"Check."
"Tape?"
"Check."
"Cameras?"
"Check."
"Tickets?"
"Check."
"Glad wrap?"
"Check."
"cookies?"
"Che-cookies? Why the hell do you need that?"
Alec shrugged nonchalantly, "I get hungry a lot."
"Off course," I rolled my eyes sarcastically at his excuse and asked, "so is this all we need?"
He cast a thoughtful glance at the equipment spread out on his bedroom floor and nodded, "yeah I think that's all we need. Besides, Damien's got the kit ready and hidden at Katrina's house."
I hummed in reply and packed the small amount of equipment in my school backpack and stood up, "when do we head to her place?"
Alec mimicked my movement and dusted the non-existent dust off his pants, "we leave when Julie texts us to 'cause that's when Johnny would have taken Katrina to the show. Though after he's come and collected the tickets."
I sighed tiredly and glanced at the clock, "why didn't he take it before?"
He shrugged, "I don't know."
I pursed my lips but nodded nonetheless. I wasn't convinced though; something wasn't adding up.
Alec frowned at me in confusion for a split second before grinning cheekily at me, "come, let's go wait downstairs," he grabbed me by the hand and lead us downstairs to the living room, where Jonah was sitting watching Sponge Bob.
Alec sat down on the couch facing the television next to Jonah, pulling me down with him whilst doing so.
"Jonah, can you go get me the cookie jar from the kitchen please?" Alec asked his younger brother.
Jonah cast a glance in our direction then replied, "what's in it for me?"
Alec narrowed his eyes, mumbling something along the side of 'brat' before replying, "one cookie."
When Jonah shook his head at the deal, Alec sighed in annoyance and said, "fine. Two cookies."
Jonah tilted his head in thought and the resemblance between him and Alec was nearly identical, it was frightening. Again, he shook his head and grinned up at his scowling brother, "I want three cookies."
They both shook eachother's hand and Jonah hopped off the couch and ran to the kitchen.
Alec huffed like the immature boy he is and then looked at me, "he's going to eat all the cookies you know."
I rolled my eyes at him with a faint smirk on my face and he leaned his head against my shoulder tiredly. I played around with his messy brown hair soothingly and he sighed in content at the feeling. He looked up at me just as I was about to kiss his forehead with his furrowed brows, "what's the time?"
I took my phone out of my pocket and turned it on, ignoring Alec's intense stare, "4:15pm," I replied back, "Johnny should be here in a few minutes."
Alec hummed in agreement and I looked at him in confusion. Why was he staring at me?
"Are you okay?"
He scoffed at my question, "you know I like you right?"
I cocked an eyebrow up at him, noticing how he ignored my previous question but nodded nonetheless.
"like a lot?" And again, I nodded in puzzlement. Why was he saying this now? "Good."
He smiled softly and began to lean in for a kiss as he glanced down at my lips. I was beyond confused why he was suddenly acting so affectionate but wasn't minding. It's not everyday I got to kiss him.
My eyes fluttered shut consciously and the corner of my lips tugged upwards when they made contact with his. But as soon as it started, it quickly ended when a high-pitched scream erupted throughout the house.
We instantly sprang a part only to see Jonah staring at us with wide eyes and a disgusted look sporting his face, "you two have cooties now!" And to exaggerate the point, he widened his eyes-if that was even possible- dramatically and threatened, "I'm telling mum."
He ran upstairs before anyone of us could react and Alec sighed, running his hand through his thick hair. He's sighing a lot today.
Then he looked at me mischievously from under his lashes and grabbed me by the legs, pulling me in for another kiss, but before anything could happen again, the door bell rang.
Alec groaned loudly in frustration and cursed under his breathe, "I'll get it."
I stayed seated on the couch and fanned myself. I was sure that Johnny was the one currently at the door chatting around with Alec, so I took out the tickets from my bag and went to the front entrance.
"Trust me dude, you're in it dead if she finds out...I still don't get why you're doing this to her. I mean, she's your fr-"
"Shut up," Alec whispered when he noticed my presence. He rose an eyebrow at me in question and understanding crossed over his face once I showed him the tickets. He wrapped his arm around my waist and placed a chaste kiss on my temple, "thanks love."
I greeted Johnny with a wave and gave him the tickets. We chatted around for a few minutes but I still felt as if there was something missing, especially after hearing part of their previous conversation.
Once Johnny left, Alec slammed the door shut and grinned at me, "now where were we?"
-•- -•- -•- -•- -•- -•-
"Are you ready?"
"No."
"Okay, let's go."
