I didn't realize that returning to my first class on campus would be harder than I thought.
This week was a fertile breeding ground for gossip, and with me gone for a week, there was more speculation and audacity.
Before, I had only seen people pointing fingers at me in public or hallways. Now, even in the classroom, with the lecturer standing at the podium, I could feel the stares and whispers from all sides. They didn't even keep their voices low anymore. Instead, they spoke in voices I could hear.
If I looked at the person who spoke, they would shut up briefly, but when I looked away, they would continue.
I tried to focus on the classroom, but the whispers always reached my ears. When I heard the person behind me on my right call me a b*tch again, I had to give her a stern look. To my surprise, I saw her flinch and shut up for good.
I suddenly realized that maybe it wasn't that their discussion had gotten louder but that my hearing had gotten sharper.
