When Preps Retaliate

Chapter Two: The Diner

"You should have seen it, Sam, it was priceless!" Maggie said, her eyes red with tears of laughter leaking out.

They were now sitting in the car with Andrew on the way to the Diner to celebrate their victory both over the Brown Bears and the jocks/cheerleaders. Though sitting wasn't really that easy.

Andrew and Sam were in the back seat, both doubled over on top of each other, laughing their heads off, while Maggie was trying to stop laughing long enough to drive.

"And–and, when the first one came down–right on top–on top of Veronica–Eddie looked like he was–like he was gonna pee his pants!" Maggie choked, speeding up to go through the yellow light.

Sam burst out harder, slapping the seat in front of her. "Are you serious?" she breathed while laughing.

"Would I–lie about–about something like–like that?" she wheezed, trying to breathe still.

Andrew started a coughing fit, which wasn't helped by the fact that he could not stop laughing.

This succeeded only in making Sam laugh even harder, which resulted in a coughing fit of her own that made Andrew laugh at her even harder.

When they finally pulled up to the Diner, all three of them were coughing so hard that they couldn't breathe. It took them a couple of minutes before getting out of the car and walking into the Roadside Diner.

Maggie worked there Mondays through Thursdays, from 4-8 PM. The rest of the time she got discounts on all meals, so Sam always made Maggie come with her to get food.

They ran through the front doors of the diner, and Sam and Andrew sat down quickly on the booths waiting to be seated, while Maggie asked for a table for three.

For a couple seconds Andrew and Sam just stared at each other, then they both started laughing again. Maggie looked over at them, trying hard not to join in until they got to their table.

"Right this way, please," the waitress said to them, and all three followed her, sniggering stupidly. Seeing that they were going to be relatively loud, she asked if they would like to sit outside, to which they responded positive.

They each ordered a round of chocolate milkshakes and fries, and sat discussing what had happened over and over, occasionally breaking out into random bouts of laughter. It was not until their third round of milkshakes that Eddie came.

"I hope you don't get in too much trouble on Monday, Sam, that would be sort of awful," Andrew was saying, shoving a fry into his mouth.

"I don't really care if I do or not, you know, as long as I don't give Eddie and Veronica something to gloat over."

"Speak of the devil," Maggie said quietly, her gaze falling on the window looking in. Right next to their seat outside was one inside, and sitting in that booth were none other than Eddie, Veronica, and a few of their friends.

"Oh crap!" Sam whispered, tensing up. "We can't let him see me. He'll beat the crap out of me!"

"All right, let's move to the table down there!" Andrew whispered urgently, picking up his shake and the basket of fries.

Just then the waitress came out of the door, carrying a new basket of fries. She set them down in front of Andrew, saying, "Is there anything else I can get you?"

And it was this movement that caused Eddie to look out of the window and see the three of them, trying in vein to blend in with their chairs.

At first he didn't realize what he was seeing, and then his eyes fell on Sam, and a look of realization came over him and he sat bolt upright.

"Uh, thanks for the fries, miss, they were great, here's a tip, and $20 for the check, please pay for us, thanks again, bye!" Maggie said when she saw Eddie lean over and whisper to Veronica and they both got up.

"Wait!" the waitress tried to stop them, but they were running now, Andrew still holding his fries and shake.

Just as Eddie and his gang opened the door leading outside, the other three slammed the gate leading into the parking lot behind them. Eddie and the others ran after them. The poor waitress had no idea what was going on, but we'll give her credit for doing what Maggie asked of her.

"Get in the car, get in the car, get in the car!" Sam yelled quickly, running as fast as humanly possible to Maggie's car. She tried to throw open the door, but she already knew it was locked.

"I got it!" Maggie screamed, coming up behind her and shoving the key in the lock, turning it quickly.

"Hurry!" Sam yelled, and the lock clicked open just as Eddie and his gang reached the gate 20 feet away.

Sam threw herself into the backseat, Andrew following suite, landing right on top of Sam. Maggie ran around the car and unlocked her side, wrenching the door open and hurling herself in as well. She pushed the button to lock all of the doors, and shoved the key into the ignition.

"GO, MAGGIE, GO!" Sam screamed, and the engine revved. They took off just as Eddie and his gang reached them. Maggie put it in reverse and off they went.

But the chase didn't stop there. Eddie piled his gang into his red Jeep Grand Cherokee and they were on their tail.

"What am I supposed to do?" Maggie asked frantically, going a few M.P.H. above the speed limit. "They're right behind us!"