Alec stood up from behind the bushes with me trailing behind cautiously. When Julie texted us two hour ago, we immediately collected our equipments and went to work, setting up the cameras around the outside of Katrina's house, for part one of our plan. Damien was seated in a van a few houses down the road, with his electronic devices to inform us of Katrina's arrival. Apparently she'd be returning home in approximately twenty minutes max.
Alec unlocked the house with two bobby pins swiftly. How he did that, I have no clue.
The door creaked open and we tiptoed inside the house. It was dark as we made our way blindly to the living room, with me grabbing onto Alec's jumper, in case I tripped or fell.
"Okay, glad wrap please," he held his hand out impatiently and I quickly unzipped my bag and gave it to him. Together, we wrapped the entrance of the living room in glad wrap and made sure that it would not shine when any sort of light hit it.
Next, we made our way upstairs and separated, Alec going to the left to fog up the bathroom and me going to the right trying to locate Katrina's room.
I called Alec over quietly once I found her room and we both entered the dark place, but not before smudging blood-like paint onto the handle.
Although we had definitely ran out of time when we heard loud laughter erupt from the quiet neighbourhood outside and the door to the entrance opening downstairs.
Alec and I both looked at eachother with wide panicked eyes and immediately, he began to push me urgently to hide under the bed. I protested because honestly, who hides under the bed besides from that dumb character in horror movies?
But soon enough, I gave up when I heard heavy footsteps ascend the stair and I instantly dove under the bed and glanced at Alec, only to see him close the slide-in door of the wardrobe. We seriously suck at hiding.
Right at that moment, my phone vibrated in my pocket and I struggled to get it out, but managed to, just before the bedroom door opened.
I held my breath and swallowed my panicking heart that was lodged up my throat. The lights turned on and the first thing I saw were white sneakers followed by black ankle boots. Why was Johnny with her?
My phone vibrated again in my hand and I thanked God the moment Katrina's ear bleeding laughter erupted throughout the room.
Damien: get out of the place, Katrina just arrived.
Damien: where are you guys?! Alec isn't replying.
It's a little too late for your concern now Damien, I thought sarcastically.
I looked to my left where Alec was supposedly hiding and nearly face palmed when I saw the slide door opening an inch. Off course he wanted to witness what was currently happening.
"Johnny..." I nearly gagged at Katrina's failure at being seductive but held it in, for the sake of not being caught.
I saw Katrina's shoes walk up to Johnny and grimaced once I heard the sloppy sound of lip locking. Oh god, is that how Alec and I sound? I hope not.
I looked over at Alec and frowned in confusion when I saw his face pale. His wide frightened eyes found mine and He began mouthing gibberish. I couldn't understand him but something wasn't right. Sure, Alec hated PDA, but not to that point.
Before I could mouth to him my question, I heard Johnny's pained cry followed by the sound of-what is that?!
I gasped and then immediately brang my hand to my mouth as blood coloured the white carpet. Oh God, oh God, please don't let it be what I think it is.
My heart hammered roughly adainst the bones my chest and I glanced at Alec with my tear stained eyes. He looked back at me whilst biting onto his fist. He was crying. This was serious, this was fuc-
I flinched in surprise when the bed dipped and the sound of Johnny's moans of agony filled my ears. I heard him whisper, "why?" Before another yell was muffled.
Again, I looked at Alec and he had closed the slide door completely. What am I going to do now? Think Avalin think.
Then it clicked. I turned the brightness of my phone onto its lowest and with shaky fingers, I began typing urgently for Damien to call the police. He replied back immediately and I told him what happened. I didn't know if he believed me or not, but it was worth a try. Just in case it was the latter, I also called them myself and forced them to listen to what was happening.
Most likely, Katrina would find us here eventually and God know what might happen then. The police would most likely track down the number because I didn't say them anything in fear of Katrina hearing me besides from the word "help."
Suddenly, everything went quiet. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. So quiet that even I could hear my thumping heart. So quiet that I was sure Katrina must have heard my ragged breathing.
This is the end. This is the end. God, please forgive me, I beg of you. Please for-"HOLY SH*T!" I screamed in fright once I saw Katrina's bloodstained face in my eye view. I began to shuffle back when she grinned sadistically at me. What happened to her? Why is she acting like this?
My eyes caught the phone and I screamed out the address to the police whilst continuously yelling for help. I didn't yell out Alec's name though; I didn't want him to suffer. But if she knew I was here, then she would've known Alec was here too.
There was no place for me to go anymore. I was trapped and scared. So f**ken scared that I slapped her hands away from me once she began to move forward, "no, no Katrina. Stop, STOP!" She dragged me from under the bed and flipped me over onto my back and straddled me.
