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Doug was bored, again. He couldn't believe that Carter had decided to spend the day working at the boardwalk. (That's what Carter had told him.) Who wants to work on a weekend or really whenever unless they have to. If it was Doug he just would have told any friend of his he wouldn't fill in for them.

Mel had spent time with Lance and Elena. Doug wasn't about to forbid that, it would make him look bad, but he didn't like it. He really didn't like Mel doing anything without him keeping an eye on her, controlling the situation, making sure Mel didn't say the wrong thing.

He was about to text Mel when a knock came to his door. Much to his surprise, Jason was standing there. Doug knew Jason had money but they were far from friends. Jason didn't hang out much with the rich kids and Doug had no use for someone like Jason.

Doug stood there for a moment and then asked, "What do you want?"

Jason didn't care much for Doug, who always came across as a jerk and a hothead. Jason didn't hang out much with the rich kids because, while he had money now, he hadn't always. His parents had managed a middle class income before, so it wasn't like he had been in need but the wealth happened after his dad's music career took off. He grew up intermingling with all kinds of people so they idea that the rich kids thought they were so much better than everyone else was a bit foreign to his way of thinking.

Jason responded, holding up an envelope addressed to Doug, "This was left at the front desk for you and, apparently, I've been tasked with giving it to you being you couldn't go get it."

He handed Doug the envelope which had no return address just a stamp.

Did Doug look worried? Jason couldn't be sure but it was certainly a look he had never seen on the other boy before.

Doug stared at the envelope, for a moment, before looking back at Jason, "Well. What? Are you waiting for a tip or something?"

Doug then proceeded to shut the door in Jason's face.

Jason walked away. He couldn't help but question what someone, as nice as Mel, was doing with someone like Doug. He had known guys like Doug before. The anger, he had seen it before. Guys like Doug usually ended up destroying themselves; he hoped that Mel didn't get destroyed, as well.

Doug sat down on his bed and opened the letter.

[i]I don't like that you haven't been showing up.
You better show soon.
I'm no longer giving you a month.
You now have a week.

S[i]

Doug knew the S stood for Sonny, the loan shark he had borrowed the $50,000 from. A week? That wasn't long enough. Doug knew he was in far more trouble than anything the school could dish out.