But the two in the backseat weren't paying attention to Maggie anymore. They had just realized that they had fallen into the car at a weird position. Andrew was still on top of Sam, and neither of them would move.

'I do not like my best friend, I do NOT like my best friend,' Sam thought over and over, though this was helping her little. Andrew's eyes were so close to hers, closer than they ever had been before. She had never realized how blue his eyes were in the middle and how they sort of got greener further out. 'NO! I DON'T LIKE ANDREW!'

They stared for a little while longer, until Sam finally said, "Uh, Andy? Can you kind of, like, get off of me, now?"

Andrew looked like he had just come out of a deep trance. "Oh, sorry!" he said, sounding embarrassed, and he got up quickly, and helped her up as well. A red blush crept across his cheeks, and he refused to look at Sam

Sam sat up in her seat, putting her head in her hands, trying to convince herself to feel otherwise about the boy sitting next to her.

"HELLO!" Maggie screamed from the front seat. "Can we all please come back from la-la land long enough to realize that we are on Walnut Street and they are still following us?!"

This seemed to get both of their minds off of their embarrassed thoughts as they turned around in their seats to see a red Jeep behind them, Eddie, driving, looking determined and very acrimonious.

"Oh, shoot!" Sam said. She seemed to be back to full reality now. "What are we gonna do?"

"Floor it," Sam suggested.

"Well, we can try to lose them on Grape Street, but we'll have to go through a couple of parking lots," Andrew suggested.

"I like Andy's idea better, Sam," Maggie admitted. "And we don't break the law that way."

"We're already breaking the law by going 57, so what's the harm in going a little faster?"

"Sam, shut up! It's your fault they're following us, anyway, so why don't you just keep your mouth shut and let me handle this!" Maggie snapped.

Sam opened her mouth to say something back, then thought better of it and shut it again, folding her arms across her chest and giving the floor a death glare.

Andrew shot a side-glance at her, then looked back out the front window.

"Maggie, I've just realized where we are, turn left, turn left!" Sam burst out suddenly.

"What?" Maggie shouted, looking back at her like she was crazy.

"Where that alley is up there, turn left! I know a way we can lose them!"

Maggie looked reproachful about it, but veered a sharp left when she came to the alley.

They drove straight throw the slim alley for about 30 seconds.

"They're not following us anymore!" Andrew announced, looking out of the back window. "Oh wait, here they come!"
"It's ok, we're almost there!" said Sam

"Almost where?" Maggie asked.

"Grand Avenue!"

And sure enough, a second later the alley merged with the main road of their small city. The same road, in fact, that Maggie and Sam lived off of. They were only a few streets away from their house.

"Now floor it, Maggie! We can lose them!" Sam shouted, a look of delight on her face.

Maggie seemed to share this delight, for she sped up, letting out a "Woo-hoo!"

They turned a sharp right onto their own street, and sped halfway down until they came to a large red brick house; their house. Maggie pulled her bright blue Honda Civic into the open garage and shut it quickly.

They ran out of the car, through the garage door, into the house, and collapsed onto the sofa.

They had made it.

Breathing hard, Sam let out a small laugh. Andrew laughed as well. Maggie joined in. Suddenly, they were laughing all over again, but this time it was even worse, for they had already been out of breath.

This laughing match lasted for about five minutes until Maggie and Sam's mother came downstairs to tell them they had to be quiet and go in Sam's room, which was the only bedroom downstairs.

This was fine with them. They got up from the couch and walked down the hallway into Sam's bedroom.

Sam's bedroom had no carpet; instead it had black and white checkered tiles. It had no CD player; instead it had a jukebox. And where wallpaper should be, there was a mural of all things 50's. Sam was obsessed with the 50's.

"What do you guys want to listen to?" Sam asked the other two, strolling towards the jukebox, which had cost her a fortune to buy.

"'Johnny B. Goode, of course," Andrew said, then sat down on her bed. Her bedspread was a collage of all the old 50's shows like 'Happy Days', and 'I Love Lucy'.

Sam selected the song on her jukebox, then came and sat down next to Andrew. Maggie sat on one of the barstools that stood on the left side of her room where, all across the wall, there was a bar that she used for her desk and her table.

"Your room looks great," Andrew commented, looking around at the walls.

'"Thanks. I finally finished the right side," she said, gesturing toward the space of wall next to her bed. "I'm so glad I'm done, I thought I'd never be."

Andrew smiled, and the song started.

Maggie picked up one of the records that were scattered on the bar, and started reading the back of it, tapping her foot to the beat of the song.

