"It's just gossip," Harper grinned, biting her lip, and pulling the sleeves of her striped sweater over her hands. Both her words and her actions were familiar expressions to the boy walking next to her.
"I know, but still... don't you think there's something just a little bit wrong about talking behind a person's back?" Earnest spoke in a low voice and played with the zipper on his jacket. It was getting warm outside.
"Oh, maybe, maybe you're right, but- but gosh, can you believe that Jane asked Sky out? What was she thinking?"
"I don't know what she was thinking. That's my point. Maybe you should ask her."
"Don't be like that, Nest. It's not like we're having a serious conversation here. It's just gossip after all."
"You keep saying that but I can't believe that it's harmless when-"
"Wait! Oh, wait, wait a minute. It can't be that you like Jane, can it?"
"Harper!"
"I mean, I thought I overheard someone saying something like that once, but it was just gossip, after all."
Earnest unzipped his coat. "That's-"
Harper stopped walking, a mischievous crooked smile distorting her face. "Oh, look it's Carry!"
"Stop!" Earnest tugged on Harper's sleeve. He lowered his voice to a whisper as Carry approached. "She's Jane's best friend. Please."
Harper's grin only widened. "Carry, did you know that my brother likes Jane?"
"Harper, shut up!" Earnest yelled. He almost never yelled.
"Calm down, jeez! It's just-"
"Gossip, I know, so you've said." Earnest stormed ahead, planning to walk the rest of the distance home in silence. He preferred to listen to whispers of the wind than those of humans anyway. And yet, it wasn't long before the latter achieved domination again of its own accord.
"...ugly striped sweatshirts she wears?" The voice came from above. It was coming from someone standing on the bridge over Earnest's head. He stopped, as if entranced by the words.
"Yeah, I know. I heard she cuts her wrists."
"Really?"
"Sure. You don't believe it?"
"Oh, I sure do."
"Well, it's not like anyone would miss her, right. All she ever does is talk about people behind their backs."
"Earnest," Harper's voice made the boy jump, and he fumbled again with his jacket, this time trying to remove it.
"Harper, do you-"
"It's just gossip," she said while helping Earnest out of his jacket. She smiled wide as she removed the coat and continued walking. "Don't worry about it too much!"
