Enigma

Richies

"Hey, I'm Nico!" Nico greeted Albert with a friendly smile and was pleasantly surprised when he offered her his hand to shake.

"Albert." He smiled back. "Pleased to meet you."

"So polite!" she whispered to Fab, who nodded in agreement.

Julian shook his head laughing. "Cut the shit, Albert—they're cool." He decided he'd stop Albert before he kissed Nico's hand or something.

"Oh, in that case...anyone got a smoke?" asked Albert nonchalantly as he sat himself on a desk.

"Yeah, man." Fab pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it to him.

Albert pulled one out and lit it, then threw the pack back to Fab. "Thanks!"

Nico laughed at their exchange and sat down on a desk opposite Albert after opening a window. "So, Albert...what brings you here?"

"I live around here, actually. I was forced to do a year in boarding school to get my act straight."

"Has it worked?" Fab asked.

Albert shrugged, taking a drag of his cigarette. "I'm not sure. Haven't been out long enough to tell. Although, I have no urges of buying and selling weed right this second, but that could change at any moment."

"Shit, I forgot you got locked up for dealing!" Julian laughed, elbowing Albert.

"You're making it sound like a prison. Isn't it just some fancy rich school?" Fab took out a cigarette for himself and lit it up. 

"Oh, it's a prison alright." said Julian with a disturbed look on his face. "An absolute hellhole."

"Worse than prison!" Albert chimed in, then laughing to himself. "Well, maybe not really...but just picture a bunch of up-themselves, spoilt rich kids all in one vicinity."

"Sounds like a drag. We kinda have that here, but we get to go home at the end of the day."

"The richies piss me off." said Fab with a snarl. "They think they're better than everyone else because they have more money. It's fucked."

Julian swallowed the lump in his throat that he didn't know had formed. He shared a glance with Albert. He was hoping Albert would notice the distressed look in his eyes.

"Some of them are nice." Nico said, taking a drag of Fab's cigarette.

"I've yet to meet a nice one." Fab huffed. "It's a shame they can't buy a decent personality with all their parents' money."

Albert pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow as he looked at Julian once more. He quickly figured out Julian had been keeping some things from them.

Julian stared once more with pleading eyes and sighed relievedly when Albert seemed to shrug it off. He then cleared his throat and stood up. "Anyone wanna come get burgers with me?"

"The cafeteria doesn't have burgers today." Nico replied.

Julian sighed. "I mean, like...wanna go to McDonald's or something?"

"Third period is about to start. We have music, remember?"

"I know." Julian anxiously chewed his bottom lip. He looked over at Albert with a pleading look once more and Albert rolled his eyes.

"Let's go." Albert sighed.

Nico's brow furrowed a little. "Oh...we'll see you guys later then?"

"Yeah." Julian replied timidly.

"Sure, it was cool meeting you guys!" Albert exclaimed, being genuinely pleased with Julian's new friends.

The group then parted ways, Nico and Fab off to music class and Julian and Albert out of the school gates.

"So, what's the deal, man?" asked Albert with a sigh as they strode down the street.

"They think I'm just a normal dude." Julian said. "I'd like to keep it that way."

"What if they wanna come to your house?"

"They won't."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Albert chuckled. "That Nico girl was giving you the fuck me eyes!"

Julian scoffed. "Sure."

"Alright, well if you aren't interested, then I'm swooping in." said Albert with a sinister grin. "Not letting this one go to waste."

Julian jokingly shoved Albert into a sign pole, shaking his head with a forced smile. "She's not like that, man."

"I'll be the judge of that." Albert replied once he'd steadied himself.

"Since when did you become such a man whore?"

"Shut up and buy me some food, Richie Rich."