⭐ CHAPTER 6 — The Rumor That Broke Everything (Author POV)
Vanessa did not return for two days.
Which, in Amara's mind, was terrible news —
Vanessa was too proud, too dramatic, too loud to stay quiet unless she was planning something.
By the third day, the school felt different.
Calm.
Too calm.
That kind of calm that meant a storm was gathering somewhere unseen.
And Amara felt it — in the way people whispered behind her back, but softer now, like they were waiting for confirmation before striking.
Kyle noticed too.
He kept hovering around her — walking with her to class, waiting outside the bathroom, refusing to leave her alone for even a minute.
"Kyle," Amara whispered as he followed her to her locker. "You don't have to guard me like a bodyguard."
"I know," he said simply. "But I'm still doing it."
"Why?"
He didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
Somethings were louder in silence.
⭐ THE STORM ARRIVES
It happened during break.
The second Amara walked into the cafeteria, a hush fell over the room.
A hundred eyes turned at once.
Some widened.
Some filled with pity.
Some sparkled with excitement, waiting for drama.
Tolu sprinted toward her like a woman trying to stop a moving train.
"Don't panic—"
"Why does everyone tell me that?" Amara breathed.
"Because there's another rumor," Tolu whispered.
Amara's heart sank. "What now?"
Tolu held out her phone with shaking hands.
A screenshot was circulating in group chats across the school:
A message allegedly from Kyle…
…confessing that he never liked Amara.
And that he was only with her to "prove a point."
The message ended with:
"Amara is just a pity project. I'll dump her soon."
Amara felt the world tilt.
"No," she whispered. "That's not real."
"Of course it's not real," Tolu said quickly. "It's obviously fake. But people are believing it."
Amara looked around the cafeteria.
Students stared at her with pity.
With judgment.
With curiosity.
Kyle arrived seconds later, confusion on his face.
"What's going on?"
Tolu handed him the phone.
Kyle stared at the screenshot.
His expression didn't change at first.
Then his fingers tightened around the device, knuckles turning white.
"Where did this come from?" he asked.
"Someone posted it in the school group chat," Tolu whispered. "And everyone thinks you wrote it."
Kyle's voice turned cold.
"So Vanessa started another rumor."
"No one said it was Vanessa," Tolu said.
Kyle didn't blink. "It's Vanessa."
Amara felt eyes burning into her from every corner of the room.
She hated this.
She hated the attention.
She hated being watched like a soap opera.
But what she hated most was the doubt creeping into her chest.
Even though she knew it was fake…
Even though she knew Kyle didn't talk like that…
Even though she knew he had defended her…
A small voice inside whispered:
What if people didn't need the truth?
What if a rumor was enough to break everything?
And that terrified her.
⭐ THE OUTBURST
Kyle stepped forward, voice sharp.
"Everyone listen!"
The cafeteria went dead silent.
"If any of you believe that message is real," Kyle said slowly, "you're all idiots."
Whispers erupted instantly.
Kyle held up a hand, shutting everyone down with a single gesture.
"I don't talk like that," he said. "I don't type like that. I don't even say things like that."
"So what?" someone called out. "Vanessa said you liked her first too, and you denied it. How do we know you're not lying again?"
Amara flinched.
Kyle's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Because I don't play games with people's lives."
A senior stood. "Then explain this message."
Kyle stared at them coldly.
"It's fake."
"But why would someone fake that?" another asked.
Kyle's jaw clenched. "Because they're scared of losing to someone they underestimated."
Everyone turned to look at Amara.
She felt her throat tighten.
Kyle stepped closer to her instinctively, positioning himself between her and the crowd.
"She didn't lie about the status," someone whispered, gesturing toward Vanessa's previous post.
"She might not be lying now."
Kyle's eyes darkened.
"Vanessa IS lying."
"Then prove it," someone challenged.
Kyle didn't hesitate. "Fine."
He pulled out his phone.
Amara blinked.
"Kyle—?"
He held his phone screen up to the entire cafeteria.
His messages.
His chats.
His conversations.
Every single one clean.
"Go through it," he said. "Go through all of it. I have nothing to hide."
The cafeteria was stunned.
"Kyle—" Amara whispered, horrified. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes," he murmured, "I do."
He wasn't proving it to them.
He was proving it to her.
Amara swallowed hard.
Tolu grabbed the phone before anyone else could snatch it and checked the messages carefully.
After a long pause, she announced:
"Nothing. There's nothing. It's all fake."
The cafeteria buzzed with murmurs.
Some people looked relieved.
Some looked disappointed the drama wasn't real.
But one thing was clear:
The rumor was already losing power.
Vanessa had failed again.
Or so Amara thought.
Because at that exact moment, Vanessa walked into the cafeteria.
Smiling.
⭐ THE FACE-OFF
Vanessa scanned the room, noticed the stares, and then her eyes locked onto Kyle and Amara at the center of the crowd.
She approached slowly.
Calculated.
Dangerous.
"Wow," Vanessa said, voice dripping with innocence.
"What did I miss?"
Kyle stepped in front of Amara again, blocking her entirely.
"You started another rumor," he said flatly. "And you're going to end it."
Vanessa's brows lifted.
"Rumor? What rumor?"
"Don't play dumb."
Vanessa placed a hand on her chest.
"Kyle, that message didn't come from me. I didn't type anything. I didn't send anything."
"Stop lying," Kyle snapped.
But Vanessa only smiled sweetly.
"You think I'm stupid? After the way you embarrassed me? Why would I use MY number to spread anything? So you can blame me again?"
The cafeteria went silent.
Kyle's jaw tightened.
"You did something," he growled. "I know you did."
Vanessa smirked. "Maybe. But you'll never prove it."
And then she turned to Amara.
"Enjoy the attention while it lasts," Vanessa whispered.
"It'll hurt more when it ends."
Amara felt her stomach twist.
Vanessa walked away slowly, her braids swinging arrogantly.
Kyle watched her leave with fury simmering under his skin.
Tolu whispered, "This girl is gone."
Amara's hands shook.
Because Vanessa wasn't just spreading rumors now.
She was playing a game with no rules.
And somehow…
Amara knew the worst was yet to come.
⭐ AFTER SCHOOL — THE BREAKING POINT
Kyle waited with Amara by the gate.
"Don't listen to her," he said softly.
Amara nodded but said nothing.
"Amara," he tried again. "Look at me."
She didn't.
Kyle moved closer, gently lifting her chin.
"It's not real," he said quietly. "None of what she said is real."
"I know," Amara whispered.
"But knowing doesn't stop it from hurting."
Kyle's expression softened painfully.
"Then let me fix it."
"You can't fix everything," Amara said, voice shaking. "Even if you try."
Kyle's eyes lowered.
"Maybe not," he murmured.
"But I can fix this. I'll protect you."
Amara swallowed.
"Why?" she whispered.
Kyle hesitated.
For a long moment, he just looked at her like the answer hurt him.
"Because I care," he said finally.
Amara froze.
He realized what he said and immediately looked away.
"I mean—" he stammered, "—because we're in this together. The fake dating thing. Obviously. That's what I meant."
But his voice wavered.
And Amara heard the truth beneath the lie.
This wasn't fake anymore.
Not for him.
Not for her.
And with Vanessa's revenge far from over…
It was only going to get harder.
If you want, I can write Chapter 7 (1,200+ words) next, where:
Vanessa escalates the drama
A new rumor hits the school HARD
Kyle finally snaps
Amara starts realizing her own feelings
Something happens that changes everything.