12 minutes and 30 seconds

The cutlery was spaced out with military precision. The canapes had been meticulously devised to suit everyone's needs. The tables were petalled with the bubbliest champagnes.

Violet arrived first to get drunk sooner than everyone else, followed by Sarah and Reggie who arrived late in characteristic fashion for a bickering married couple.

The last to arrive was their friend Psi who had been off the grid for close to a year. She had returned back to their lives recently but not before chopping off her lovely long locks and losing tons of weight, looking like a ghost of her former self.

When Rosa invited four of her closest friends to her cocktail party on a gruesome cold winter night, she did not expect the evening to turn out as eventful as it did.

"I wish I was rich enough to jet off to the southern hemisphere. Somewhere like Ibiza or Mallorca." sighed Violet, looking out the window, gazing dreamily at the snowy grounds, giddily shaking her glass of champagne.

"Didn't you just vacation with your sugar daddy in Istanbul not long ago?" came a sly remark from Reggie. Sarah was annoyed. For reference, Sarah was annoyed by any noise that came out of Reggie's mouth.

"It wasn't a sugar daddy! It was my friend!" shrieked Sarah, spilling champagne all over Rosa's precious beige rugs.

"Sure. I bet you took a ride on your friend's big..."

Sarah stuffed Reggie's mouth with a stuffed porcini.

"Hey! What whoompf rgh. Ow!" came the muffled sounds of Reggie who got punched on his arm by Violet, who was now refilling the portion of champagne she lost while arguing with Reggie.

Psi was on her phone. Not paying much attention to anything that was going on. They hadn't seen her in over a year. She wouldn't return any of their calls or texts. She simply disappeared one day and returned one day with no explanation as to what happened. 

Psi put her phone down when she saw Violet take offense at what Reggie said. She looked at the clock and turned to everyone in the room.

"I'll have to leave early if it's okay with you guys"

"What do you mean Psi? We haven't seen you forever. I only came to see you girl. Sorry Rosy."

Rosa waved her hand and continued pouring herself a drink. She was biding her time.

"I... I can't explain. I've got a thing. Sorry Rosa."

Reggie eyed Psi curiously. He was still munching down the canape that was unceremoniously shoved down his throat by his lady beloved.

"It's alright Psi. I'm glad you could come. Hey why don't we toast to all of us being back together again."

Everyone raised their glasses. The clanking of glasses was interjected by the sound of a notification on everyone's phone.

"Why don't we play some games?" said Sarah enthusiastically, while Reggie groaned at the proposition.

"I need to tinker first. Where's the toilet Rosa?" asked Psi.

"How can you not remember where the toilet is, Psi? You've been here a million times," interjected Violet.

"It's alright. It's been a while," replied Rosa. "I'll show you. I'm going to the kitchen anyway. Who needs a refill?"

Plenty of hands went up in the air and Rosa went off to the kitchen but not before showing Psi the bathroom on the way.

Violet's gasp was heard all the way to the kitchen which was impressive, considering it was almost twenty meters away from the living room.

When Rosa came back into the room with a bottle and the freshly roasted rosemary potatoes, Psi hadn't returned from the bathroom and everyone was buried in their phones.

And then, one by one, they each looked up at Rosa, with a slightly disturbed look on their faces.

"What's wrong guys?" asked Rosa, innocently.

Everyone looked at each other with concern.

"Uhm. We all got a strange text from an unknown number. At the same time." said Violet, dispiritedly.

"A text? What text?"

Reggie took his phone and belligerently thrust it in Rosa's face. On the phone was a text message from an unknown sender. The message was in all caps and simply read.

THE PERSON YOU ARE WITH IS NOT PSI. DO NOT TRUST THIS PERSON.

Rosa chuckled.

"Clearly this must be a joke"

"Is it? Donnn't you think its a bit weeeirrrd that we haven't seen her in overrr a yearrrr? And now, now she is, she is acting all strange?" Violet remarked, hiccupping half through her slurry speech.

Reggie stood up and leaned in towards Violet and whispered.

