Rumors didn't explode.
They spread.
Quietly. Naturally. Like water finding cracks.
By the time lunch was halfway over, the story had already changed twice.
How the Story Traveled
"He twisted his wrist with one hand."
"No, he didn't even raise his voice."
"I heard the other guy couldn't even fight back."
"Lucas Cole? The quiet one?"
Each retelling added weight.
Not fear.
Respect.
What stood out wasn't what Lucas did, but what he didn't do.
He didn't shout.
Didn't insult anyone.
Didn't act like a bully.
He walked away.
And that made people think.
Some boys laughed it off loudly, pretending not to care.
"He just got lucky."
Others stayed quiet, eyes thoughtful.
A few avoided Lucas altogether.
Not because they were scared
But because they weren't sure where they stood anymore.
Among the girls, the tone was different.
"He was so calm."
"That's kind of… attractive."
"He didn't even look angry."
Whispers followed him down corridors.
Lucas noticed none of it.
He ate his lunch quietly, focused, unbothered.
Her Side of the Story
She sat at the edge of the cafeteria, barely touching her food.
Across the room, she could see him.
Laughing softly at something a classmate said. Relaxed. Natural.
Not looking her way.
The girl from earlier Mia, was surrounded by friends now, talking quickly, clearly shaken.
"He didn't even care," Mia said, frustration leaking through. "Like… at all."
That sentence hit harder than she expected.
She stared down at her tray.
He really doesn't care anymore.
That thought felt heavy.
Uncomfortable.
She remembered how he used to look at her.
Careful.
Hopeful.
Easy to dismiss.
She had been certain then.
Certain that he would always stay where she left him.
But now
Others were noticing him.
Talking about him.
Re-evaluating him.
And she was… just another voice in the crowd.
If I hadn't said what I said…
The thought surfaced on its own.
She hated it.
Because it carried something dangerous.
Regret.
When the bell rang, students stood and gathered their things.
Lucas walked past her table.
Close enough that she could hear his footsteps.
She almost looked up.
Almost.
But he didn't slow down.
Didn't glance.
Didn't acknowledge her presence in any way.
And that
That hurt more than any harsh word ever could.
I didn't lose him today, she realized.
I lost him back then.
The rumors followed Lucas down the hallway.
But he walked on
Unaffected.
Unclaimed.
And unknowingly, he left behind something far louder than whispers.
A realization that couldn't be taken back.