Gaby and Esopam (rough draft)

   Gabriella closed the cubicle door shut and started to cry. She never wanted to go out of that bathroom again in her life. No more hearing the words "drug addict" or "coke smoker" referred towards her. She did not want to co to school again in her life.

   Earlier that morning, everyone at school had been scowling at her and looking at her weirdly. People were whispering "that's the girl who was caught yesterday smoking after hours". Gaby did not understand what they were talking about, for she was in a surfing national championship yesterday after hours. However, that did not matter to the bullies at school who started to make fun of her and push her around all day.

   Confused about everyone's peculiar feeling, she went to ask her best friend Ashley what people were talking about. She was just as confused as her because they were together in the ocean competing for the national championship. But, she had heard that there was a rumor that she was caught smoking cocaine after hours the day earlier.
   Now, after a day of bullying and rumors, Gaby is in the bathroom cubicle unwilling to leave.

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   Gaby is in bed awake sleeping and crying. She had just been in a fight with her parents. They think whe did smoke cocaine after hours and they do not trust her anymore. Gaby reminded them that she was in the surfing championship but they still wouldn't believe them. Of all the people in the world, Gaby thought it was her parents that would understand that it was just a stupid rumor. Apparently not. After a few hours of lying awake gives in to sleep. In her sleep, she receives a message from the Goddess of Rumors Esopam.

 "Gabriella, you have now seen what happens to little disrespectful girls when they mess with me. It is I who has created the rumor of your drug addiction. It is I who has filled all minds on your drug addiction. It is I who has felt disrespected and dishonored for you cursing at me the last month. It is I, who in order to get revenge, has made your social life miserable. I now advise you to offer me a gift in order to negotiate a resolution to this little issue of yours. You see Gabriella, I am the only goddess who dislikes having haters and is willing to negotiate peaceful solutions to teenager social lives. I will be awaiting an anwer."

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   Gaby woke up puzzled by her preposterous dream. Did Goddess Esopam visit her in her sleep? Was she really that insulted when Gaby cursed at her last month? If so, then Gaby will have to find a way to make up to her and be forgiven.

   Gaby started to think what she can offer the goddess. She already donates 100 weekly dollars to the UNICEF childrens fund, so that will not be a way out. After a lot of thinking, she finally decides what she will do. She will pray for the Goddess every day and she will offer delicious food for the Goddess. In the prayers, Gaby begs Esopam to please forgive her and to eliminate the rumors in her school Beverly Hills Middle School.

  
   After a week of offerings and prayers, the Goddess visits Gaby again in her sleep. This time she says that she appreciates the prayers and offerings but that will not be enough to fulfill the bargain. She needs something else, something "that involves sacrifice".

   The teenager started to think what the Goddess was referring to. Something that involves sacrifice? Did the goddess want her to kill her puppy in an offering mode to the goddess? No, definetly not that. Does the sacrifice involve her? She now knew the consequence of insulting a Goddess.

   Gaby new what the Goddess was referring to. She knew that this was for the greater good and there was now other way of saving her social life. She would have to do it.

   That night Gaby went to her room to pray for Esopam. "O Goddess, I know I have insulted you and I have faced my consequence. Now, I am willing to make the sacrifice you expected of me. I am willing to swear to my own death that I will not whine, complain or insult in the rest of my short, insignificant life. Please, Goddess, accept my offerings and eliminate all rumors in Beverly Hills Middle School."
 
   And after that, Gabriella went to sleep.

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   The next day at school was a weird one. Everyone was acting normal, no insults nor murmurs traveling around the hallway. She now had her normal popularity as before. And she new. The negociation worked and the rumors were eliminated from her school for the rest of history.