Lyla flailed desperately, her hand catching the stair railing halfway down the staircase.

Ryan burst into the entryway and rushed to his daughter. "Are you okay?"

She sat on a stair, rubbing her aching elbow. "There was a bird in here. Flew right at my head," she groaned. She rose and felt a sharp pain in her tailbone.

He helped her downstairs to the kitchen. While she went to the cupboard in search of Tylenol, he checked the house but found no evidence of a bird.

"Maybe you want to take the day off?" he suggested.

"I'll be okay." She offered a tepid smile.

"I'm worried about you."

"You always worry about me."

.............

At school, as usual, Carissa's fangirls buzzed around the hallways, drawing attention to themselves.

Where were Jack and Carissa? If Lyla could see them together, perhaps then she could dispel the gossip. She would know with certainty that the story was a fabrication, simply another rumor set in motion for the sake of high school drama. Throughout the school day, she didn't catch a single glimpse of the school's anointed power couple.

When Lyla emerged from the bathroom stall, she found Darcy at the mirror combing her bangs.

"So?" she asked as she washed her hands in the bathroom sink. She checked the bruise on her elbow.

"Total mystery." Darcy tucked the comb into her bag then exited the bathroom.

Lyla was alone, or so she thought until she noticed boots beneath the door of the bathroom stall behind her, men's boots like the kind Keenan wore. She turned, her back to the sink, her eyes fixed on the boots. The bathroom stall door slowly drifted open. There was definitely someone in there.

BANG! The door slammed.

She bolted out of the restroom into the bustling hallway.

You're doing this to yourself.

She steadied her nerves as she headed to class.

Don't tell Darcy. She already thinks you're crazy.

As the week dragged on, Lyla could neither confirm nor deny the break-up. There had been reported sightings of Jack and Carissa, but none of Lyla's friends had seen them together.

Aubrey stuck to her story and embellished it to the point of suggesting that Carissa might be pregnant.

"Does Aubrey even know how science works?" Darcy face-palmed. "If they'd only hooked up a few days ago there's no way anyone could tell if she was pregnant or not. Not yet."

Lyla needed more. "So, what have you heard?" Darcy was usually very good at getting to the source of a rumor and conducting a thorough investigation.

"I don't even have time to tell you how many annoying people I've talked to," Darcy sighed. "Harper said that Carissa's family has been so shamed that they're moving out of the state. She seriously believes that."

"No, she doesn't." Lyla shook her head.

Darcy nodded "Someone said Carissa ran off and married the dude. But I just saw her in Trig yesterday. So there's that. And, get this. Savannah is convinced that "the incident" turned Jack gay."

"What?! She seriously thinks guys turn gay because their girlfriends cheat on them?!" Lyla shrieked. "That's so messed up I can't even."

"Don't forget." Darcy giggled. "Savannah's the one who said in seventh-grade science class that it must have been hard to invent electricity before there were lightbulbs."

"I remember that!" She cracked up.

Darcy teased. "Well, the last I heard, Jack is coming to my party tomorrow night, so we can ask him then."

"Don't you dare!" She took a playful swing. Darcy ducked out of the way.

Richie approached. "Hey, girls." He pushed Darcy's bangs out of her eyes. "These bangs need a serious trimming, girl."

"I know it." She smoothed her bangs.

Richie tilted his head, "Why are you always hiding those pretty eyes?"

Darcy leaned in and whispered to Richie. "What are the chances that Jack is gay?"

Richie nearly choked on his gum.

"Jack Bentley? That would be a dream come true." Richie grinned. "And if that were true, Jack should win an Academy Award for best actor in a school district."

Lyla laughed.

"Don't worry. "He rested his hand on her arm. "I think your dreamboat is safely docked at the heterosexual port."

She blushed.