A Tobusucs Next Door

Smashing

It had been a few days. I hadn't heard anything from Tobuscus for a while now. Only the occasional loud talking on a night time. I myself needed recovery from that water fight so I spent the days out of the house, spending time with Austin. But when I came home, there was no prank ever waiting for me. This was also the day before my mom was leaving again. She was going back to San Francisco. Although it wasn't her house she actually brought a lot of things with her.

"Mom, tell me again why you brought, like, all of your plates?"

"You only have enough for yourself..." She replied, stacking them up and placing them carefully in a box filled with bubble wrap. I watched her intently. My thoughts took me back to Tobuscus, and how boring my life seemed previously without him. I sat next to the open doors, waiting for just the slightest sound to suggest he was in his backyard. When I heard the familiar click and swoosh of doors opening in the deathly silence I shot up and ran outside to see if he was there. But, it wasn't him. It was a different guy who was closely followed by another two. At first, I thought they were robbers and I was about to attack, until Tobuscus joined them. They looked over what looked like blueprints and then another man emerged out of the house, placing large parts on the decking. I watched and Tobuscus came over.

"Uh...hey," He said nervously.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to prank you..." I assured him, recognizing the tension in his voice.

"Oh good-"

"I'm just waiting for you to prank me..." I added, and I saw his face fall.

"I actually don't have time at the moment," He motioned to the four men dragging huge mechanical parts into the garden. I raised an eyebrow.

"Whatcha making there?" I asked, resting my forearms across his fence.

"A hot tub..." He smiled, obviously pleased with himself.

"...Why do you look so happy? It must cost you a fortune!" I stated.

"Nope, not a penny. I got this all on sponsorship," He grinned, looking even happier. I took a moment to remember how 'famous' this guy was apparently. I felt the conversation was rather awkward, as I was always more confident when we were pranking each other. I leaned back off his fence.

"I...gotta go," I excused myself and went back inside. I was bothering him. He wasn't getting revenge on me anymore because I was annoying. That was my primary goal, but now I wasn't getting the same satisfaction.

"Well it's about time!" My mom cried as I came in. "Now can you help me pack?"

"Sure," I said with no emotion, taking one last glance behind me. I helped her put everything in place, and after an hour, we were finished. I also felt like I was forgetting something too. I looked around trying to refresh my memory. Then I remembered.

"Hey mom."

"Yeah?"

"Me and Austin decided to throw you a party tomorrow before you leave," It was true. We invited some of Austin's family and friends as well as my mom's friends here in L.A.

"Wow that sounds great!" She beamed, going to pick up some boxes. "By the way, can you help me carry these few boxes into my car?"

I reluctantly agreed and scooped up the box filled with plates. I had to open each door with my face because my arms were so full, and when I got to the front door, something caught my foot. My arm reflexes made me throw the box in the air and as I fell forward, they landed on the driveway in front of me with a sickening crash. I landed without getting hurt, but I was the least of my worries. By the sound of it, those plates were ruined. I bit my lip, cursing myself.

"What was that?" I heard my mom ask. I quickly hopped up and grabbed the box again. By the time she came outside I was standing like nothing had happened.

"What was what?" I smiled brightly.

"...Never mind," She murmured, going back in. Once she was gone I dropped the box in the back of her car and when I was walking back up the driveway, I rubbed my stomach because I had fallen pretty hard back then. I began to wonder what I had tripped on, when I heard emerging laughter.

"Yes! Gotcha!" Tobuscus grinned, standing up from behind his car. I gasped angrily.

"What? That was you?" I cried, my eyes trailing back towards the front door. I ran over and, sure enough, a thin but visible rope was strung across the doorway, just at ankle height. I gasped again, realizing that he made me trip over and break the plates. I growled angrily and made a run for him but he jeered and taunted while he ran away, my fingertips just missing him by millimeters. He dodged and dived for what felt like half an hour until I slowed down, gasping for breath.

"Aw, come on gurl, chase me!" He taunted in a lisp.

"How can you run for that long?" I panted, leaning over, trying to put pressure on my knees.

"If I couldn't, would I be able to do this?" He started dancing madly in the middle of the road, cars beeping at him as they went past. I usually wouldn't have laughed but the look on his face just made me die with laughter.

"Ha-Ha! Made ya laugh!" He cried. I straightened my face out and he laughed again.

"By the way, my mom's leaving town tomorrow, so do you wanna come over mine for the party?" I asked all of a sudden, just out of the blue.

"I just might!" He whispered in my ear as he ran past, back into his house again.

"I'll get you!" I assured him, even though I doubted he could hear me anymore.

"Lexie, what are you doing?" Austin asked as his car pulled up. It had just occurred to me that Austin didn't know about this prank war. I walked over sheepishly from Tobuscus's front yard as Austin got out the car. I didn't answer.

"...Well?" He asked again, leading me back over to my house again. I bit my lip.

"You remember...Tobuscus right?"

"Don't you know his real name yet?"

"Surprisingly...no-"

"I think it's kind of a gay nickname isn't it?" Austin grinned. I paused.

"...Yeah," I replied quietly. I didn't really think that. I thought Tobuscus sounded all cool and medieval.

"So what about Tobuscus?" He asked. I thought carefully about my answer.

"I think we might be having a prank war..." I said quietly and Austin's jaw dropped.

"How old are you? Nine?" He laughed and I smiled sheepishly. I let him into the house.

"Yeah, I guess it is kind of childish, but it's fun..." I tried to change the subject from prank wars. "By the way, you wouldn't mind if I invited him over tomorrow night would you?"

"But you don't know him," Austin objected, frowning.

"I told you, we're having a prank war..." I said quietly.

"Whatever, it's fine with me. So long as we have a bigger audience..." He trailed off as he ran upstairs to use the bathroom. What I didn't realize then was that I was becoming part of an audience very soon.