Sam sighed happily, lying back onto her bed. She had gotten back at Eddie and Veronica; she was still alive; and, best of all, she had her best friend. How could her life get any better?

"Look like you're staying the night, Andy," Sam said from on the bed.

Andrew looked down at her. "Is that OK?" he asked timidly.

Sam nodded. "Of course. You've done it loads of times before. You can sleep on the bed, if you want, and I'll sleep on the floor."

"No, if I'm spending the night, you're sleeping on the bed."

Sam shrugged. "Whatever you say, Andrew. Do you need to call your mom?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not going to, 'cause she'll say no. It's fine, I'll make up something when I go home."

Sam nodded again. "What about you, Maggie? You sleeping in here tonight?"

Maggie snapped back from looking at the record album. "Huh? Oh, no, I'm gonna leave right now, I have to get up tomorrow. We have a band rehearsal. And you need to get started on those two songs you promised me. Good night, you two. Don't do anything stupid."

They both glared at her as she smiled and walked out of the room.

Andrew lied back next to Sam happily. "I'm tired," he said.

"Yeah, me…" She yawned. "Me too. All that laughing really wore me out." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Andrew turned his head over to find her with her eyes closed. He smiled, studying her features. Her long, dark brown curly hair framed her cream colored face. Her nose was just right…her lips…'Ack! No! I do NOT like Sam!'

He turned his head toward the ceiling, staring up at it in horror. 'She's my best friend. I do not have a crush on my best friend.' He stiffened his resolve, and closed his eyes as well.

Within seconds, they had both fallen asleep.

Next morning Sam woke in her bed to find Andrew asleep next to her, her arm across his chest. She gasped, sitting up straight, trying to remember what had happened the night before. She let out a breath of relief when she realized they both must have fallen asleep while they were talking. She relaxed, and laid her head back down next to his, curling her arm around him more. She smiled bashfully, and then closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

A few minutes later, Andrew woke up, and he shot right up as well.

"Oh crap," he said in a panicked voice. Sam had shot up as well. "I forgot to get off the bed before I fell asleep. Sorry Sam!"

Sam smiled. "It's fine, Andrew. I don't care. I'm gonna go make breakfast…you want to come?"

Andrew nodded, and they both got up, still in their clothes from the night before, and went into the kitchen.

Maggie was sitting in there at the table with a cup of coffee, wearing her pajamas and a dark red robe. She was scribbling busily onto a sheet of music.

"What's up, Mags?" Sam asked, pulling out the chair across from her. "What are you writing?"

"I just got this sudden inspiration for a song!" she said excitedly, and continued scrawling.

Sam and Andrew looked at each other with amused expressions, then Sam got up with Andrew and they started opening cupboards lazily, trying to find something to eat.

"There's pancake batter in the pantry, Sam," Maggie said, without looking up. "I saved just enough for you guys, if you want any."

"Yes!" Sam said, scrambling to the pantry. Andrew just stood by the sink, watching her fly around the room, preparing all the batter left for the two of them to share; Pancakes were their favorite.

As she flipped the last one over expertly, Maggie cried out, "Aha! I am a genius! This song will be our best one yet!"

Sam took the last one off of the stove, set it down on Andrew's plate, and came over behind Maggie. "May I read it?"

"Sure," Maggie said in a singsong voice. She seemed to be really pleased with herself.

Sam took the paper from her, and read the lyrics in between the staffs:

Sam was astonished. "Wow, Maggie, that's really good! I can't believe you wrote that! The dynamics need a little work, like a crescendo on measure 34, but other than that, I have no complaints! You wrote that just now?"

Maggie smiled, nodding, and blushed.

Andrew took it out of Sam's hand and read it. Of course, he did not know how to read music, so the music made little sense to him, but he liked the lyrics, at least.

"I am proud of you, Maggie," Sam smiled, and picked up a pancake, ripping off a piece and shoving it into her mouth.

Sam had always been the musical and talented one in the family. She had learned how to play the piano, the clarinet, the trumpet, the guitar, and was currently working on the drum set, which was proving difficult.

Maggie seemed proud of herself as well. "I'm going to call everyone together to work on it some more. I can't write the percussion part by myself. Mitchell'll have to help me with that."

Andrew's brother, Mitchell, was the percussionist in the band. Maggie herself was piano/violin and lead vocal. Her best friend, Lilly, was the lead guitarist. Lilly's boyfriend, Matt, was backup guitar. Maggie's debate club president, Alicia, was bass guitar. And, on occasion, when Maggie was to play violin or something else that only she could do, Sam would play the piano part, and sometimes backup vocal.

