It's a one time thing. People can - just like children - come to the wrong conclusions. If they stay on your side after the first time, they have understood you, and are understanding you from their perspective.
But if they continue to gossip about the next thing about you, they just wanted to bury the shit from before.
Getting older I am able to see the cues of 'gossip' and I throw all that shit to the back, and use opportunities to address my friends or coworkers about it indirectly to get a proper perspective.