LPS High School AU

Just Fine

"Ugh, so formal was a disaster."

Vinnie rolled his eyes as he, Sunil and Zoe were seated at their usual lunch table.

"I heard the power outage went out through the entire city!" Zoe said, "I hope you're all okay."

"Yeah, we're good." Vinnie merely shrugged as Sunil took a bite off his sandwich. "But the principal decided to cancel the formal for the rest of the night! This really blows." He scoffed as he rested his head on his hand, a bit upset.

"Well, maybe the spring formal will be way better!" Sunil offered.

"Dude, it's spring. It literally always rains in the spring."

Pepper walked up to the group, chuckling as she took her seat next to Zoe. The diva was quick to notice her best friend's cheery mood, merely staring at her in question.

"And what are you so happy about, darling?" Zoe raised a brow at Pepper's good mood, "just last week you were sulking about how you didn't want to go to the formal!"

"Yeah, I know." Pepper rolled her eyes, "but whatever! The formal was cancelled, no biggie."

"No biggie is right." Russell walked up to the group, slamming a newspaper on the table before them. "Looks like we made the front cover of the school newspaper." He chuckled.

Zoe quickly snatched the paper, reading the article to herself. It was mainly about how the power outage affected the city as a whole.

"The paper really outdid themselves this time." Russell shrugged as he sat down, pulling out a book. He opened it, beginning to read it to himself.

"Who would have thought the entire city was in chaos that night?" Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Although, the one thing that was in chaos that night was definitely Russell's love life." Pepper smirked, leaning on the table towards the orange haired nerd, "so Russell, you blew it again, didn't you?"

Russell frowned as he looked up from his book, crossing his arms. "For your information, I didn't blow it."

"No he's right." Zoe smirked, looking at Pepper, "He ruined it."

"Zoe!" Russell fumed as Pepper, Sunil and Vinnie snickered.

"I'm only teasing, darling! Believe me, that was too much excitement for one night. I'm sure you and Minka can have your first date some other time." She shrugged as she began filing her nails. However, everyone but Zoe had their eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, a date?! You never told us you had asked her on a date!" Sunil exclaimed.

"I never said it was a date!" Russell exclaimed back, his cheeks reddening, "We're not even dating!"

"At this point, you're gonna be sounding like an old record if you keep telling yourself that." Pepper rolled her eyes. "Dude, I think it's about time you told her how you felt."

"Yesterday really did prove a lot." Zoe added.

"Oh?" Sunil raised a brow, "why is that?"

"Zoe, don't.." Russell warned. However, the diva went on.

"I think you'll be really interested to hear how Russell tried to play hero and went off to look for Minka in the dark himself." She smirked. Russell felt his face get warmer as Sunil, Vinnie and Pepper smirked right at him. He was not ready for this.

"Russell? Being something other than a nerd? That's a first." Pepper grinned.

"Aww Russell. Did you get a kiss on the cheek?" Vinnie puckered his face, Russell slightly scooting away from him. Pepper snickered.