RUMORS OF LOVE
Chapter Fourteen: Good Work Girl

-THE MARKET: SATURDAY-

"Everyone today is one of the days we have scheduled for market day so you can stay in the hotel or shop here and eat out. Basically it is your day to explore the islands. So be safe and make good choices." With a clap of her hands, Shirona dismissed the students.

May, Dawn, Misty and Leaf stood in a square separate from the group. Protectively nearby, Gary, Paul, Ash and Drew stood watching the girls and Lucas.

Lucas stood with Brendan, Rudy, Brianna and Melody who was giggling at something that Brendan said. He looked behind him and saw that Dawn was agreeing on something with her friends. They all had a very serious look. Behind them, Lucas internally smirked at seeing Paul's furious glare.

"…Lucas? Hello." Brendan was trying to get his attention and he was loud enough to the point where everyone was listening to them.

"Yeah, what?" Lucas turned his attention back to Brendan but he could feel Dawn and her friends looking at him along with Daisy's group and Paul's always furious gaze.

"Are you coming with us to eat?"

Lucas turned back to look at Lucas where he saw Dawn exchange a look with May. "No, I don't think so. I'm going to hang out with Dawn." He walked over to stand beside Dawn ignoring the glares from Misty, Leaf and May.

Lucas's friends chuckled before departing along with most of the class. Drew walked up to them along with Paul, Ash and Gary.

Dawn twirled to face Lucas, "YOU can NOT hang out with us!"

"Why not? That's what boyfriends do," Lucas pretended to pout.

"Not," Gary stepped in, "when you date a girl in our group."

"So what? You aren't gonna let me in or spend time with my girlfriend?"

"Exactly," Paul hissed. The entire morning Drew and Ash had to control him from punching Lucas. Paul thought of it as saving his strength for when he actually did punch Lucas.

Lucas looked over and matched Paul eye to eye. The rivals were having a moment where they nonverbally challenged each other and the girls were worried about if they would fight. May thought that Paul and Lucas fighting would be perfect as her text as PG however Leaf said it would be bad to throw one of them under the bus as it would give Paul bad publicity and a fight between Lucas and Paul is so regular that it can't even be classified as gossip at this point.

Dawn stepped somewhat in between them. "Behave," she told Lucas but Paul knew the message was for him.

Lucas stepped back. "I will if he will."

Paul nodded his consent and backed off. As they decided to go walk around as a group to see what there was and split up as they found interest, they agreed to let Lucas tag along- mainly because it was obvious that he wouldn't be leaving by choice.

Lucas and Dawn trailed the back of the group with Paul nearby to them, along with Gary to monitor Lucas's behavior.

"MAPLE, GIVE ME THE MAP!" Drew shouted earning a groan from the group.

"NO DREW YOU WILL GET US LOST."

"ITS AN ISLAND! HOW CAN I GET US LOST ON AN ISLAND?"

"Enough!" Misty shouted overtop them. "Can you two please just share the map or is that concept too foreign to you two?"

Dawn smiled but then saw Lucas looking at her and rolled her eyes before putting her sunglasses on and closing her light pink purse. Lucas took that opportunity to reach for her hand and try and hold it but Dawn struggled quietly to get her wrist out of his grasp.

"Lucas let go!" Dawn whispered angrily.

"You obviously don't remember our deal Dawn," Lucas whispered back.

"I swear I will yell right now," Dawn threatened. But she didn't have to because a hand had grabbed Lucas's wrist forcing him to let go of Dawn's. Dawn looked up and saw it was Paul and he was not happy.

"What do you think you are doing?" Paul asked Lucas through gritted teeth.

Lucas glared at Dawn before declaring he was doing nothing.

Paul gripped Lucas's wrist tighter before warning him. "Do not touch her."

"And if I do? What will you do then Paul?"

At that line, the boys came back to stop the fight that would happen but not before Paul punched Lucas right in the face. Lucas moved his mouth before pushing Paul back and Gary and Drew were able to get a good grip on Paul to keep him from retaliating while Ash blocked Lucas from getting any closer.

They heard murmuring as Barry, Kenny, Daisy and Aaron crossed their path to see the beginning of the fight.

Dawn whispered to Paul as Gary and Drew brought him into the group. "Control. I can handle this."

Paul just looked away and Leaf took that chance to offer a solution. "Perhaps we should just split up from here." The girls wanted to split up as a chance to look for clues. Dawn knew Gary and Drew would be doing the same. They were all in agreement and Ash and Misty took off. Then Drew.

Dawn stormed off with Lucas following her and Paul watching them before taking off in the opposite direction.