"You are drunk and paranoid. In that order. As always,"

"Someone is either playing a prank or is on some revenge binge. Either way, as Psi's friends we shouldn't humor them. Lets send back a giant middle finger and get back to our evening." added Reggie.

Just then Sarah's phone began buzzing. Dozens of times. Then Violet's phone went off. Soon all the phones in the room were ringing. Messages and notifications were pouring in. Psi had still not returned.

Violet hungrily scrolled through her phone and began regurgitating expletives. Sarah and Reggie were expressionless, engrossed by their phones.

Rosa's phone was tucked away behind the TV, where she had left it to charge.

"What's going on guys?" she asked, alarmed at seeing them so captivated by their phones.

"It's everywhere." replied Reggie, sounding confused

"It spread everywhere. It seemed our drunk friend here shared it on our high school group. They've now started discussions online. Violet, you idiot girl! Why would you post it online?" Sarah was on her feet, looking furious as she spoke.

Violet fetched another drink. She seemed on the verge of collapsing.

"I have a bad feeling. Something is definitely wrong!"

"Why would anyone start a rumor like this?" said Rosa while she scrolled through Sarah's phone who was now seeking refuge in a glass of wine.

"Does she have any enemies?" asked Reggie.

Before anyone could reply, Violet gasped again. She was staring at her phone flabbergasted. Reggie, who had had enough of her histrionics, snatched her phone away.

"What is it now? Let me see. Oh!" It was now Reggie's turn to emulate the same expression that Violet had on her face.

"Okay. So, Jane did some digging and found that there was a missing person's report filed under Psi's name over a year ago." added Reggie.

"That makes no sense. How come none of us knew about it?" asked Sarah, incredulously.

"Maybe she returned shortly after?" replied Rosa.

"Only it wasn't her! It was someone else!" retorted Violet, fiercely.

"We have to stop conjecturing. Psi will return soon. Let's just discuss it with her."

"But. How do you know for sure Rosy? Aren't you just a little bit curious? I mean, we haven't seen her in over a year. She cut her hair, wears different clothes. She hasn't said more than a dozen words. Heck she doesn't even want to spend time with us." said Sarah, pleadingly.

"No. I won't let a stupid rumor get in the way of my friendship with her! Neither should you. People change. There's nothing wrong with that."

"What if we test her? Just simple questions. If she can answer them, then we are sure. We can even post back on the groups saying we have confirmed its her."

Violet raised her arm drunkenly to show that she concurred with Sarah.

"No. That will be insulting to her. We just need to talk to her"

"Talk to whom?" asked Psi as she returned to the room.

Everyone went silent, refusing to be the one to bear the news. But before Rosa could broach the subject, Violet had barged in between them.

"Psi. Do you rememberrrr that time when.. when you and I snuck out of our dormitory and found, found ourselves, uhm in trouble with the warden. How old were we?"

Psi looked at Violet like she had lost her marbles. In fact everyone in the room did. Violet was getting unsteadier by the minute.

"You've had too much to drink Vi." replied Psi grumpily.

"Answer meee!" shrieked Violet trying to take hold of her arm, but missing hilariously.

"What is she on? Can someone take her glass away? And what's up with all of you? Did someone die while I was away?"

"What's your favorite color then?" Violet yelled out.

"Vi, stop. This is getting embarrassing. Sorry Psi, its just that, someone... someone seems to have started a rumor. About you." replied Rosa while sharing Sarah's phone.

Psi seemed confused. She took Sarah's phone and scrolled through the message. Her eyes widened and lips curled. But she stayed silent, unable to express any sentiment for the moment.

"Do you have any idea who would start such a nasty rumor?"

Psi looked around the room. She rested her eyes on Sarah and Reggie and then Violet.

"Before I answer. I'd like to know how many of you believe this rumor?" she said as her eyes lingered on Sarah and Reggie.

"Oh come on Psi. That's what happens when you vanish for a year, not return our calls and then suddenly appear on our doorsteps one fine day without any explanation!" shot back Sarah who had to be pulled back by Reggie.

"So you think that I am not Psi."

"No. We are trying to ascertain that you are indeed Psi. Just answer Violet's question and we can get on with our evening." said Reggie, exasperatedly.

