I never really noticed Evan at first. He wasn’t loud, or the kind of kid to stand out in the cafeteria. He was just there. Always hanging around, always quick with a grin, and always ready to ask questions.

At first, I thought it was nice. Moving up to middle school meant everything felt bigger—new classes, new teachers, new faces. So when Evan started sitting next to me at lunch, I didn’t mind. He asked about my favorite shows, what video games I played, what sports I liked. For once, it felt like someone actually wanted to know me.

By the third week, I’d told him more than I meant to. Stuff like how nervous I was about trying out for basketball, and even how much time I was spending on my science project—building a solar system model out of foam and paint. Evan nodded along like a best friend. He laughed at my jokes. He made me think I’d finally found someone I could trust.

That feeling didn’t last.

The first clue was during math. Out of nowhere, I heard someone across the room yell, “Hey, Jake, don’t mess up those tryouts!” A few kids snickered. Only Evan knew how nervous I was.

Later, in homeroom, another group teased me: “Careful with that solar system project, Jake! Don’t let Pluto fall off again!” They laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. Again—only Evan knew I’d been struggling to keep one of the planets glued in place.

I wanted to believe it was a coincidence. But then, in science, when the teacher mentioned the upcoming projects, someone called out, “Jake’s been obsessing over his model for weeks—he’s practically NASA!” The whole row snickered. That sealed it. Evan had been feeding everyone my secrets.

I didn’t say anything right away. I just avoided him the next day. At lunch, when he sat down across from me with that usual grin, I didn’t look up.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look like you failed a test.”

“You told,” I said quietly.

He blinked. “Told what?”

“You know what. About tryouts. About everything.”

Evan shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Come on, it was just a joke. Everybody shares stuff. No big deal.”

I finally looked at him. “It is a big deal. You made me look stupid.”

For once, Evan didn’t smile. He mumbled something about me being “too sensitive” and left.

The rest of the week, he still hung around other kids, dropping bits of gossip like candy. I watched from a distance. A few people laughed at his stories, but I also noticed the eye-rolls. I realized I wasn’t his only target.

Friday at lunch, my friend Marcus plopped down next to me. “So, Evan’s been running his mouth again,” he said. “He told everyone I bombed the vocab quiz. Guess he thinks that makes him funny.”

I shook my head. “He’s not funny. He’s just a sneak.”

Marcus grinned. “Yeah, well, I’m done with him. You should be too.”

And just like that, we both agreed—Evan wasn’t worth it. We started eating together, trading actual jokes and talking about tryouts. Evan drifted past our table once, looking for a place to sit, but we didn’t make room.

For the first time that week, I didn’t care if kids whispered or laughed. I had learned something more important: a real friend doesn’t use your secrets for a punchline.

_{“Whispers in the Hall” by Nina D. Smith. Published by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “The Sneak” from The Parkhurst Boys and Other Stories of School Life by Talbot Baines Reed, originally published in 1914.}

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“Whispers in the Hall” is most appropriate for grades 6–8, since it reflects realistic middle school experiences like gossip, friendship, and trust in an age-appropriate way while encouraging reflection on character and choices.

Here are three discussion questions you could use with this story:

1. Why is it important to be careful about who you share personal information with? How can you tell if someone is a trustworthy friend?

2. How did Jerry’s behavior affect the narrator and the rest of the class? What does this show about how gossip and “sneaking” can spread?

3. Have you ever been in a situation where someone betrayed your trust or shared something you wanted private? How did it make you feel, and what did you learn from it?

This content is provided under fair use for educational purposes only. Commercial use is strictly prohibited by the creator.