I checked my watch for what seemed like the fiftieth time in ten minutes and tapped my fingers on the table impatiently.

No one was ever late to meet me, ever. No one. No matter freaking what.

Of course, times did seem to be changing. For one, I was all alone at Express Coffee, a place I had never set foot in to this day; it was a spot for the Trekkies and musicians, of which I was neither.

“Sorry I’m late.” Budweiser slid into the booth, facing opposite me.

I opened my mouth to reply with some snippy comment, then realized he was the only ally I had left. “You wanted to see me?” He nodded. “Make it quick. I’ve got to ge tthis coffee to Chase in-” I checked my watch. “-exactly twenty minutes.”

“That’s what this is about, Ash.” He stretched his legs out.

I grit my teeth, moving my own legs far from his. “My name is Ashley, not Ash. I’d really prefer for you to get it right.”

“My name’s Buddy, not Budweiser, but you don’t seem to give a crap.” He pointed out, shrugging.

“Fine. Buddy. And what the hell do you mean?” I drummed my fingers on my leg now, wanting to get out of the booth. Whose stupid idea had it been to meet here, anyway?

“I mean, this is your chance to get back at Chase Anderson. The dude is dead, if you so desire.” Buddy had a weird way of talking. I wondered briefly if he was a stoner like Kurt Cobain had been. Or had he? Chase had yelled at me in the middle of my speculation so I had no idea.

“What?” I blinked slowly. “Look, if he has to die, you’re the one who’s killing him, because I am not gonna go all Marissa-on-The-O.C. when she killed Ryan’s brother, because even though her prom dress was Chanel and all, hello, she died.”

“Ashley.” Buddy interrupted me. “I’m not going to kill Chase, and neither are you. All we need to do is torture him a little. And then, crash. The fall.”

“So, we’re pushing him off a cliff or something?” I asked. “I really don’t see how that’s going to work-”

“No!” Buddy put his head in his hands. “No killing! He’s not dying! We’re just going to make sure he dies socially. Make sure he loses his status. And then, when he comes begging to us later, we’ll turn away and say no.”

I started to nod slowly. “By which time I’ll be back at the top, where I belong. I like it. I like it a lot. But…what do you get out of it?”

“Me?” Buddy smirked. “Isn’t it obvious?”

My eyes widened. “Buddy, I really hate to break it to you, but this isn’t a ‘90s teen movie. I’m not going to start going out with you or anything. We’re not going to have, like, a heated night of passion and then realize we love each other, OK? I really can’t do that.”

He closed his eyes. “I didn’t mean that.” He said tiredly. “You are so self-centered, Ashley. There’s a reason you don’t have any friends left, you know that?”

“Hey!” I snapped. “Neither do you!”

“Ashley. Are we going to spend this entire time fighting, or are we going to get back at Chase Anderson?” Buddy looked at me. “Get your priorities straight. All I want is revenge. That’s what I get out of it.”

“Fine.” I leaned back in the booth. “So, uh, what’d you have in mind? Know anyone who can help us out?”

Buddy paused. “There’s only one person who can help us out.”

---

“That’s who’s your mystery superheroine?” I cried out. “The video store girl?”

“She has a name!” Buddy snapped. “You’d better use it.”

I’d seen the girl around school a few times, but she wasn’t exactly the type of girl I was friends with, mostly due to the fact that she was kind of a loner. She had long, dyed-black hair and looked like a walking ad for Spencer’s. Or for a personal stylist.

“Oh, hey, Buddy,” She looked up and smiled, then shot a questioning glance at me. “Um…are you here for Star Wars? Because I have your reserve copy right here-” She reached under the desk.

“You have a reserve copy?” I was incredulous.

“I’ve just rented it so many times the video store bought a copy especially for me.” Buddy shrugged, then turned to the girl. “Um, no, Charlotte. That won’t be necessary today. I kind of have a favor to ask you.”

“Really? What?” She put the copy back under the desk.

“Umm…” He began.

I cut in. “Look. Let’s get to the point. Do you know Chase Anderson?”

“Uh. Yes?” Charlotte looked uneasy.

“Do you like Chase Anderson?” I questioned her.

“Uh. No?” Charlotte started to back away from the desk. “Buddy, what is going on? Why is Ashley Segale in the video store?”

“We have our girl!” I announced triumphantly.

Buddy scowled. “I know. If you had just let me get to it, she wouldn’t think you were some kind of psycho killer.” He turned to her. “Charlotte. Look, Chase was one of my best friends, but, just in case you’ve seen that video-”

Charlotte nodded grimly. “Chase and a couple of guys from the football team came in here last night and tried to get me to put the video up for rent. He’s kind of turned into an asshole. Acted like he didn’t even know my name. He called my video-store-girl, would you believe? After all the times you two came in here to rent Star Wars from me!”

I blushed. Hadn’t I just done the exact same thing?

“Exactly.” Buddy nodded. “He’s not himself anymore, and we need to teach him a lesson. You in?”

“What do you mean by lesson?” Charlotte asked. “And what about Ashley?”

“Ashley feels the same way.” Buddy said before I could interject. “Basically, we want to make sure that Chase has a kind of…fall from grace. You know, do something so he kind of loses all the friends he has, comes begging back to us…and we leave him there.”

“Well.” Charlotte hesitated, toying with one of her many earrings. “Ashley’s never really given me the time of day, so I don’t see why I should.”

“Please?” Buddy looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes. “I’ll never rent Star Wars again. Promise.”

“OK.” She sighed, giving in. “But only on the condition that you promise you will rent it. The store needs your business.”

Buddy turned to me and high-fived me, then did the same to Charlotte. Charlotte held her palm out to me questioningly, and I slapped it.

“Right. Us three against the world.” Buddy grinned. “Hey, we’re like the Jedi Knights!”

I groaned. “Buddy, please.”

Still, it wasn’t like I had much choice. It was either Star Wars quotes and a Goth chick or Chase Anderson, and I’d choose Star Wars any day.