Cassy snorted. "Loser."
Amber turned around sharply to face her friend. "Cassy.." She warned.
Cassy shrugged and lifted up her palms, "Okay okay." She said reluctantly she sat back down in her seat.
Amber nodded and smiled thinly. She directed her attention back to Ashton.
"Pardon?"
"What was that about?" Seifer whispered to Cassy. "He does seem like a loser to me."
Cassy shrugged again, "Apparently I intimidate him."
Seifer smirked and looked back onto the scene. Desperate ex begging for 'another chance.'
"Amber." Ashton said again. He cleared his throat. "I, reckon, that umm we should get back together maybe?"
Now it was Amber's turn to snort. Cassy sent an approving gloat in her friend's direction. "You?" Amber pointed at Ashton like he was some bug.
"Get back together, with me?" Amber fanned herself with her fingers. She took a slow sip of her cappuccino. "No."
Ashton's face seemed to have fallen not just to the ground, but also past the crust, the mantle, and all the way into the inner core. His eyes started to water and his chin trembled dangerously. Amber could almost start laughing but she contained herself. She looked around their table and could say that at least her guests were enjoying the entertainment. She ignored the broke down Ashton, who was still trying to come to terms with his rejection, and took another sip of her coffee. Mmm, star bucks is really good, ahh, the Capitol Theatre's near by, it was worth the long trek from the QVB.
Irvine was staring at the boy in pity. Inbetween flashing flirtacious looks at passing girls he got up from his seat and walked over the Ashton who was standing in a crumpled mess with his head bowed. Irvine placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ashton's head jerked up, his eyes were glazing over.
"Who're you?" Aston stammered.
Irvine took a step back and took his right hand from out of his jeans pocket. "Irvine Kinneas, mastermind of the female mind, at your service."
Ashon sniffled and pulled himself together, he said indignantly, "I don't need your help. Amber is swooning in her shoes, she does want to back back together with me, she's umm." He stopped and racked his brain for a suitable word, "Using reverse physchology." He seemed pleased with his answer, "Yeah, yeah that's right."
There was a snort from behind Irvine, Zell shouted, "Yo dude, you were hammered!"
Ashton gathered himself to his full height. He looked behind Irvine to see Amber facing away from him sitting at an outdoor table at Starbucks Café. Next to her sat her friend, Cassy, whom he wasn't really chummy with. She seemed to be grinning from ear to ear, sending smug looks in his direction. Next to Cassy, a well dressed blond man in cool Ck sunnies with his arm slung over Cassy's shoulder. Ashton looked around the table again. In fact, they were all pretty well dressed.
"Who are you people?" Ashton directed his question to Squall.
Squall eyed him, "I am Squall Leonhart, Commander of-" The rest of his words were stiffled. Cassy had rushed out of her seat and placed a hand over Squall's mouth. Squall splutttered and gently pryed her hand away.
Cassy sent Ashton a bittersweet smile, "They're our friends, penpals in fact, from, umm. America."
Ashton looked at her puzzled, "But they don't have American accents. Well except for maybe this one." He gestured to Irvine.
"Shut up Dickface." Cassy said cheerfully and returned to her seat.
Irvine focused his attention back on Ashton. "Man," He started, "That's not the way to get a girl back. Not that I would have any experience in that, you know, since they all like, come crawling back to me anyway."
Ashton grimaced. "I have had enough of this." He declared, he pushed away Irvine and found the guts to march up to the table.
At first he was a little intimidated by the older looking faces peering curiously at him, they're all strangely good looking. But he thought of Amber's loving smile and gentle touch and blurted out.
"Amber. I love you. I want you back. Please come back. I'm sorry I cheated on you with that Yannery slut that was a mistake. Now I realize, I really never meant to."
Amber's expression turned hard. She had gotten over that fact, she had really cared about him, they got together, were an item for a while, she thought it was love, but then, Cassy with a sad but furious face told her that she had seen Ashton and Yannery kissing after school. But the fact that he did that the same day he told her he loved her, hit hard. He had insulted her and he was going to pay.
