Vinny

3. Troublemaker

Gazing off because he didn't really feel like a part of the conversation, which was typical, Ian just happened to be staring at the doors as she entered. He was the first of the group to see her, his eyes widened before he nudged Doug to make him look up from the mystery meat gruel the school called lunch. Doug's jaw dropped, which for a kid who was trying not to get too focused on girls meant something serious. Kyle and Vinny's gaze swung around after seeing Doug's reaction.

She was beautiful.

Absolutely stunning, turning heads and dropping jaws, literally. Maybe it was just her beauty, maybe it was the freshness of a different person in a continuously more and more monotonous school. Whatever it was, everyone in the room was in a trance.

"Hey Vince." Jess said, but to no avail, as even she was not heard by her distracted boyfriend. She growled before kicking Vince from under the table. Cassie followed suit since she too was upset at the blatant rubbernecking. The group, along with everyone in the cafeteria, eventually returned to normalcy after the new girl had found a seat alongside two girls who had entered the cafeteria with her. The two girls seemed to be showing the new girl around the school, and to their dismay this incident was not the first time she had stolen the attention of everyone in the room. The two girls held back a bitter expression as they knew they weren't on the same league in looks, yet they also soon realized that they could skyrocket their own popularity by hanging out with the new girl, so the two girls became groupies of the new school celebrity as she made her appearances in each class.

"I heard she just moved here from California." Ian said, breaking the deadly silence that hung over the table. He had heard it from Dan, who had said that Greg had told him, who was told by a friend of his, and so on. Like the typical information in high school, the news spread like the plague among the rumor catalysts, more commonly known as teens.

"So, Doug, that party you're having is gonna be crazy man," Vince said, changing the topic, "How'd you get your parents to let you have the party?"

"My parents are gonna be away for the week, they won tickets in a radio call in, they get to go skiing in the mountains and staying at the resort, which isn't something they get to do that often." Doug explained, his voice shifted to a much more sarcastic tone as he continued, "so they basically told me to have a party." A laughter rose from the entire table, followed quickly by Kyle saying he was gonna be there for sure. The entire group soon promised Doug their attendance as they knew how much effort he was putting into the party.

"Thanks guys, I just realized a great way to make money is to have a party and have people pay to drink, and you guys know how it is at home...financially that is"

"Say no more, Doug. We're there, and we will help out however you need."

"Yeah!" the rest of the group exclaimed.

"Thanks guys," Doug said with a slightly wavering voice, "That means a lot." Doug knew his friends would always be there for him, and they have been since he first met the group years ago, yet with the financial troubles made him feel like he wasn't the same as other members of the school. His friends however, always stood by him, and even more now than ever.