The Payback or The Adventures and Pranks of Zachary O'Connor

Chapter Three: The First Kate

The next Monday at lunch, the four of us agreed that Kate Preston (now deemed The First Kate) would be the first to go down. Kate Preston was this asshole that always went around spreading rumors. Untrue ones (and I know, you're like, "Is there such a thing as a true rumor?" and I'm here to tell you to shut the hell up cuz I'm getting to that). Not to mention that she had been one of the cruelest to Laurel on that night. The only problem was figuring out how to come about achieving our retribution. Anti wanted to put a bucket of paint in her locker. I had wanted to key her car, too. That may have just been out of spite, though, cuz she drove a Camaro, and I drove an ultra-ugly-like-uglier-than-your-90-year-old-health-teacher-and-also-just-as-old Corolla. So, yeah.

"How about we give her a taste of her own medicine?" Gabby suggested after minutes of her just listening and not talking.

"We start a rumor?" Anti asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Perhaps something to end her relationship with Eric...?"

"Mmm." I paused to swallow my milk that I'd taken a swig of. "Perfect."

"So, we take down two birds with one stone?" Anti clarified.

"Nah."

I glanced towards the table where Kate and Eric were sitting. They weren't talking to each other.

"Eric has had his sights set on Reagan for a loooong time... Ending his relationship with Kate would, at most, weaken him."

"So, we're going to start a lie to ruin someone's life?" Meghan's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm sorry, guys, but I am not an asshole. But not to like burst your bubble of evil, or whatever."

"Well..." I started, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"It's wrong. Do you really wanna do that?"

"Yes," Anti replied.

At least he was honest.

"You know, for such a unique boy, you are so predictable, Anti," Gabby said.

"Noted," he responded.

"Guys, Meghan's right," I interrupted. "We can't just tell a lie to ruin someone's relationship."

There was a pause.

"So... we tell a...true rumor?" Anti asked.

"Is there such a thing?" I wondered aloud.

Another pause, longer this time.

"Well, it was a 'rumor' that Zach liked Annabeth, and...oh my god! He did! So, yeah," Meghan answered (so yeah, there is such a thing; I told you I was getting to it).

I winced.

The Annabeth Wound was something I didn't want to probe.

"So how are we gonna find this 'true rumor'?" Anti questioned.

I noticed everyone staring at me.

"Well, I suppose someone would have to follow Kate..." Meghan started.

"Yeah, see what she was up to..." Anti continued.

Gabby cleared her throat.

The beating around the bush was agonizing, but I didn't want to be the one to follow her, so I let it continue.

"Well," I said, standing, "I have to take a piss, so..."