"Now you listen, mate." Cassy said, she was already fuming, she got out of her seat and approached Ashton, she was taller than him. "You stay away from Amber, okay? Remember what I told you last time.." Cassy felt a hand on hers, she turned around and saw her friend look at her pleadingly. Cassy nodded at sat back down.
Amber got up, she looked at Ashton meaningfully, staring into his eyes. "You really mean that?"
Ashton nodded, smiling, he took Amber's hands in his. "Yes, I really did, I mean do."
Suddenly Ashton felt a hard slap sting his right cheek. Vision in his right eye blurred and there was a ringing sound in his ear. Faint cries and cheers were heard in the background from Cassy and Amber's 'American' friends. Ashton blinked a few times, Amber had sat back down, receiving slaps on the back.
Ashton stared on, shocked. "What?" He cried, cradling his injured teeth.
"Amber?"
Amber looked at him, she asked sweetly, "Yes?"
"What happened?" Ashton couldn't talk properly, his cheek still stung. "I thought we were OK again, then you (he-bitch man-slap) hit me?"
Amber grinned, she felt terrible, but then again, nothing tasted sweeter than revenge. "Ok? What the fuck OK? We, Ashton sweetie, will NEVER be OK again. You cheated on me, and no one cheats on me and gets away with it un-harmed."
Ashton stood there dumbly. "But, you came back to me, just then, you, you walked here. B-but, if you didn't want me back afterall, why did you pretend you did, come here then, slap me?" Ashton said all this in a barely audible whisper; clearly he was traumatized.
Amber laughed shortly and turned to the group, "Hey I always wanted to do that!"
Cassy started to crack up. "Man eater!" She mimed cracking a whip.
Seifer started to snicker. Zell grinned broadly and even Squall was smiling.
Irvine was still standing up and shaking his head, How embarassing, man, he got it wrong. If it were me, well, it wouldn't be me.
The girls were giggling and high 5-ing Amber.
"Way to go!" Selphie said, giggling.
Ashton just stood there, I should be pissed off, but I'm not. If I walk away maybe I wont be, as embarassed, and maybe Yannery will take me back. I know she's ugly and no where as good as Amber, but, hey, any girl will do until Amber learns to love me again."
He walked off to the nearest bus stop, they could just see him standing there amongst a group of people, he kept sneaking glances in their direction. Eventually a bus came, he got in it and left.

Amber sighed, "thank god that's over with!"
Quistis nodded smiling, "quite a drama there. what time is it?"
Cassy looked at her watch, she frowned, "Hey , yeah! We better go, like, somewhere anywhere."
Seifer smiled at her, "Alright, Cassy. Let's move it people."
He got to his feet and pulled back Cassy's chair for her. Rinoa and Quistis exchanged glances.
"Where to, Cass?" Amber asked, she fished out some notes for the waitress.
"Keep the change."
Cassy and Amber led the group onto the side of street.
Zell stepped onto the road and took some steps forward. A car screeched to a sudden halt and angry insults were thrown at Zell from the driver.
Amber ran quickly and pulled Zell back to the sidewalk. "Oh my god, Zell!! Are you crazy? Even back where you're from, you don't just cross the road like that!"
Zell went as near as it could be to a blush, without calling it a blush.
"Yeah, man, but I thought.."
Amber rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I think I've had enough excuses being made to me today, come on, let's go, the traffic's stop and the little man is green."
Seifer snickered. "That sounds weird, Amber."
Amber looked at Seifer from the corner of her eye, "Yeah okay Mr-Knight."
"What did you call me?" Seifer snapped.
Zell laughed and said, "Hey, they know about that too!"
Rinoa's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Exactly how much do you know about us?"
They reached the other side of the street, Cassy nodded meekly in the direction of a hallway filled with shops. They were in Chinatown.
"Hmm, enough." Amber supplied.
Selphie was bouncing around in excitement. "Rinoa, hey? Stop worrying, why don't we enjoy this while it lasts?"
Irvine nodded seriously, "It makes a change."
Zell was browsing in and out of the stores, an electronic store, asian grocery, material store. Quistis accompanied while the rest of the group followed them around, in quiet conversation, soon enough Irvine and Selphie wandered away too. That left Amber, Cassy, Squall, Rinoa and Seifer.
