Beyond the Rumor: Choosing Love

Silverwood Academy

Story 4:

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:7--8

---

Cleo

Jammie--Lyn and I followed the older girl, Jesse from the hall of laughing kids and ascended the empty stairway to the dorms. When Vee fell and everyone started laughing, my rage had almost boiled over and if Jammie hadn't been there, I'm sure I would have started fighting people. That other girl, Jillian, had glared a glare at the crowd that would rival my own, but until now, I had always thought she was a bully. Now I wasn't sure.

"Hey Jesse, where are we going?" Jammie asked, breaking my thoughtful trance.

"I'm trying to find that girl and Jillian."

"You didn't even know Vee, and you helped her anyways?!" I asked, startled.

"Ya. Are you a Christian, Cleo?" Jesse asked abruptly.

"Well... ya, I guess. Why?" I asked after a moment. Was I really a Christian? I didn't know.

"I'm a Christian. I'm are supposed to love others because God loves me. What if no one had helped her? If you fell and no one helped you, how would you feel?" Jesse asked, still marching down the deserted hallways.

"Well..." I faltered.

"I just put myself into her shoes for a bit," Jesse concluded.

We walked in silence until we heard voices. Familiar voices. Soon Vee and Jillian came into view... their arms linked! I was so surprised, I stopped short and Jammie walked into me. "Oof," I heard her mumble.

"Oh!" she said after spotting Vee. There had been a rumor that Jillian was bullying Vee. I guess not.

Vee's hair had been brushed and she was wearing a spare and clean school uniform.

"Hey Cleo. Jammie. Thanks so much for cleaning up that food. I really appreciate it. What's your name?" She asked, turning to Jesse.

"I'm Jesses, a friend of Jillian's. Do y'all want to hand out in my dorm for a while?" Jesse replied, cheerily.

"Sure, I'd love that," Vee said.

"Ya, that would be great," Jillian said after Vee.

"Hey! Sure!" Jammie agreed, enthusiastically.

"Ya, I can hang out for a bit, but I'll be picked up soon by my mom," I told Jesse.

"Great! Hey Cleo, doesn't your mom usually pick you up at 3:30?" Jesse asked as we started walking.

"Ya, but my brother has a dentist appointment and I'll be picked up in half an hour or so," I said, falling in step with Jesse.

"Kay, cool," she said.

Behind us, Jillian and Vee were chattering away about something and Jammie was by my side.

I thought about Vee and the rumor I had heard from my older cousin. He told me that Vee came to Silverwood because she was expelled from her old school for burning down a building. When I met her, I wondered how on earth she, kind, friendly Vee, had burned down a building. Now I was sure it was a myth. She couldn't have been expelled! Could she?