How I survived in an all boys glade

Chapter Fifty-one

- Pranks -

(A week after Chuck came up in the box)

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Theo's high-pitched scream pierces the peaceful air, startling both Tyrell and me as we feed the cows. He comes sprinting toward us, his face pale and his arms flailing. He looks like he's just seen a ghost—or something worse.

"What's going on?" Tyrell asks, confused and slightly alarmed, holding a bucket of feed halfway in the air. "Did you fall into the cow pen again?"

"No!" Theo yells, his voice trembling and his hands shaking. "Someone put a snake in my hammock!"

"A snake?" I echo, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I saw it slither in there! It's huge, and it has patterns on it! You have to help me get it out!" Theo's words come out in a panicked jumble as he hops from foot to foot like the ground might also be filled with snakes.

I glance over at Tyrell, who gives me a skeptical look, but I sigh, knowing we can't leave Theo in this state. "Alright, fine," I say reluctantly. We set down the feed buckets, and the two of us follow Theo back to his hammock.

As we approach, I spot a suspicious lump under his blanket. Theo stays back, clutching his arms and muttering something about how he's never sleeping outside again. I cautiously step closer, lifting the edge of the blanket.

"You're kidding me, right?" I say, trying to stifle a laugh. I reach into the hammock and pull out the "snake"—a rope, cleverly tied and colored to resemble one.

"What?" Theo gasps, his eyes wide as I hold up the fake snake for him to see. "No, it was real! I swear it was real! I saw it move!"

At this, Tyrell and I both burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Dude," Tyrell manages to say between fits of chuckling, "it's just a rope. You had actually scared!"

Theo's face flushes red with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation. "I'm telling you, it was real," he mumbles, crossing his arms like a sulking child.

The commotion attracts more attention, and soon, Newt and a few of the other guys wander over, curiosity written all over their faces. "What's all this racket about?" Newt asks, hands on his hips.

"Theo thought there was a snake in his hammock," I explain, still laughing as I hold up the faux serpent for everyone to see.

"You did this?" Gally asks, giving me a sharp look.

"What? No!" I protest, grinning as I shake my head. "I wish I'd thought of it, though. Whoever did this is a genius."

Newt doesn't look amused, his signature eyebrow raise making an appearance. "Right. So if it wasn't you, then who?"

"I've got a hunch," I say, spotting a small figure peeking out from behind some crates nearby. Without hesitation, I creep over and launch myself at the culprit, tackling them to the ground. 

"Gotcha!" I yell triumphantly as Chuck wriggles beneath me, laughing uncontrollably.

"Please... stop... I can't breathe!" Chuck pleads, his face red as I tickle him mercilessly.

"Not until you admit it," I say, pinning him down with one hand while tickling with the other. "Tell everyone it was you who put the snake—er, rope—in Theo's hammock!"

"Okay, okay, I did it!" Chuck blurts out between giggles, tears streaming down his face.

I let him go, helping him to his feet as he tries to catch his breath. Theo storms over, still holding the offending rope. "You did this?" he demands, holding it up like it's evidence in a trial.

Chuck grins sheepishly. "Yup. Pretty convincing, huh?"

The group erupts in laughter, and even Theo cracks a reluctant smile.

"Looks like you've got some competition now, She-bean," Zart jokes, nudging me with his elbow.

"Guess so," I say with a chuckle, knowing full well this prank war is far from over. If anything, it's only just begun.