“Alright everyone, the target is almost in position,” you spoke into the radio you held in your hand as you tossed a cheeky grin to the camera, “Activate Operation No Nando’s Niall!”
You had situated yourself in back of the kitchen, multiple screens flashing with the images from hidden cameras throughout the restaurant, ready to watch your prank unfold. You were the host of the revamped show Punk’d, and your producers had begged you for months to pull a prank on your boyfriend Niall.
You had brushed them off until a couple weeks ago when, while watching the premiere of one of your episodes, Niall had joked that he would be able to see through any prank attempted on him. Especially after all those months while on tour with Louis.
You tried to politely remind him of his reaction to the Nickelodeon prank of the woman giving birth, but he had dismissed you. He claimed that he had grown up a lot since then, and he could easily see through any prank and wouldn’t be fooled. The cogs in your brain had immediately started to whirl with a silent “Challenge Accepted” as you had calmly watched the remainder of the premiere.
From then on it was simple. Lying about your overly packed schedule filming the pranks for other celebrities, Niall was none the wiser to your schemes or the fact that he was about to take a staring role in one of them. Calling in the help of the number one prankster himself, Louis had happily consented to help put Niall back in his place.
From your post you could see Louis enter Nando’s with Niall not far behind him. You bit your lip in an attempt to contain your excitement, as Louis and Niall took their seats. Everything was going according to plan.
No sooner had Niall sat down that you signaled the actor playing the part of Store Manager to start your grand charade. He was a tall and intimidating fellow, and you were sure as hell glad that it wasn’t you that he was about to confront. So it was with a small bit of pity that you watched him make his way over to Niall’s table.
“I’m sorry sir, but I’m going to have to politely ask you to leave,” the gruff voice of the impostor manager spoke to the two lads.
Niall’s face turned a bit pale as his eyes slowly moved up, taking in the size of the would-be manager. His face clearly was one of confusion as Louis asked, “I’m sorry, have we done something wrong?”
“The problem is that you are on our ‘No Serve’ list,” the manager said pointing at Niall, “and I’m going to have to ask you again to leave.”
Niall’s face was priceless. You almost couldn’t contain your giggles as each camera angle seemed to shed new light on the horror that Niall was facing. He would not be served Nando’s.
With his eyes wide from the shock of the situation he managed to make eye contact with the manager and say, “They’re must be some sort of mistake--!”
The manager cut him off, “There is no mistake Mr. Horan. After your behavior towards one of our waitstaff, we at Nando’s decided that it would be best to make it clear that that sort of behavior is not tolerated.”
“Niall what did you do?” Louis accused, laying it on thick.
Niall’s hands went up to his hair, “I didn’t do anything!” he exclaimed, his Irish accent becoming more pronounced, “Or if I did I don’t remember it! Are you sure that you’ve got the right guy?”
The manager’s face was grave, “I never forget a face. Now please vacate these premises before I have to get the law involved.”
“Now hold it right there!” Louis’s voice piped in, “You can’t do that to my friend--”
Niall tugged urgently on Louis’s arm, begging him to shut up and leave the restaurant. It was clear from the multiple camera angles that Niall was much more intimidated by looming manager than Louis was, as Louis continued to berate the manager for not serving Niall. “Louis, please! Let’s get out of here!” Niall begged Louis as he threw a nervous glance toward the manager, “We’ll eat somewhere else.”
Finally Louis relented. “Fine. We’ll go somewhere else” Louis said his voice dripping with snark as he fixed with manager with a vile look.
Niall nearly bolted out of the restaurant, Louis following at a slow pace behind him. You jumped out of your chair, signaling the camera men to follow you. It was time to let Niall in on your little prank.
You had just exited the kitchen when you felt your phone vibrate. A quick check of the screen told you what you had already known, Niall was calling.
“Hey Babe, what’s up?” you tried to sound causal as you started to jog out of the restaurant to catch up with Niall, cameras in tow.
You spotted the familiar snapback a couple meters ahead of you as you heard his response. “[Y/N] you’ll never believe what just happened! I was just kicked out of a Nando’s and I have no idea why!” his voice was filled with a mix of confusion and little bit of hurt.
“Could it be that you were just Punk’d?” you asked as you gave another cheeky smile for the camera’s benefit.
Niall stopped in his tracks ahead of you, “What?”
Hanging up your phone you caught up to Louis and your confused boyfriend. Spinning him around to face the camera you exclaimed, “You just got Punk’d!! And we caught it all on camera.”
Niall’s face changed dramatically to one of mock shock, and his hands covered his face as he spun away from you with roar of exasperation. “Are you kidding me?!” he screamed to the heavens before turning back to you with huge smile, “Are you kidding me?”
You shook your head as you tried to fight the smile spreading across your face. “And were you in on it the whole time?” he asked Louis incredulously.
Louis was clutching his sides as he continued to laugh at Niall’s expense, “You should have seen your face!!” was all he could muster before he devolved into a fight of laughter.
Niall continued to express his complete shock at realizing his involvement in the prank as you did your sign off for the show, “Looks like no one is safe this season. Tune in next time to see which celebrities will fall prey to the pranks on Punk’d!”
“I’m going to get you back for this,” Niall said as he tried to hold in his own fit of laughter, “But first you owe me Nando’s!”
Planting a quick peck on his lips you said, “I’d like to see you try.”
