Lisa, Josh and Luis.

1

Lisa Thomas breathed a heavy sigh as Jeremy Matthews pulled over his blue Mazda convertible in front of West Shore High. Lisa turned to look at her thirty-three year old guardian as if to find some assurance. Jeremy gave her a supporting smile. “Good luck”, he said. Lisa pulled the brim of her blue baseball cap lower to cover her face as she let out a smile. “You sound like I’m about to enter the boxing ring”, Lisa said, opening the car door just after she saw a couple of girls look at their direction then carried on with their chitchat. Apparently, flashy cars are not new in this town. Most students from West Shore High own Mercedes convertibles, Porsches, and BMW two-seaters. Jeremy, a young lawyer, could not help admit that he feels a little jittery for the girl on her first day. “It’s a good thing you still humor yourself”, Jeremy replied. Lisa got off the car before answering. “It keeps me from drowning in the sea of cynicism.” she said with a wink. She pulled the cap’s brim lower yet again. Jeremy furrowed his brows to her. “It’s not like you’re not gonna take that off inside class”, Jeremy noted.

Lisa smiled. “This is what you call the non cliché disguise. Why you want me to wear glasses and dye my hair blonde?” she said.

Jeremy shrugged “good point”, he said. “See you later”, Lisa said tapping the car door and stepping back. Jeremy nodded, bid goodbye and finally drove off. He checked his side mirror as he drove farther away from the school. Lisa then turned and faced the front lawn of West Shore High. Nobody seems to be paying attention to her. Her old black tee, tattered jeans, yellow sneakers, red baseball cap, and messed up reddish brown hair created no buzz. She smiled to herself. Just what she was wishing for: to be ignored. She walked on. They did not give a damn. Neither did she.

The bell that signaled lunch break rang. It seemed like a scene off a teen flick. Joshua Traven enters the cafeteria carrying the calm air of invisible confidence that girls adored and fellow guys usually loathed. He looked around the cafeteria and spotted his friends who sat at their usual table and walked to them. Just then, he was blocked by his girlfriend Margaret Hayes. He looked at his hot babe from head to foot. “What’s up?”, he was about to lean in for a kiss when Margaret shoved him away. They started to draw attention from people who sat at nearby tables. Johnny, being one of the most notoriously popular guys in campus, never fails to catch attention. He let out an exasperated sigh, as if he’s used to drama queens. “What is wrong with you?” he asked, calmly, running a hand over his short and mussed brown hair which always look perfectly tousled in whatever state. Margaret placed her hands on her hips and flipped her curly blonde hair back. “You think I wouldn’t find out about you and Maria note passing a while ago?", she said haughtily.

Josh fell silent for a moment. He is the type of guy who'd talk less in whatever situation. His actions are far more significant than any word.

"Does this mean you're breaking up with me?", he said, his hands coolly inside his shorts pockets. But before Margaret can answer, Josh rubbed the back of his neck and walked past her nonchalantly. "Then I guess I am breaking up with you too", he added. He then strolled to their table where his friends are all waiting for him.

"Tre harsh Josh.", Trina Lorenzo, one of her only two girl friends said as he fell on the seat next to her. He smiled. "it's okay Trin. You don't even like her, remember?", he answered. "Well yeah, but you shouldn't have embarrassed her like that", Keisha Gilmore, their other girl friend answered instead. Ru Watson and Matt O'Connor laughed heartily. "You can't argue with the feminist, Josh.", Ru said. Josh chuckled serenely. "Ooookay, now, come on Keish. Are you guys really willing to spend the lunch break talking about my ex?",. he asked grabbing the roast beef sandwich from Matt's tray to which he was spanked in the head by the football running back, but Josh took it anyway with a laugh. Keisha sipped on her cranberry juice. "You have had three exes in the past month", Keisha pointed out as she and Trina looked at him in disapproval. Josh chewed in silence, looking at the two. Matt and Ru looked at him as well, as they both enjoyed their heavy lunch.

"So?", he asked, wondering if this friends' meddling will come in just now, after more than a decade of knowing him. Trina and Keish smiled. "it's actually an achievement. You average four", Trina said, causing their table to erupt in chuckles.

"what's up guys?", Luis Mendoza, their other friend suddenly fell at the seat next to Josh, carrying a bulky lunch bag. The table erupted in "heys" as Luis slapped hands with his boys and gave Trina and Keisha a peck on the cheek. The six of them are practically brothers and sisters: the IT crowd that other students wish to be part of. They miss out the part though, that these kids are friends not because all of them are popular, but because they go way back--- kindergarten days. Ü

"We were just talking about Josh's functional lovelife", Ru, who's half Japanese by the way, commented as he chewed. Luis shrugged off his varsity jacket. "What, you broke up with Margaret?", he asked as if the whole thing is expected. Josh was chewing so he just nodded. Luis grabbed his bacon sandwich and turned to Josh. "I thought you like Margaret.", he stated. Before Josh could swallow the dibs, Matt spoke: "Yeah but he also like Maria, Shelby, Taylor and Ashley", he butted in. They all chuckled.

"Yeah, i figured", Luis said chuckling. "So how about you, Lu? any plans of following the footsteps of THE Traven,? God knows if I have both of you guys' sex appeal, I'd be freakin' Hefner", Ru joked. Trina and Keisha giggled. True enough, most of the female population would nod their heads in affirmation that friends Josh and Luis are the hottest guys around. Luis, who waved warmly to a groups of freshmen guys slash "we want to be just like Luis Mendoza when we reach senior year" guys, grinned at Ru. "I am seeing someone, in case you forgot all about her", he answered.

"Speaking of the Bride of Dracula..", Trina commented loudly as Rachel Queens, co captain to Keisha of the cheer leading squad and Luis's girlfriend sauntered towards them with her two friends in tow.

"Hey guys", she greeted, flashing her perfect Malibu Barbie smile as she flipped her long blonde hair. The group gave out reluctant "heys", they never really liked Rachel for Luis. She does not exactly have a squeaky clean image and Mr. Nice Guy Luis deserved more than her. Anyways-- Rachel leaned to kiss Luis. "I will see you later after practice?" , she asked him. Luis gave her one last peck on the cheek. "Yeah, see you", he said. With that, Rachel and her friends left to get their Diet Coke.

"What do you guys do every afternoon, after practice?", Ru joked again. They laughed as Luis threw a crumpled ball of table napkin to him as he laughed along. Most of the people inside the lunch room looked on. They do not know they rule the school.