RUMORS OF LOVE
Chapter Thirteen: Suspicion and Trust
-DAWN&MAY'S ROOM: FRIDAY NIGHT-
After the lights came back on, May had escaped Drew and texted the girls to come back to their rooms. The four of them sat in a square on May's bed as May put the PG phone and the invitation in the middle of them and told her tale.
As she finished telling them about the text, Dawn's eyes lit up. "Perfect. This is perfect! Now we have a spy on the inside."
"You mean you want me to join PG?" May was appalled.
Misty read the text over again. "Of course, the sooner PG stops annoying us, we can enjoy our trip."
Leaf nodded in agreement. "I'm sure the four of us can figure it out."
May huffed, "On one condition…" Everyone looked up. "You can't tell the boys, not Ash, Gary, Paul and especially not Drew."
"We shouldn't keep them in the dark about this. They could help." Misty kept reading over the text.
Dawn agreed with Misty, "Yeah, Drew and Paul would be a big help." It would be easier if she could combine both her PG hunting groups. Either way she would keep Drew informed on what they learn but keep May's identity as PG4 out of it.
"No." They all looked at Leaf who had a very serious face. "It is May's condition. We need to respect that. But also, I don't think it would be a good idea. Personal issues could make this more difficult than necessary. The little the boys know, the better."
They all agreed after they thought about it. Gary and Leaf hadn't yet reconciled. May and Drew argued too much. Misty and Ash wouldn't concentrate with each other around and Dawn hadn't talked to Paul since she started dating Lucas. And who knows if Paul would even talk to her.
Leaf spoke up again as she put a hand on May. "You made the right choice, telling us. Act as a spy for us."
Dawn looked over the number gave May and searched it in her phone. She had everyone's number. Meanwhile they all were listening to Misty who laid out the new information.
"So according to this," Misty squinted her eyes, "there are 4 PG texters. PG3 and PG4, May are just gossip texters. PG2 is a texter and what seems to be a recruiter; she is exactly what she says she is-commander-in-chief. Which means our commander is PG1, the original. Find PG1 and we stop PG entirely."
Leaf took a mental note of this in her mind. "Exactly. Dawn, any luck?"
Dawn shook her head. "This is no one's number. PG is smart. Separate phone that is only used as a PG phone and can be easily disposed of."
"Genius," Leaf shook her head.
May was still worried about one point. "Guys, concentrate on this. I'm out unless I send a super gossipy text by tomorrow night."
Dawn waved her hand, "Don't worry about it May! We can text you if we see something gossipy. And if not I'm sure we can make gossip. With Lucas as my new boyfriend, anything I do will be very gossipy indeed."
"And now that we have concluded the PG hunting time, spill. Dawn, why are you dating Lucas?" Misty asked. "Was that the debt he has on you?"
Dawn nodded. "He said he would tell Shirona if I didn't."
Leaf was furious. "You should have just refused! What's the worst that can happen?"
"I could get suspended! And Lucas has something else on me…" Dawn bit her lip as she trailed off.
"What is it?" May asked, scared.
Dawn looked at May with an apologetic look. "I put myself on the waitlist for Veilstone University. And if I get suspended, it could jeopardize me getting in."
Leaf nodded with understanding. "Their final decisions about those on the wait list come out within the next week or two. After that, you can be free of Lucas."
"YOU WANT TO GO TO VU?" May exploded. "And you didn't tell anyone! Not even me. I'm your roommate next year!"
"I'm sorry May," Dawn started to speak but Misty cut her off.
"May don't be a baby. You have to make the right choice about where you go to school. If Dawn wants to go to VU, we should support her. But Dawn, why didn't you tell us this before?"
Dawn shrugged. "I was embarrassed, I guess. All of you guys got in except for me, May, and Ash. Even Lucas is going there next year. It's awkward for me that all my best friends got in and I didn't."
Misty gave Dawn a comforting look. "Look, it's not big deal. You will like wherever you go. And we never judged you and we aren't now. Best friends support each other."
Dawn hugged Misty in thanks as Leaf leaned forward. "So this isn't about Paul?"
"LEAF SHUT UP!"
"Just wondering…"
"Okay I'm going up to explain this Lucas thing to Drew. He had been sending me angry texts this entire time." Dawn sweat-dropped as she looked at her phone which was ringing like crazy.
"Smack him for eating my ice cream." May pouted as Dawn opened the door.
"OH MY!" Dawn dropped her phone as she saw what was outside the door.
Misty came to the door and Leaf and May both got up. Dawn picked up the item as Misty closed the door and placed it on the table where everyone could see.
It was her bikini top that she lost at the Falls.
Attached was a note from PG.
Thought you may want this back. You can thank me later! ;)- PG
All the girls stood with their mouth open. Leaf was the first to speak…
"Is this a threat or is PG an Ikarishipper?"
"Who knows but PG can't be a bigger Ikarishipper than you, Drew and Gary," Misty laughed.
At Gary's name, May remembered her prime suspect.
"OMG, guys I almost forgot to tell you. I think PG2 is Gary!"
"Huh? Gary? I don't even think he can correctly charge his phone. Let alone be PG." Dawn raised an eyebrow. Could Gary really be PG?
