For Pete’s Sake

Ruth Baker paused for a moment. “Incorrect, Ellen.” She said to Christie, “Christie, spell the word Streptococcus.”
Christie slowly spelled it out, a pause between each letter.
Ruth Baker said, “That is correct.”
Ellen lowered her head as she shook Christie’s hand and said, “Congratulations. You deserve to win.”
“I don’t know about that. You’re good too.”
“Not good enough.” She looked at Christie and smiled. “I mean it. You really do deserve to win.”
“Thanks.”
“Well,” Ruth Baker stood and moved to the front of the room. She put her arm around Christie’s shoulder. “It looks like Christie will be representing our school in this year’s spelling bee.”
The bell sounded, and most of the students bolted from the room. A few stayed long enough to offer Christie their congratulations before leaving the classroom.
Peggy Brighton caught up to Christie in the crowded hall. Peggy was the first friend she had made when they moved here in May.
“Christie, we have to talk.” She steered her into the girl’s restroom. The room was crowded with girls. It was a den of voices and thick with cigarette smoke. They could talk privately without anyone noticing.
“What’s with you?” Christie asked, setting her books on the window ledge.
“Sue just told me the news.” Pam Leslie, a girl Christie barely knew, said when she saw the two of them near the window. “She said you beat out Ellen Bates for the spelling bee.”
Christie nodded and smiled. “Ellen was good. I was just lucky.”
“You mean better.”
“Excuse us.” Peggy shot a dagger stare at Pam.
“Sure. I just wanted to say Congratulations, Christie. I hope you win,” she added before leaving.
Peggy moved closer to Christie and lowered her voice. “It’s about that boy you’ve been hanging around with after school.”
“That boy’s name is Peter Reynolds. You should meet him, Peg. He’s so wonderful. And kiss? Boy, he sure can kiss.”
Some girls had gathered at the sinks and were watching them and whispering. One of them giggled and they all laughed. Peggy shot them a warning look. They stopped laughing, gathered their things and fled from the room.
“That was about you and that boy, Christie.”
“I know.” She laughed. “So what.”
“Everyone’s talking. You’re my best friend, Christie. I wouldn’t tell you this if you weren’t. If you don’t stop hanging around with that boy—”
“What?”
“You’re not going to have any friends left.”
“I don’t need friends like them.”
The bell sounded.
“What are they saying, Peg? Do they know something I don’t?” She felt her face turning red.
“You know,” Peggy answered.
“No, I don’t know.” Christie said. “But I bet you’ll tell me.”
“They say you’re having sex with him. They say you’re sleeping with the town dummy.”
Christie started to shake. She was getting pissed and didn’t know how to vent it.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Peggy was her friend. She didn’t want to direct these feelings toward Peggy, but she was just so frustrated. First, her parents. Now, the kids at school.
“Who are ‘they’, Peggy?”
“You know. Everybody.”
“I mean who started this ridiculous rumor?” She put her hand on Peggy’s shoulder.
Peggy hesitated before answering, “The Hagerty twins.”