By now, I was in hysteria with a full fight or flight mode kicking in. I needed to survive. I didn't want to die, not now; especially not by a knife.
She laughed, pulling me by the hair roughly and backhanded me on the cheek.That's definitely going to bruise tomorrow, if I was even alive by then. I kicked and screamed but it was no use. I'd never felt so vulnerable. Never.
My eyes widened in fear as the sharp object was raised in the air, aimed specifically at my heart. No, no, no, not the knife.
She grinned and lowed the knife at a fast speed and I lifted my hands to grab her arms, preventing her from stabbing me. My mind was repeating the word 'knife' over and over again as I struggled to cope with my hold on her.
"Let me go!" She yelled in my face. I'd never seen her act so, so animisthically. This was a whole new person.
Just as I was about to push her off me, I screamed, feeling her teeth dig into my skin and cling. My hold on her loosened up a bit by force and this time, I knew it was over. I closed my eyes and felt my body lose itself to fight mode as the knife closed in on me.
And again, everything went silent.
Am I dead?
My hands felt sweaty as they covered my face, my breath feeling hot against my skin. Slowly, I removed my hands and opened my eyes and frowned when I realised there was no psychopath Katrina on top of me anymore. I cautiously sat myself up into a tired sitting position and gaped confusingly at a smiling Alec.
"Alec? What-what happened? Where's Katrina? Oh God, Johnny's dea-" I came to a halt when Alec switched off his phone and began laughing. I was beyond confused why he was tearing up in laughter and was even more confused when I heard a groan behind me.
Johnny got up from the bed and grimaced, "remind me to never get on your bad side Alec."
To make things worse, Katrina came strolling into the room with not just Damien trailing behind her but Julie too, who were both sporting wide grins on their faces.
Damien's eyes met mine and he said, "I can't believe you actually called the police," he ran his hand through his hair, "I went through so much trouble trying to lay it off."
Are you serious you fuc-
"YOU'VE JUST BEEN PRANKED!"
I screamed in fright and began coughing immediately at my sore scratchy throat. AJ had sneaked up on me from behind to rub more salt onto the wound. I felt an arm wrap around me and looked up to see Alec looking down at me part amused but mostly concerned, "are you okay?"
I stared at him confused for a couple seconds, before pushing him off me, standing up and walking out of the room. Okay? Okay?! What was he thinking, pulling such traumatic prank on me like that? Why would he do that?
I was feeling kind of pathetic for crying but at the same time, I didn't care. I thought one of my best friends was dead. I thought I was going to die. I thought the police wouldn't catch her in time and she'd find Alec. I thought, I thought but I didn't listen out for the signs.
"Avalin, Avalin wait!"
I pushed my legs to fasten my walking pace and slammed the front door behind me. It opened again and I heard heavy footsteps struggle to catch up to me and faintly smiled. Once a slower runner, always a slower runner. But I wiped it off my face immediately once the image of the Katrina's sadistic smile popped in my head.
Fingers wrapped around my elbow and I was turned around by none other than Alec himself. He gave me a pleading look, "I'm sorry okay? I went too far this time and I'm sorry."
I pulled away from him and wiped my tear with the sleeves of my jumper, "you're such an idiot you know that?" And then added under my breath, "I hate you."
I heard him suck in a deep breath and was immediately engulfed by his scent when he hugged me. I struggled and even bit his shoulder in hopes that he'd let me go, but the only response I got was a tight squeeze, "I'm sorry okay? I'm really sorry. If I'd known that you would've reacted like that then I promise you that I would've rather been dead then do it to you. Avalin," he whispered quietly, "I didn't mean to, honestly I promise I didn't."
I refused to answer him so I shrugged my shoulders stubbornly, slightly relaxing in his hold. Honestly, the prank I did last time was way worse but this was still a terrifying experience.
Last week, I'd pretended that I'd lost his two siblings at the park when I took them out for a walk and we spent the whole day practically searching for them. That's not the worst part though; the worst part was when he received a video of his siblings tied up with ropes out on the streets with a sign that said, "we'll work as anything, be your slave even, just all we ask is for security." That part wasn't really my idea, more AJ's but decided to put it to use because I was sure Alec's reaction would've been funny. But honestly, it wasn't. It was heartbreaking seeing him cry for the first time.
"So I guess we're even now eh?" Alec kissed the top of my head affectionately and I slightly nodded, still upset and kind of numb from the prank.
He chuckled lightly and repeated the very words that I'd said to him last week, whilst rubbing my back comfortingly, "all is fair in love and war babe. All is fair."
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