search, calling out for their missing friend.
---
Rodney's hands hovered over the keyboard at the library, each taps a tiny triumph. He read over his work; the deed was done. A sly grin crept across his face as he took in his latest rumour. He finally felt like he had some control again. He leaned back in the library chair, bathing in the dim glow of his victory.
"Time to go," he muttered to himself, scooping up his hoodie from the floor. Rodney slung it over his shoulder and scanned the library exits with a calculating eye. He needed to get home without any of his friends catching him. If they saw him now, there'd be questions, accusations – consequences he wasn't ready to face.
He slipped through the doors, blending into the shadows as he made his way back. Halfway down the street, voices pierced the silence.
"Rodney? You here, man?" Derek's voice cut through the chill evening air.
"We've been searching for over an hour," Matt's voice sounded tired. "It's pretty clear Rodney doesn't want to be found."
"Since when do you give up so easily? You're always the one talking about giving it your all," Derek shot back, his words tinged with frustration.
Rodney looked for an escape, the bushes nearby offering a hiding spot. He dove into their leafy embrace as the voices got closer. Through the foliage, he watched his friends while they swept their phone lights over the area.
"Look, I'm just being real. What if chasing him only pushes him further away?" Matt's argument was laced with concern.
"We can't give up, he wouldn't give up on us. Rodney was the one that convinced me to give you a second chance." Derek admitted, "Without him, I don't think I would have actually taken the time to know you. And I'm sorry about the meddling I did."
"It's fine, honesty Ally and I would never have worked anyway. And... thanks, for giving me that chance, Derek," Matt conceded, a hint of gratitude softening his stance.
"Don't mention it," Derek replied as they moved past Rodney's hiding spot.
Rodney waited, listening to their voices fade away completely. He emerged from the bushes, taking a moment to look in the direction they went in, before making a beeline for home. The lock clicked behind him as he stepped inside, ensuring no more interruptions for the night.
He suddenly felt exhausted. It took everything he had just to get to his room. As he collapsed onto the mattress, a part of him hoped he wouldn't wake up in the morning. Consciousness slipped away, and Rodney thought about the damage he had done, there was no way his friends would ever forgive him now.