From Rumor To Reality

Synopsis

During lunch break, a girl I had a bit of a crush on, though she'd always been a little distant, called me outside. She said she had something to tell me. As soon as I arrived at the designated spot, she handed me a drink. Then she asked, "Hey, do you know Harrison Wright?" "Huh?" The question caught me off guard. My confusion was impossible to hide. I had even gotten my hopes up, thinking she had called me out to confess to me. I must have looked like a total idiot. Her eyes were cold. There were no signs of romantic interest in them at all. Instead, she looked like she was interrogating me. But why Harrison? Sure, the guy was handsome, a campus heartthrob, and a well-known figure, but he and I had zero connections. We'd never even exchanged a word. "I know him, but... why?" It took me a moment to get back to my senses. She didn't answer. She shoved her phone in my face. "Look at this. Though his face is blurred, this is you, right? Uriah, I need an explanation," she said. On the screen was a photo, with Harrison posing closely with a guy whose face was covered by a sticker. The guy's clothes, hairstyle looked pretty similar to mine. But I had never taken a photo like that. "Uh? It does look like me, but it's definitely not. I've never taken a photo like that. I've never even spoken to Harrison." The girl's expression immediately twisted into one of disbelief, like I was insulting her intelligence. "What? Stop pretending. You're dating Harrison, aren't you?" Her words hit me hard, and the explanation I was about to give got stuck in my throat. "What?" What the hell was going on? Forget about dating, I had never even spoken to him, let alone been confessed to. This was pure gossip. It was so outrageous that I almost wanted to laugh. I thought she was joking, but when I saw her completely serious face, I realized she wasn't. The smile slowly faded. Under the intense, almost accusatory gaze she gave me, I suddenly had the weird feeling that I should at least explain myself. "No, seriously, we're not dating. I told you, I don't know him well enough. We've never even talked!" "He admitted it himself... And even if that's a lie, what would Harrison gain from making up rumors like this? Spreading gossip with someone like you? What's in it for him, huh?" "Hey...!?"