Gabriella closed the cubicle door 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" said about her. She did not want to go 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 at that time. 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 attitude, 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.
---
Gaby is in bed awake crying. She had just been in a fight with her parents. They think she 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 her. Of all the people in the world, Gaby thought it was her parents who would understand that it was just a stupid rumor. Apparently, they didn’t. After a few hours of lying awake she 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 answer."
---
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?
It happened a Sunday the month before. Ashley was suffering because a group of girls spread a rumor against her. She had cried an entire ocean because the whole school had found out and she felt embarrassed. Gaby, trying to make Ashley feel better, cursed at the Goddess Esopam and said she was unfair and stupid.
If this was why the Goddess created the rumor, Gaby would have to find a way to be forgiven.
Gaby started to think what she could offer the goddess. She already donates 100 weekly dollars to the UNICEF children’s 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 her. 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, definitely not that. Does the sacrifice involve her? She now knew the consequence of insulting a Goddess.
Gaby knew what the Goddess was referring to. She knew that this was for the greater good and there was no 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.
---
The next day at school, the weirdest thing happened. Everyone was acting normally; there were neither insults nor murmurs traveling around the hallway. All the girls were wishing her well in her surfing championship. All day Gaby was waiting for a mocking tone from a bully, or an insult from a girl, even a weird look from a teacher, but nothing like this occurred.
She went home feeling happy and normal. Her parents treated her as usual, greeted her with, “what did you learn at school today, Gaby”, and life was back to normal. It was then when Gaby knew that she could never complain again for the negotiation had worked.
Gaby went to bed and the only thing she said this night was, “Thank you Goddess”.