Sam and Andrew sat down at the table with their piles of pancakes. 'Just enough' batter proved to be 12 pancakes each, which they could both eat without trying.

Maggie hurried out of the room to call everyone. Sam's mother appeared in the doorway as Maggie left.

"Oh, hello, Andrew. I didn't know you were spending the night," she said, an air of annoyance just visible.

"Neither did I, Miss McNally. It just sort of happened."
"Have you called your mom yet?"

"No, ma'am."

"Well you should call her when Maggie's off the phone so she doesn't worry."

"Yes, ma'am." Andrew smiled, eating another pancake.

When they finished up their breakfast, they headed into the garage where the band practiced. Maggie was still the only one there. She was sitting on one of the couches, working on her song.

Andrew and Sam collapsed into the couch across from her.

"You mind if we sit in here and watch?" Sam asked.

"Not at all! I want you in here to help me if something doesn't go right, and I want your opinion. Both of you. Andrew, do you need to call your mom?" she asked, picking up the phone next to her and handing it to him without looking up from the paper.

Andrew took it. "Yeah, thanks Maggie." He dialed his number and put the phone to his ear.

"Mom? Yeah, it's me. Sorry, I kind of fell asleep. No, I'm gonna stay and watch the rehearsal. Yeah. Oh, ok. All right, I'll be home a little bit later. I'll call you. Bye."

Sam smiled, leaning back on the couch, thinking. Andrew hung up and leaned next to her. "What's gonna happen on Monday?" she asked, trying to imagine walking into Eddie on Monday.

Andrew shrugged, thinking that himself. "Hopefully, though, it won't be anything as bad as last night."

Sam suddenly felt panicked, thinking about the night before. "Andy, I don't want to get hurt…what if he tries to kill me again?"

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Andrew said, braver than he felt. "He won't lay a finger on you."

Sam put her head on Andrew's shoulder. "Thanks," she said softly, staring at Maggie.

Maggie glanced for just a second at the two, and had to glance up again.

"What?" Sam asked, a blush creeping across her face. She pulled her head up from on Andrew's shoulder.

Maggie kept staring at them. She smiled, and shook her head. "You two…"

"What?" Sam asked defensively. "What do you mean, 'you two'?"

"I mean you two! You look so cute together! Admit it, you know you like each other!"

Sam and Andrew would never admit to liking their best friend. "No way!" Sam said, but she was still blushing. "I can't like Andrew! That's just…no!"
"Me neither!" Andrew agreed, looking at Sam. "She's just my best friend! Nothing more!"
But Maggie just smiled and shook her head.

A couple of minutes later, the rest of the band showed up, including Andrew's brother.

"I wrote a new song this morning!" Maggie announced to them all as they sat down on the chairs and couches.

Everyone looked excited.

"Let me see," Lilly said, taking the piece of paper out of her best friend's hand. She read it quickly, looking over the music. "Wow…" she said, clearly impressed. "You wrote that this morning?"

Maggie nodded. Lilly passed the paper to Mitchell and Matt, who read it over and were just as shocked as Lilly. Alicia took it as well.

"Good job, Maggie," said Mitchell, smiling happily. "Were you trying to think of a percussion part without me?" He was looking at the other paper in front of her.

"Uh…trying was the key word," Maggie said, handing him the paper. He looked it over.

"That's not that bad," he said. "I had an idea, though. Mind if I?"

Maggie shook her head. "No, go right ahead."

He took the pencil and the paper and started scribbling onto the staffs. A few minutes later, he was done, and everyone was again impressed.

"Well, Maggie. We need a violin part for this song," Alicia said happily. "Do you think you could write one in? I think it would enhance the song much more."

Maggie nodded. "Sure," she said, and picked up another piece of music paper from the pile next to her. She took the original piece and started scribbling down, pausing to think every now and then.

Sam looked amazed. "Maggie, are you sure you're feeling all right? This is incredible!" she said, as she finished looking over the music. "Everyone get up! Try to play your parts! I'll bet this'll sound great when it's finished!" She got up from in between Andrew and Alicia and ran over to the piano, sticking the piano part onto the music stand and trying out the notes.

Andrew smiled, watching her.

All the teenagers that had been sitting around suddenly got a rush of energy and got up, hooking up their guitars or trying to find their drum sticks. Soon the garage was bursting with mixed parts of the song.

Sam played the piano part quietly to herself, and lowly started to sing the lyrics:

Andrew was mesmerized by her, watching her from the couch. 'It's true,' he realized suddenly. 'I think I'm in love with my best friend.'