It spreads through the halls like a wildfire. One friend after the other. The whispers start with one and slowly it grows into a monster of who said what about someone. Although most people think only their one friend knows, that friend will tell others at sleepovers, in the hallways, at lunch, on the phone or over text.

This is the same way rumors get started. One person is (most likely) mad at another and wants to make their life miserable. So they go to a friend and make up something like so and so is using you to go on a trip to the Bahamas.

Who knows.

But what we have to remember is that we are saying awful things about people we have probably known for years. No one wants their best friend saying that they are the worst person to be friends with (am I right?) and no one wants fake things to be made up about them.

Gossip tears friendships apart. Friendships that were once said to never end have ended. All because of that one rumor. Or one secret spilled. I think we all speak from experience. So take my advice. So that your friendship may last a lifetime. So you won’t have something crazy made up about you. Take my advice.

Stop.

Everyone is put under labels. The most innocent people are put under labels. I’m put under labels but I’ve chooses to ignore them. The thing with teenagers is that one person will go and talk about someone to their friend and then go to the person they were just talking about, and talk about their friend they were just gossiping with. Some labels are fine to be put under, and people are happy to be pit under those labels. But things like “goth” and “mean” and “ugly” can really hurt someone. Think before you speak. You would want people to call you mean names, so don’t call others mean names. Life for a teenager is like a raging war. Everyone is on one side fighting the other. You could be best friends with someone for one second and be battling them the next second. If someone has an opinion about someone else they should keep it to themselves. They don’t know what one word could do to someone. Think before you speak. The person you think is “fat” or “ugly” could turn out to be your best friend. So just except everyone for who they are.