We had chosen our strategy of attack and now was our chance to put it into action. It's Tuesday morning, and though I have no class I know that Mercy does. That gives us approximately one hour to complete our trap before the opportunity slips out of our fingers. Lindsey and I had researched how to hoist a bucket above a door and connect it to the doorknob perfectly so that as soon as Mercy steps through the entrance, it will douse her.
Now, this may seem like the typical 'dump a bucket of water on your friend' prank, but we added a bit of a twist. Honestly, Lindsey and I had searched our hearts out and hadn't found anything online that really appealed to us, so we decided to just stick with the classic. The twist, though: we placed the bucket on the outside of the door so that it wouldn't do its damage until she was already dressed and leaving the dorm for class. Secondly, it wasn't filled with water. This is where Trevor's prank with his buddies had sparked an idea.
I turned around to watch Lindsey tie the string around the doorknob while I emptied the last of the oil into the bucket. With the help of some of Lindsey's brilliant people-connections, we were able to borrow two step ladders and a plank of wood. The contraption we had designed was extremely obvious, but hopefully, by the time Mercy noticed, it would be too late.
"Alright. You ready?" Lindsey says after eyeing her handiwork. I nod as I step away from the bucket so that she can tie the other end of the string to it. "Okay, help me lift it."
I quickly step forward to grab the other side of the bucket. There's a ladder on either side of the doorway, and a plank of wood resting on the top like a shelf. We've placed a box under the plank so that we can get high enough to set the bucket on the ledge. It's a bit of a struggle since the position is awkward.
Once in place, Lindsey jumps down from the box and tests out the doorknob. She twists it carefully and then pushes the door open just a crack. We both chuckle evilly as we watch the string grow taut. There's no way that this could fail.
I check the time and realize that we've spent nearly forty-five minutes getting it all set up. I motion to my phone to indicate to Lindsey that time is almost up. We tiptoe our way to the end of the hall with the box we used as a stepping stool in hand. I'm not sure why we feel the need to keep quiet. It's not like it would give the prank away if Mercy heard people talking in the 'public' hallway. Somehow it just adds to the excitement, though. Lindsey and I crouch down to peer around the corner. There's no way we're gonna miss this.
The minutes tick by, and she's already five minutes late for class. I'm starting to think that she's planning to skip when suddenly the knob twists and the door slides open. It's epic. Like everything occurs in slow motion as we watch the bucket tip gradually. The look on her face is priceless as it dawns on her that something isn't right. She peeks up and her mouth drops open when she realizes what is about to happen, but it's already too late. The contents of the bucket have already begun to spill over the side, and there's not enough time for her to clear out of dodge.
The thick liquid makes contact with her perfectly styled hair and quickly oozes down her shocked face. She shuts her gaping mouth just in time to avoid a mouthful of oil. She stands completely still as she allows the slippery substance to creep down her face, into her clothes, and down her legs where it seeps into the old, faded mat we'd placed on the floor to catch the overflow. Lindsey and I are biting our fists to prevent our laughter from escaping. It's the most beautiful sight.
I'm expecting her to release her frustration in a huff of annoyance and then storm back into the room, but once again Mercy surprises me. It starts as a gurgling sound in her chest that almost immediately transforms into a snort. I'm worried that maybe we went too far with the vegetable oil because she appears to be crying. But nope, she proves me wrong when I realize she's laughing. It starts as a quiet chuckle and erupts into full-fledged laughter. I can see her shoulders shaking with the need to contain the hilarity of the moment as her cackling echoes down the hallway.
Lindsey and I glance at each other briefly before returning our gaze to the hysterical commotion coming out of Mercy's mouth. There's still a smile on her face as she starts shaking her head back and forth before rubbing any excess oil off her body and then turning and reentering the dorm room.
"Hmm?" I say as I lift a brow at Lindsey.
She's got a huge smile plastered on her face, and then we both burst out laughing.
"Well, that didn't go the way we had expected," she says, looking towards the mess we'd created.
It was definitely worth the attempt we made, but I was kind of hoping for just a bit more rage or, I don't know... something! Instead, she laughs like it's the greatest prank ever. It was the kind of laugh that you'd express if you got to witness something that good, not the kind you'd express if you were the target of it.
A moment later we watch as Mercy carefully makes her way out of the room, dodging the oily mess. Her hair is no longer dry and lying loosely around her shoulders. Instead, it's damp and resting in a lopsided messy bun on the top of her head. Her carefully planned outfit has been replaced with a pair of sweatpants and an over-sized jersey. Lindsey and I watch as she disappears into the elevator. A second later my phone goes off.
Good one, Emma-nator.
I show Lindsey the message from Mercy, and we both start laughing all over again. I'm literally on the ground weak with laughter when it occurs to me that even though the prank was totally worth it, now it's time to clean it up. Oh, joy. Lindsey and I pull ourselves out of hiding and get to work scrubbing the areas of carpet that weren't lucky enough to be covered by the mat, which happened to be a lot more than we expected. Why did it have to be carpet?
It takes us an hour and a half to get it spotless, which gives me precisely fifteen minutes to get gorgeous so that I can meet Trevor for our 'dream' project. Now we get to dissect exactly why I'm dreaming about kissing some mystery man. This should be interesting.
---
Who loves Mercy?!?! <3
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Porcelain Skin (NOW ON AMAZON KU)
Teen Fiction"When I tell you that he hates me, you'll probably assume it's because he's a jerk...but you'd be wrong. He's not a jerk. I am." --- Several years ago tragedy struck Emma's home, leaving her broken... like a cup with cracks spiraling and sli...