"What about you Rosa? Do you also doubt me?"

"No. I think someone wants to hurt you and started a mean rumor about you."

Psi got up and began to gather her things.

"Thanks Rosy. But, I don't need to stand here and take this. If you don't think I am Psi then don't bother being my friends."

Another message arrived and this time Violet positively shrieked which caused Sarah to drop and shatter her glass in all directions.

"Reggie please. Here! Look at my phone!" pleaded Violet as Reggie tried to retaliate for Sarah's broken glass.

"Oh Violet! Will you please calm down?" said Rosa as she started to advance towards her.

Reggie took his own phone and raised a hand at Rosa.

"Wait a second Rosy. Psi, I think you should hang tight and maybe stay a while longer?"

"Why? Came to your senses?" replied Psi, snarkily.

Reggie shared the screen with Sarah and Rosa.

It was a photo of two people sitting side by side on a park bench. One looked like their Psi, the one with the long hair, puffy cheeks and bright smile. The second person was physically similar to Psi in all other aspects except for the hollow cheeks, short brown hair and loose clothes. It was the same person whom they had mistaken for Psi and was standing across the room from them.

Rosa, Sarah and Reggie moved away from the apparent impostor. Rosa tried to get herself close to the table so she could grab some knives. Violet was so terrified, she crouched on the floor in between the two sides.

"Who are you?" asked Rosa, suddenly with a changed attitude.

"Don't you know your best friend, Rosy? You believe in this rumor too now?"

"Explain this then!" yelled Sarah while clinging onto Reggie and sharing the photo they had just received.

"That is clearly a photoshopped image, guys" she said, while smirking.

"Doesn't matter now," came a voice from below the table where a weakly creature was squatting.

"Doesn't maaatter now" Violet repeated while hiccupping. "Ashley has called the cops."

The rumor had spread everywhere. That was the problem with social media. Rumors festered easily and multiplied like a virus with no desire to seek the truth.

There were discussions in separate chat groups. Each of them went digging into Psi's past. Some went digging deep in the Internet finding all sorts of strange details about Psi's past year, including the missing person's report. Eventually someone found the photo of Psi with the impostor and shared it with everyone, leading their friend Ashley Moore to call the cops. The whole thing took less than ten minutes.

"Have you people gone mad? How can you not recognize your friend. You've only known me for what? 20 years!? "

"What did you do to our friend?" shouted Reggie, who also seemed to have turned against the accused by now.

"Rosy? That's all it takes. A silly old rumor?" 

"You have to admit, it looks suspicious."

"12 minutes and 30 seconds. Not bad" said Psi and pressed on her watch.

She then took a bow and clapped her hands after which she suddenly burst out laughing, startling all three friends.

"Alright. Here is my little speech." started Psi.

"I knew you guys had a problem living inside your little virtual bubbles and I wanted to test the limits of it. I took a year off to study sociology. Yes, I have been studying you, you suckers!"

"You sent us the message?" asked a bewildered Rosa.

"Aha. I sent the message. I planted the photos, and the missing person's report and many other things. Oh I can't wait to read back all the texts to find out what other gems you guys managed to find," Psi said, gleaming.

"I needed to run a social experiment. The objective was to find out how long it would take for a rumor to spread before it would be believed as truth and acted upon. Turns out: 12 minutes and 30 seconds."

Everyone was speechless. It was a denouement they did not expect.

Psi hugged everyone and filled them in on her master plan. Everyone had a laugh and maybe some of them learned something that evening. Ashley was forced to call the cops off, by admitting she had made a mistake.

In the end Psi proved that rumors don't stay rumors once they enter the virtual stratosphere. They transform into weapons. Everyone weaponized the rumor to take action. Just like Ashley had called the cops, some others had contacted Psi's parents, who luckily were travelling. Some others had tried to hack Psi's locked accounts and many other discussed breaking into Psi's home.

All of them meant well or maybe none of them really cared. But no one was interested in the truth. 

What was true, however, was that it was more exciting to ride a rumor for 12 minutes and 30 seconds than to be stuck at home on a terribly cold winter night.