1 All About the Money

Inside the sprawling mansion teeming with teenagers in various state of drunkenness and wildness, it was a party afterall, there was a private room where some of the party goers were playing card games for money or anything equivalent to the money that each card players had given. There were four sets of tables where the card games was being played. Each table has six occupants. The players - all of them were guys - had their undivided attention to their game of poker.

"I'm sorry my friends, but I believe the luck's on my side." A young man - Ben - said with a wide smile on his face as he reached for the mountain of dollar bills, a car key, and a branded watch after showing his cards to the others.

A petite young man smirked who was wearing a black hoodie, a black face mask that hid half his face and a black bonnet that was covering the top of his head. "Not so fast, my friend," he smiled with amusement - that was only obvious with the way his eyes squinted a bit due to smiling - as he showed his card to Ben and to the other players. "I got a royal plush. I win." He proudly said.

Ben's face turned red as he looked at the card. "You're cheating!" He accused the other guy.

As Ben yelled at the petite boy, everyone's attention suddenly turned to them.

Even Travis's group, who was currently playing with the others on one of the other tables, paused their game as they also looked at the commotion.

"Somebody better shut that guy's mouth or I'll beat him to oblivion to silence him. I can't concentrate here!" an irritated Travis who had been concentrating on his card suddenly said in a dangerous tone. He really hated it when somebody or something bothers him. Especially when he was concentrating on something.

Trace - Travis' younger twin brother by three minutes - smirked. "You're more than welcome, brother. I happen to also hate whiny people."

Before anyone could act, the smirking petite boy stood up and collected his chips, he was not even disturbed at Ben's accusation, which was not true. Don't blame him if he was really lucky when it comes to playing cards.

"You can't leave that easily here!" Ben declared as he snapped his fingers, and a group of men who looked like bodyguards surrounded the table, much to Travis's irritation. Because this meant there would be trouble, their game of cards would be stopped and police could possibly come any minute after the trouble started.

How troublesome!

The boy just continued his task and started to walk away after he gathered the prize on the table. He didn't even care, and he was not even faze, despite Ben's warnings and the ominous bodyguards that looked more like gangsters.

"Get him!" Ben pointed to the boy, then he looked around the table, "Why don't you let your bodyguards get that cheating boy, too, he cheats with all of us!" He convinced the others.

As the bodyguards were closing in on him, the boy smirked as he continued to walk while whistling. Man, it was always like this in the end. Losers always tend to take their revenge in one way or another.

"Should we help the guy?" Alec asked. "He sure doesn't look like he cheated on the card game. Some people are just bitter and shameless."

"What is it to us?" Travis asked. "Why help when we won't get something out of helping him." He said languidly.

"You-" whatever Alec was going to say was cut off as the fight inside the private room started to escalate.

Fighting ensues. And despite the boy being petite, he sure knew how to defend himself. While the other partygoers who was also playing card games started on betting on who would win in the fight instead of stopping the fight.

The bodyguards fell down one after the other, the petite boy sure was strong. His moves were calculated and he was sure with his attacks.

He bowed cockily to his angered enemy also known as Ben, and the impressed audience - who didn't bother to help him. As he bowed, his askewed bonnet fell from his head, and a rich long auburn hair fell around the 'boy's' shoulder for anyone in the room to see.

"A Girl!" almost everyone said in surprise.

He or rather she was still smiling widely with amusement as she stood straight.

"Why, if it isn't Juliet Park!" Ben who called her a cheater remarked with shock. The people around started to murmur something about her.

"Why, she's the daughter of Mr. Eiren Park, the CEO and President of the Park group of companies!"

Travis's irritation turned into something else, a mixture of curiosity and interests. He was now looking intently at the still cocky petite young lady near the exit door. 'Who was this Juliet Park that stirred the attention of the whole room full of young men?' He thought.

Juliet's voice suddenly boomed at the room. "Well, nice to gamble with you people, ciao!" then she took her leave with a smirk.

-

Outside the mansion, Juliet took off her thick hoodie and dropped it on the back of her silver Mercedez sports. She then dropped her stack of crisp dollar bills, a car key and the expensive watch on top of her hoodie, she grinned. Now that her friends' car was retieved by her, she didn't have to stay long in this mansion.

Juliet only disguised herself as a guy just to help her friend. Her friend Alaric - who lost his car to another card player - from a previois card game - who was playing at the card table with her at this party. It was Alaric who told her where the card game would happen next after she told him she'd help him retrieve his car before his strict parents would find out about it.

"You owe me one, Alaric." Juliet muttered before she started her car and sped away. Better be safe than sorry, if ever Ben decided to follow her.

While the car she won back would remain at the mansion, she would just have someone retrieved it for her after she got away from the people she angered.

At that thought, Juliet laughed like the she-devil. Bwahahahaha!

-

"Who do you think was that girl? And why did she disguised herself as a guy?" Travis asked his friends' curiously.

Devon and Alec exchanged a knowing look. Travis was finally having a different feeling towards the opposite sex, other than his usual irritation and anger.

"Ah, love!" Alec chirped. "Really do come in the most unexpected places."

Travis glared at his babbling friend. "I didn't mention anything about love! I'm just curious about who she is."

"Curiosity can lead to love, my friend." Devon added with a teasing grin.

Before Travis could retaliate, Trace stood up, "Let's go, I'm tired."

"You're always tired!" the trio quipped after Trace.