"Most of the people who attended yesterday were outsiders. The school only have 50 students and most live in their homes. Only thirteen of you are stay-ins as foreigners but you're the only person who was given the full scholars.h.i.+p. The rest paid either half or whole."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know but the owner stated that you got a good backer from the International Culinary a.s.sociation."

The word 'backer' intrigued Sheila. She hadn't heard of this. Also, that word became a pain in the b.u.t.t for her upcoming days.

As she began attending cla.s.ses, she felt an unusual treatment by the students, in a negative way. At first, it was not a bother. However, when people stopped conversing when she pa.s.sed by and when teachers called her first in every question, it wouldn't be fun at all. She remained polite and answered the questions if she knew the answer, of which most of them were correct. She would also decline if she had not heard of the subject.

Sheila asked Harriet about this but the girl was avoiding the question. This made the victim receiving the bunt with no idea how to strike back. Even at the mess hall, everyone went further from her, distancing themselves from her obviously. Only one didn't stop her friendliness, Dandy.

One day, Sheila approached Dandy while the said person read an announcement on the bulletin board. "Dandy, can I talk to you?"

"Shh, I'm reading. Look, are you joining this?" Dandy pointed out a paper on the board. It stated,

{One Week Cooking Compet.i.tion for a Full Scholars.h.i.+p}

Suddenly, Dandy said the triggering statement. "Oh, you don't need to join since you got a good backer and got the full scholars.h.i.+p. I think I'll take this one myself."

Sheila's forehead furrowed, feeling uneasy. "What do you mean by that?"

"By what?"

"Good backer thing."

"Why? What's wrong with that? It's actually good, for you."

"What? Hey! It's not I wanted this. I don't even know about this. The only thing I know, I got a scholars.h.i.+p. That's all."

"Really? Then why are the people gossiping about it? They even said you're unworthy." Dandy replied with a shrug.

"Do you also believe it?"

"I'm not sure what to believe here. I don't listen to gossips though hear them anyhow. But who cares? I believe you're good. That backer won't back you up if you aren't skillful."

"This is not right. I need to get to the bottom of this." Sheila closed her eyes, her finger touching her wrinkled forehead. There's one person who said this before the rumor started, she thought. She left the nonchalant Dandy and went out looking for Harriet. "No wonder you're avoiding me. I'll get you, rumormonger."

She found Harriet coming in from the school gate with a basket of vegetables. When the latter saw the former, she ran fast all the way to the church sanctuary, of which was odd. The route to the kitchen was where Sheila was standing. This proved she was guilty about something, and the most possible reason was the 'backer' thing.

Yet, Sheila was faster. Sheila grabbed the other girl's hand, keeping Harriet from moving even a step. "Stop or I'll tell the priest of your rumor-mongering." Her voice was as heavy as a hammer pounding an anvil, it echoed within the whole sanctuary.

Harriet halted and looked back at Sheila. "It's not a rumor, it's true. You have a full scholars.h.i.+p, but I can't even get a half, even if I work myself to the bones."

"So, this is all about you, right?" Sheila's words were harsher, showing her total disappointment of Harriet.

Harriet wriggled her hand away from Sheila's grasp and roughly said, "no, it's all about the unfairness. You're only beautiful on the face but I bet you have no skills at all." Her face showing her contempt.

Sheila couldn't hold her temper anymore and slapped Harriet. "Really? Then prove to me and join the scholars.h.i.+p contest and see if you've been mistreated unfairly or you might be the one who had no talents at all." She pushed Harriet away, who was holding her slapped cheek. "Win that and let's fight one on one. I'll show you, I'm not easily bullied."

Harriet ran away, leaving the furious Sheila. "Listen, that is a declaration of war," Sheila bellowed.

From then on Sheila studied before attending cla.s.ses and dared to answer the questions even if she wasn't called to answer. She volunteered in cooking demos and showed the whole cla.s.s what she was capable of. For short, the rumor went to the drain as fast as it started out. The students no longer avoided her. In fact, she became famous immediately.

Harriet, on the other hand, didn't show up in her line of sight. She heard the girl was leaving the school. Though Sheila was angry with Harriet's rumor-mongering, she pitied the other girl. One night, Sheila sat at the church garden, feeling the cold night breeze on her face after a grueling day. There, she saw Harriet carrying a bag and wearing a coat in slow steps. Her palm wiped her eyes as she approached the gate on the way out.

"Harriet, wait." Sheila strode her way to the person.

Harriet half glanced at Sheila and carried on to unlock the gate. "You've proven yourself and famous now. Leave me alone," Harriet said, without looking back.

Sheila pushed the lock back and held it with a good grip. "Where are you going?"

"Where?" Silence. "I don't know." Harriet wrested against Sheila's hold on the lock but the latter's grip didn't even budge.

"What do you mean?" Sheila asked, with a certain degree of anxiousness.

Harriet turned her back on Sheila. "The priest heard what happened and sent me away." She sobbed and talked between tears. "I'm sorry, I know I'm stupid for starting the rumor but about your type of scholars.h.i.+p was really true. I saw the recommendation letter with my own eyes in Monsieur Chef's office."

"Was there a name of the one you called 'my backer'?"

"Yes, but I forgot who it was. But the t.i.tle under the name was a Board Member of the International Culinary a.s.sociation."

"But still, why make it a rumor in the first place? Just to make me look bad? What will you gain out from it?"