From Very Real Pranks to Something Like Love

It Involves Rubber Spiders and Toilets

Ugh. Monday. Monday is bad enough, but you know what's worse? The first day of school being on a Monday. Now that is just cruel.

My alarm clock blasted, bouncing off the walls and shattering my ear drums. I groaned and slammed my fist down on it, silencing the screams. Then, silence. I smiled and pulled my pale gray comforter over my head. Of course, the heavenly peace lasted for only five minutes. Then...

"PENNY!" My mother screeched. I whined and rolled over. Gah, she sounded like a screeching hen this early in the morning. I heard her shoes ascending the stairs and wrapped my blankets tighter around me.

'Mom, mom, go away, let me sleep another day,' I chanted in my head, squeezing my eyes closed. Seconds later, the covers were ripped away and the cold air penetrated my thinly clothed body. Why do I always wear tank tops and shorts to bed?

Groggily, I peered up at my mother's looming figure and glared at her.

"Penny, get up now. You're going to be late for school," She demanded, her face stern. I closed my eyes again and draped my arms over my face.

"Fine by me," I grumbled, knowing that she heard me. I heard her sigh and I thought she left, until I felt myself falling. I screeched and my eyes flew open as I toppled onto the icy, hardwood floor.

I stared up at my mom, mouth hanging open, as she stood with her hands on her hips looking very satisfied.

"Good, you're up. Now get dressed," She said with a smirk. I sat up and crossed my arms, pouting at her.

"I can't believe you just flipped me off my mattress. Who does that?!" I complained. She smiled at me sweetly from the doorway.

"Honey, I do it because I love you," and with that, she shut my door and left me to get dressed. I could climb back into bed and ignore school, but I knew that my mother would come up here and dress me herself, and only God knows what hideous outfit she would force me to wear.

Heaving a sigh, I dragged myself up and stood in the doorway of my closet. It was the first day of school, I had to dress to impress ... Absolutely nobody. I signed and pulled a burnt orange body suit out of my top drawer, pairing it with a black button up skirt and orange fringe earrings. I slid my feet into thigh high boots and observed my appearance in the mirror; I was ready to roll.

After I dressed and brushed my hair out, letting it fall over my shoulders in auburn waves, I applied some chap stick and rushed downstairs to grab a granola bar and apple.

My sister, Haley, was sitting in the kitchen, tapping her long, manicured fingernails on the tiled countertop. She raised her eyebrows at me as I slid down the banister and I stuck my tongue out at her like the mature twenty year old I am.

"You ready?" She asked, her voice bored and tired. I nodded and bit into my juicy red apple, squirting juice everywhere. Haley made a face as I licked apple juice off of my arm. I shrugged at her and swiped my car keys off of the counter, leading her out into the garage.

As we drove, Haley fiddled with the music, changing the song after listening to the first minute of it. My parents always got annoyed, but Haley and I both did this. We got tired of the song so we changed it to a new one. I nodded my head along with a new song that she put on, and then changed seconds later.

"Hey! I actually liked that song!" I protested, trying to bat her hand away from the dial. She covered the dial with her hand and looked at me with a smirk.

"Well I didn't. Now be quiet and pay attention to the road," She said, not taking her hand away until I put mine back on the steering wheel. Little brat.

We pulled into the school parking lot and I parked in an empty space next to a large, black pickup truck.

"Remember to meet me here right after school. If you're not here by three, I'm leaving without you," I reminded her. She rolled her eyes and nodded before scampering over to her awaiting group of friends.

Haley was shy like me, but she wasn't as reserved and she was more popular despite her quiet exterior. I sighed, wishing I could be as easy going as she is. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a pale hand waving in front of my eyes.

I peered past the hand into a set of emerald eyes framed by thin lashes that were coated in forest green mascara. I knew just from the eyes that it was Lizzie.

"Hey, snap out of it!" She said, placing her hands on her hips. Even though Lizzie is about an inch taller than me, at about 5'3", she looked so cute, rather than the intimidating image she was shooting for.

I giggled and followed her over to the picnic benches that were shaded by the large, towering maple trees surrounding them. The tables were littered with brightly colored leaves, signifying the beginning of autumn.

I sat down next across from my other two friends, Serena Brighton and Ace Young. They were the only people I could actually talk to, and if I lost them I don't know how I would get by. We were all completely different, Serena being the athletic one, Ace the nerdy, dramatic one, and Lizzie is the artsy fashion designer. Me, well, I guess I was the odd one out because I didn't really have a special quality.

"So Penny are you excited?" Serena asked, doodling on her hand with a blue permanent marker. I looked at her questioningly and waited for her to elaborate.

"For the prank wars? They start today; don't tell me you forgot," She explained, coloring in a heart she drew on her palm. I formed my mouth into an 'o', but said nothing.

I hadn't forgotten how could I? I wasn't excited though, I was scared. I didn't want to be who I was, a pranker. It would draw attention to me and that's the last thing I wanted. I had worked hard for six years to make my reputation come down to nothing.

"Uh, well I guess maybe. I don't think I'm going to get involved though, no need to draw unwanted attention to myself," I partially lied. Lizzie nodded in understanding, but Ace and Serena rolled their eyes. Out of our little group, Lizzie and I were the outcasts in the school. Serena and Ace were actually quite popular, but for unknown reasons, they befriended Lizzie and I.

"Penny, no one has to know it's you doing the pranks, it's like an anonymous way to get even with your enemies," Ace said, laughing evilly. I rolled my eyes and laughed at his wackiness.

"Alright, maybe I'll do something little...like putting rubber spiders in the girls toilets!" I exclaimed, knowing from experience that this was kind of a lame prank, but hey, it was perfect to get them off my back.

"Whatever Penny, I know you're more creative than that," Ace said with a wink, getting up as his drama friends called him over. He waved good-bye to us and agreed to meet the three of us here at lunch time.

"So Serena, how are you and Robbie doing?" Lizzie asked, wiggling her eyebrows. Serena blushed bright red and covered her mouth with her hand, I assumed she was grinning like a maniac.

Serena and Robbie had met last year at a track meet. She raced against him, she beat him, and they argued for a month about it. We all knew they had feelings for each other, but both of them claimed it was feelings of hate and annoyance. I don't know what happened, exactly, but something made Robbie kiss her, and the rest is history.

"Uh, well we're great, he's taking me out to dinner Friday night," She said through her hand. Lizzie and I giggled as we observed her embarrassment.

The first bell went off, making me jump slightly, and Lizzie and I waved good-bye to Serena. She had college writing first and second period, while Lizzie and I had dance.

We scurried down the hill to the dance building, a large, stone building with colorful handprints of former students covering the side of it. It was here that the first prank occurred, and thus, the prank war began.