Leaf pulled May aside, "Gary hasn't said a word to me all day and nothing about what Daisy did and getting back to where we were before that. What do I do?"

"Get his attention somehow. I'm going to go snoop, text me anything I can send out." With that, May left as well, just leaving Gary and Leaf.

"Hey Leaf, do you want to hang out together?" Leaf's ears perked but that voice wasn't Gary's. It was Barry's. How one letter difference in their names tortured her! But it would be the perfect way to get Gary's attention.

She plastered a fake cheerful smile. "Sure, that sounds like fun!" When she looked at Gary, he was looking at them out of the corner of his eye before he walked away, muttering something.

"So is there anywhere you want to go?" Barry asked.

"Yup! I did want to look in the souvenir shops to do a little shopping!" Shopping would get rid of Barry fast and easy.

"Okay, let's go. You could help me find a present for my little sister; her birthday is the week after we get back."

"No problem!" And they started walking in the direction of the stores as Barry looked at his map.

So much for getting rid of him.

Drew flicked his hair in frustration. The PG search had come to a halt as they couldn't find out anything else so far. He looked at the map he grabbed from a store after he decided to be the gentleman he is and let May keep the other one. God knows she would get lost without it. She would probably end of in the middle of the ocean before realizing she was lost. He laughed at the thought.

He passed Marina and Jimmy who were talking to Melody and Brendan which consisted of the two girls gossiping over something. Drew passed by but paid no attention. If they were part of the GTeam they wouldn't be so foolish to talk in public where people could actively hear them. The whole system of PG was genius. He could think of so many people who would want to be PG and be interested in everything but none smart enough to pull of something so elaborate, unless those people were much smarter than he believed.

His phone chimed.

-
TO:DREW
FROM:DAWN

Lucas finally left me alone. He disappeared somewhere. Keep tabs on anything suspicious he seems to be doing. I'm sure he is on the GTeam.
-

Lucas was a freaking problem. But whatever, back to trying to find PG clues. He turned the corner outside the back of the shops but immediately stopped when he heard voices.

The whispers were too soft for him to hear. He quietly looked over the corner to see Lyra whispering with Rudy.

Lyra and Rudy? That was a strange pairing. What could they be doing?

They started to walk towards the corner he was hiding behind and Drew retracted his steps and hid behind a dumpster to see them walking toward the ice cream cart where Ash was ordering a cone and Misty was impatiently waiting.

Drew texted Ash as Lyra and Rudy stopped at the stand to order something.

-
TO:ASH
FROM:DREW

Find out what Lyra and Rudy are talking about.
-

Drew saw Ash check his phone and eye Lyra and Rudy. And they all received their cones, Lyra and Rudy walk away and Ash walk behind them towards the trash can to throw away a clean napkin to overhear them. Drew knew something wasn't good when Ash narrowed his eyes in an uncertain way.

Drew then came out from his hiding spot and walked over to Ash and Misty.

"Well?" Drew asked. Misty was also curious to hear what Ash overheard.

"Apparently Lyra is thinking of asking Paul to the dance. Today."

Misty laughed a little bit. "Is she crazy, of course he will say no!"

Drew looked at Ash. Ash pondered, "I don't know what he will say honestly."

"You think he may say yes?" Misty asked.

"We don't know for sure."

Drew took his leave. He has completely forgotten about the dance. And how he didn't have a date. He flicked his hair. Who was he going to ask? The most likely choice was Maple. She was in their group and he didn't have any other friends that were girls, though he wouldn't consider her a friend. But she was less repulsive than talking Daisy or Brianna. And no one else was gonna ask her…right?

May almost threw up in her mouth as she saw Melody and Brendan making out on the bench. Could they not go somewhere else that wasn't so…public?

Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.

How could anyone like Brendan? Or Melody for that matter. She is awful. And last she knew Brendan had a thing for her. How do you make the switch from May to Melody? They were on opposite ends of the spectrum.

That relationship came out of nowhere.

Unless…it didn't.

May ordered a hot fudge sundae as she thought about her PG suspicion list. Brendan and Melody were both far from not being suspects. What if that relationship to cover up something else? Something like the GTeam?

May checked her phone as she got a text from Misty.

-
TO: MAY, LEAF
FROM: MISTY

So apparently Lyra is asking Paul to the dance. TODAY. Does this work as May's text?
-

Leaf responded

-
TO: MAY, MISTY
FROM: LEAF

No I found something better, May meet me by the museum. THIS IS URGENT!
-

May looked at her map and raced towards the museum.