"Oohhhh." Amber exclaimed, her eyes pouring over a cardboard cut-out in front of a chinese video store. "Nicholas Tse…."
Cassy started giggling, "Come on guys." She draped an arm around Seifer's shoulder, despite the fact he was much taller than her. "We'll leave Amber here. Amber? We'll be back in 15mins."
Amber barely registered. "Huh, yeah, yeah…okay sure."
Cassy shook her head good-humouredly and led the group away from Amber. They walked about two shops down and found themselves standing in front of a computer/anime store.
"Ahh." Cassy said happily. "You guys can come in, but I don't think it's your scene, or just wait outside, I'll only be a sec."
Cassy sauntered into the store, leaving Squall and Rinoa flirting with eachother, and Seifer standing around admiring his reflection.
"Cool…FF10 action figures." Cassy then glanced around the store. "Eheheh, model planes?"
She picked up the box before quickly putting it down again. The store owner eyes her warily.
Cassy tapped her finger on the shelves, "Dragonball Z, Neo Genesis….ohhhhh."
Cassy walked up to a poster hanging on the wall. "Final Fantasy VIII…."
Cassy stood back to admire the picture, "Squall looks so good, I love this poster, they're all in it. Haha they look much better in real life though."
Cassy did a double take. "Oh my god!" She shrieked, "They can't see the posters! They can't see the posters!"
Cassy hurried to the door, she noticed Squall, Rinoa and Seifer huddled by the window display studying something on the wall. She caught snatches of their conversation.
"Huh…Is that me?" -Squall.
"There's something seriously wrong with all this, Amber and Cassy have some serious explaining to do." -Rinoa, ofcourse.
"Hey, that's my face at a bad angle." -Seifer.
"ARRGHHH!!" Cassy shrieked. The three jumped and turned to look at Cassy.
"Oh my god, come here come here!"
Seifer hurried over with Squall behind him and a reluctant Rinoa.
"What's wrong?" Squall asked, frowning.
"Hmmm…" Cassy started. "We're late! We were supposed to meet Amber 5 MINUTES AGO!"
Cassy then ran towards the video store. When she saw that her company wasn't following her, she motioned for them to hurry over. They caught up and Rinoa fired questions at Cassy.
"Did you see that poster in the store back there? Final Fantasy whasit?"
"Uhhhh…the only things on the wall I saw were mirrors and pictures of sea animals."
"Oh. Because there was this one picture where I thought the people on it looked very much like my friends and I and some other people we know, I suspect that you probably know them too."
Squall nodded seriously "Cassy what is the meaning of this?"
Cassy grinned stupidly. "Hey Amber, hey MAN!"
Amber stepped out of the video store, a tall figure behind her. "Cassy?"
"Yeah, man." Cassy started, she pulled Amber aside and whispered quickly explaining the situation.
"Oh shit." Amber whispered. She touched her forehead and suddenly leapt as if she had an idea.
She begun pacing around the area and suddenly jumped up.
"Oh my god!" She shrieked. She started into the glass surface of a window nearby. "There's a picture of me on the wall!"
Cassy nodded with understanding. "No, Amber. That's your reflection."
Amber then smiled with mock realisation. "Ah, for a second there, I thought that was me, on like, a POSTER or something." She then looked meaningfully at Squall, Seifer and Rinoa. Rinoa glared at the girls then spotted Quistis with Zell behind her, reluctantly being dragged out of a store. Irvine and Selphie were slinking out of a clothing store, a security guard behind them.
Irvine and Selphie looked sheepishly at each other when they reached the group.
"What?" Amber and Cassy looked at each other.
The security guard glanced at them before turning to Squall. "Are you with these two people?"
Squall looked confused. "Perhaps I should introduce myself, I am Squall Leonhart, Commander of Gar-"
Amber went again to him and clamped his mouth shut. "Hey, ahh, Sir. These two people are my friends. Have then gotten into trouble?"
The security officer eyed the group, looking at their clothes. He glanced at Seifer who glared at him in return.
"You're friends." The security guard nodded to Irvine and Selphie. "Were caught in the process of shoplifting."