to hear about sth because the information has been passed from one person to another in conversation
to hear it on the grapevine
to not understand something
to get the wrong end of the stick
to delay talking about sth
to beat about the bush
to be told sth by someone who has direct knowledge of it
to get it straight from the horse's mouth
to not understand someone
to talk at cross-purposes
to fail to understand anything
can't make head nor tail of sth