Gary was looking all over the island for one person, his darling cousin.

Where the hell was Daisy?

Ursula told him Daisy was with a boy and that Daisy hadn't told her who.

Gary passed the Light Tavern when he heard giggling in the alley near the restaurant. It was Daisy. Kissing Aaron.

What?

He coughed to interrupt the two. Daisy looked shocked and Aaron was stammering an excuse. But Gary just put a hand up to dismiss Aaron. Aaron looked at Daisy before sheepishly walking away.

Daisy put a hand on her hip. "What did you do that for?"

"Just wanted to know your agenda."

"What do you mean?"

"Seduction runs in our family. I use it for pleasure. You use it to get something you want. So what did you want?"

"A date to the dance, is that bad?"

Gary looked back. "You want to go with Aaron?"

"Duh, I liked him for a while."

"Since when?"

"Since after him and Dawn broke up. Any more questions or can I get on with my life? And why are you here? Shouldn't you be stalking Leaf?"

He smirked. "Did you not hear? She is spending the day with Barry."

Daisy's raised her eyebrows in surprise. She had to tell Ursula that. "Whatever, can I leave now?"

Gary shrugged his shoulders. "Sure."

As she walked away, he smirked again as he had laid his trap in motion. He thought it was cute of Leaf to try and make him jealous by hanging out with Barry but Barry was no competition for him and he knew that. He would be shocked if Barry even had the nerve to ask Leaf to the dance.

He knew Daisy would share that information with Ursula and Ursula alone. The other two girls were off. If a PG text was sent he would know who it came from.

And who said Gary Oak wasn't smart.

Leaf's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had ditched Barry as he bought a stuffed giraffe for his sister saying that she was going to use the restroom. On her way to restroom, she got lost. Because around the corner from where she was standing, scandal was happening.

Lucas was kissing Brianna. He was cheating on Dawn!

This was perfect for May's text. She looked straight ahead to see Kenny, angrily looking at Lucas as well. If Kenny told, it would give time for Lucas to make up a cover story and it wouldn't be the juicy text PG wanted May to send if everyone knew. Kenny's eyes met hers. She put a finger over her mouth signaling silence. Kenny nodded and walked away, as did Leaf but not before she took a picture on her cell.

A few minutes later after she got to a safe place, the museum and texted May she received a text from Kenny.

-
TO: LEAF
FROM: KENNY

Do whatever you want to so that everyone and Dawn knows he is a cheat. I'll leave it to you.
-

-
TO: KENNY
FROM: LEAF

I'll find a way. Don't worry.
-

Leaf was freaking out as May ran towards her.

"What is it?" May asked, breathless.

Leaf took her aside on the top of the museum steps. "Lucas is cheating on Dawn!"

May's mouth dropped. "What?"

"Yes, check your PG phone. I just forwarded you the picture."

"This is perfect! We are still in this!" May's eyes brightened. At this moment Lucas emerged, walking towards the center of the market where everyone was gathering to look at the restaurants as it was about lunchtime.

Leaf and May watched him walk towards his friends as Brianna emerged and walked towards Daisy and Ursula. Leaf narrowed her eyes, "That bastard, forcing Dawn to date him. Not if we have anything to do with it. May, send the text.

May nodded, using her PG phone, attaching the picture of Lucas and Brianna to the message she was sending. "Okay, it sent. Let's go join everyone."

Leaf and May joined Dawn and Misty just as everyone's phones chimed to see May's text as PG.

It has only been one day and it looks like Lucas and Dawn may already be over, but you can't be surprised when another woman is involved, right Bri? –PG

Dawn looked at May and Misty looked at Leaf as they opened the picture of Lucas and Brianna. Everyone seemed to look at Lucas, Brianna and Dawn. Dawn did her best to look the part of a heartbroken girl, looking at Lucas in shock. Brianna looked as if she was about to faint and tried to hide behind her friends. However Lucas stood in the middle of the students as everyone formed a circle to see better the reactions of the people involved.

Lucas had just opened the picture and cursed himself silently that PG had caught him. He looked up to see Dawn looking at him shock and he felt guilty, but this would not end their relationship. He texted her as everyone read the text that she would give him another chance if she didn't want him going to Shriona with her secret. Her phone chimed again and he saw she had received the message by her glare.

Lucas stepped forward towards her. "Dawn…"

But that was all he got out before Paul's angry fist knocked him back.

May's PG phone beeped and she checked it in her bag to avoid letting anyone see it.

-
TO: PG4
FROM: PG2

Good work girl. Welcome to the team.
-