May explained how Gary was the one who wanted her to see the invitation. And she added the note that nothing bad ever went out about Gary. All texts were in his favor.
Leaf stayed quiet and looked at Misty and Dawn who agreed that was ample belief for suspicion.
Misty shook her head. "I just didn't think we would have to suspect one of our own."
"No one is above suspicion," Leaf finally spoke up and they all remained silent, taking in Leaf's words.
Dawn's phone chimed again, breaking the silence. Dawn growled at her phone as she stomped towards the door. "DREW HAYDEN CAN YOU WAIT ONE MINUTE?"
-DREW&PAUL'S ROOM: FRIDAY NIGHT-
"I'll kill Lucas." Drew growled as Dawn told him the full story including her waitlisting from VU. "And don't worry about VU, I'm sure you will get in this round."
"That doesn't matter but listen to this, a new breakthrough on this PG hunt…" Dawn trailed off as she remembered the promise she made to May about not revealing her identity as PG4.
"Yes?" Drew waited with raised eyebrows.
"Well May was looking at old texts and she noticed an interesting pattern. All of the texts about Gary are in his favor. The one on the train and the pool establish Leaf as Gary's basically and the one about Daisy fixed the mess she had caused."
"Is that all Dawn? I'm not going to turn on my best friend because Maple noticed a pattern."
Dawn sighed. "Drew please. Haven't you noticed how strange Gary is acting lately? I'm not saying he is PG but he could be a player in the game…" She proceeded to explain the hierarchy of PG, citing that she overheard it. She kept May's name out of everything she said now.
"Four PGs, one commander…how interesting…" Drew pondered the new information. "This means we were on the right track."
"I know you don't want to believe Gary is part of the GTeam. I don't either. But those texts protect Gary. It saves him from any bad business with us or Leaf. And Gary is very selfish. He looks out for himself first. We all know that."
"I know. I just don't want to believe it."
Drew turned his head as they heard a cough and saw Gary standing in the connecting door.
"Gary…"Dawn started.
Gary held up a hand. "I heard everything. No need Dawn. And no, I am not on the GTeam."
"Anyone would say that if they were on the GTeam and their friends got suspicious," Drew said in a shocked manner.
"Well I'm not. Obviously someone of the GTeam is on our side. They must like us. Maybe May missed that pattern. The supporting texts about Ash and Misty? And me and Leaf? And Paul and Dawn? Which by the way, Dawn I won't spare Lucas."
Dawn nodded her thanks. There was that pattern. Maybe they had a friend on the GTeam.
"That doesn't mean it isn't one of us…" Drew pondered.
"Yes but would of us really be invited? Most people hate at least half of us," Gary noted.
Dawn and Drew agreed. That was true. Marina, Jimmy, Tracey, Lyra, Zoey and Kenny were the only people who didn't hate at least one of them.
Gary cleared his throat. "Anyway, that leads me to ask if I can join your PG hunt."
Dawn smiled. "How did you know?"
"That bus fight had Team Belle written all over it. That's when I figured out you two must be on another investigation."
"Team Drawn," Dawn corrected.
Drew narrowed his eyes. "Why do you want to join?"
"I have my personal reasons why I want PG gone."
Dawn and Drew shook their heads. "Classic Gary, always selfish…"
"Well can I join or not?"
Team Drawn looked at each other before nodding. "Welcome to the team."
Gary smiled. "So can we change the name to Team Gary?"
"NO."
-THIRD FLOOR: FRIDAY NIGHT-
Paul walked extra slow back to his room. It was way past curfew. He didn't ever care if he got caught.
He was too angry.
Angry at Dawn. Angry at Lucas. Angry at life. And angry at himself.
For falling for Dawn's little tricks yet again. He always got close to her. She became the most important thing in his world time and time again. And time and time again, she always left him hanging.
For her friends. For Drew. For another guy.
Maybe if it was Drew, he could stand it. But Lucas? Never. Lucas was his worst enemy all throughout high school and even further on in college.
How could Dawn choose Lucas? Paul was so sure this time. But he had been wrong before.
He just wanted to break something. Mainly his phone. And Lucas's face.
This time the promise was real. He was never going to get close to Dawn again. May she rot at USV.
Paul finally reached his room where he walked in to see Gary, Drew and Ash waiting for him.
"Where have you been Paul?" Ash asked. "We were worried about you?"
"None of your business," Paul snarled as he kicked off his shoes.
Gary laughed. "He thinks he is mad now, wait until we tell him the full story."
"About what?" Paul walked over to his bed.
"How Lucas and Dawn fell in love. What do you think? How he is blackmailing her!"
Paul looked up with angry eyes.
Gary laughed again. "Told you that you would be angrier."
Paul looked at Drew who explained that Lucas was blackmailing to tell Shirona that she was out after curfew and how she couldn't let anything happen that would make the school contact VU in a negative way about her.
Paul nodded and they all went to their respective beds. Paul stared at the ceiling. Dawn wanted to get into VU…to be with him? She probably wanted the coordinating program but they would be able to see each other all the time. They would have no problem being together.
"Paul…" Drew whispered from the other bed. "What are you gonna do about Lucas."
"You will see soon," Paul whispered back.
He couldn't concentrate on the what ifs of the future. He had to concentrate on the present. And right now, he need to beat Lucas up.
His girl needed him.