Utagaibukai
Peach Girl Fanfiction by Yohko.

Chapter Eleven: The Rumor

'Great, I wonder what the latest gossip is that everyone is staring at me.' Momo thought while taking some things out of her locker. Faint whispers, pointing fingers, gasps of shock, the usual signs of another lie crossing the school, accusing Momo of something ridiculous again. 'Where's Sae? She usually knows everything that does around here.' Momo started looking for Sae. She saw Sae, surrounded by a group of preps, along side Chi and Toji. Much to Momo's surprise.
She managed to pick up some of the conversation while walking by.
"She really did that?"
"Momo Adachi, the beach bunny?"
"How much did she pay for that?"
"I should have known, with that stunt she pulled last night."
"I know, that was all set up and it was so obvious."
Momo continued walking past and out of earshot, the things she heard repeating in her mind. 'How could they think that?' she thought, 'why didn't anyone stand up for me?' she kept thinking. "Why was Toji just standing there?" Momo looked back at the group before turning down the hallway.
In all her classes, no one talked to her. Not even Kairi. She spend the whole day thinking. 'I have to talk to Sae, she has to help me clear this all up.'

It was lunchtime and Momo walked towards Sae, standing at her locker.
"Hey Sae," she said, smiling.
"Oh," Sae looked around, "Hey Momo."
"I'm getting the idea there's gossip about me again, can you tell me anything about it?"
Sae shook her head, "Sorry Momo, I probably know less about it than you do."
Momo was shocked, 'you liar!' Sae actually thought that she was going to buy that? Sae knew everything going on in the school. This was very strange. "No one wants to tell me anything because they know I'll tell you." Sae said to save her ass.
"Oh yeah, right," Momo replied with narrowing eyes. 'Sae must have something to do with it,' she thought, 'that's why she's not telling me anything.' She nodded her head, "okay well, I'll see you later." Momo turned to run out of the room, not noticing she had bumped right into Toji's chest.
"Whoa, what's the rush, Momo?" Toji held her arm.
Momo pulled her arm away furiously, "Don't touch me!"
"Whoa, Momo. Take it easy, it's just me." Toji tried to hold her arm again.
Momo pulled away quickly and went around Toji.
Toji looked to Sae and pointed in the direction Momo went, "what's with her?"
Sae smiled, "oh, she's just upset because Kairi isn't talking to her."
"Really?" Toji asked.
Sae nodded and closed her locker, "I don't blame him. From what I heard, Momo staged that entire fight last night to get attention."
Toji suddenly became angry, "that's bull shit! That guy was really choking her! If I hadn't stopped him he would have-!"
Sae put her backpack over her shoulder, "Exactly. She was testing you." She turned and walked away from the lockers. An evil grin on her face.

"I have to find out what's going on, what is this rumor?" Momo thought as she walked down the hall towards the bathroom. She went inside one of the stalls just as a group of girls walked in laughing. Momo took a deep breath and remained as quiet as she could, listening carefully, as she finally heard the gossip.
"Hey, I'm hearing different things here, what really happened?"
"Alright, that fight that happened last night was all staged out and planned in advance. Momo paid those guys and they had the whole thing set up."
"Why'd she do that?"
"I heard it was for attention."
"I heard it was for Toji."
"Ha! I heard that she was testing Kairi's loyalty. You know, as a boyfriend. He failed, and that's why they're not talking."
"Oh yeah, that makes the most sense."
"Man, what a blond!"
"I know~!"
"So have you guys heard about the heat between Kira and Rei?"
The girls continued their talking and they walked out of the bathroom and Momo waited until the door closed before stepping out of the stall. Her eyes were tear-filled and she spoke quietly to herself "how could they think that?" Momo looked sadly at her reflection in the mirror.
Momo stormed out of the bathroom and towards the school side exits. Just as she got out, she spotted Toji and Chi talking. Momo ran to the trees and waited, listening.
"I just don't believe it," Toji said to Chi.
"Why is it so hard to believe?" Chi asked.
"Because I know Momo, she's a good girl. She would never do anything like test people." Toji shook his head.
"Well, maybe the Momo Adachi you know isn't the real Momo." Chi responded.
'That bitch!' Momo thought. Her fists clenched tightly and her angry face caused her tears to fall down her cheeks as she continued to listen.
Toji became angered by Chi's attitude towards Momo, "and since when did you become the expert?! I've known Momo since Jr High, I know her better than you do!"
Momo looked from behind the tree, Toji stood up for her again. Just like he did before... Toji still cares for her, he has to! 'Oh Toji...'
"Toji, wake up and smell the coffee." Chi ran her fingers through her hair and put a hand on her hip. "They haven't said a word to each other all-day. I mean, why else would a boyfriend and girlfriend not be talking unless they were in a fight?" Chi giggles, "besides, Momo's the type to dump him for not meeting his expectations."
Momo couldn't stop herself anymore. Just as Toji was about to argue his point of what happened at the hospital that would prove they were still talking, Momo stormed out of the bushes and marched right towards them.
"Momo!" Toji was surprised.
"Momo, you scared me half to-" The minute Momo got within reach, she threw her hand straight across Chi's face, slapping Chi hard enough to send her entire body to the side. Chi let out a sigh of shock before turning back to Momo, holding her cheek.
"Momo! What the hell are you doing?!" Toji yelled just as Kairi ran in and some other students walked over to see what was happening.
Chi rubbed her cheek and slapped Momo back with her other hand, not as hard.
Momo advanced on Chi with her right hand clenched into a tight fist beside her head, ready to knock Chi out, just as Toji moved in front of Chi to protect her and Kairi grabbed Momo's fist from behind. Toji and Kairi struggled but managed to keep Momo and Chi apart.
"What's going on over here?!" One of the teacher's stepped outside.