Out To Get Her

6| Don't Comment

AFTER MUCH THOUGHT into the matter, Alex realized that Riley must have planned the classic shampoo-dye trick while he was over for dinner with his parents. She watched him for foul play when he was in sight, but not when he went to the bathroom after dessert. The one chance he knew he'd get to set up the prank.

"Don't comment," she mutters to Dylan the moment he comes to a stop next to her, switching her books out at her locker. She'd already endured the disbelief of her mother in the kitchen and the gasps of freshman as she speed walked through the hallway.

"I just have one question," he ignores her very clear instruction, "Why?"

Alex groans and resists the urge to slam her head into the lockers in frustration, "It wasn't me."

"Yeah sure, it was the Easter bunny, who came and dyed your hair the most vibrant shade of purple I've ever seen, and then left," he laughs.

"That's not what I meant, I mean it wasn't my idea."

"Then whose was it? Wait a minute, was it your mom? Because I still remember that time-"

"No," Alex cuts him off with a grimace, "Just no. My mom would never in a million years endorse this."

"Then what happened?"

"Riley Wilson is what happened," she groans, "We have to get back at him. Two pranks in one day is brutal."

"Now that is a cause I can get behind. But can we talk about this shade of purple? Really? He couldn't have gone with a nice magenta? Or maybe a lilac?"

"Shut. Up. Before I make you shut up."

"Never," Dylan bursts out laughing all over again.

~*~

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"I suppose we'll see in a few minutes."

"That is not comforting!" Alex hisses at her best friend, "You're supposed to know it's going to work before you do it!"

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?"

Alex's only response is to whack him upside the head.

The pair focus their attention on the doorway, waiting for the grand entrance of Riley Wilson.
What they didn't expect though, was for someone else to walk through that door.

Drew Lewis. Drew Lewis is the one to turn the handle, to open the door. To trigger the mechanism holding the precariously balanced bucket atop the the wood. It falls in slow motion, dumping bright purple paint all over Crestview High's resident brooding boy.

It continues to roll to a clanking stop near the teacher's desk. Alex and Dylan stand like deer caught in headlights. Drew slowly raises his arm to wipe paint from his face. Then he makes eye contact with Alex. His eyes immediately narrow.

Dylan and Alex both start talking at the same time.

"We can explain!"

"That was totally not meant to happen!"

"You weren't supposed to walk in!"

"We swear it wasn't meant for you."

And it hit Alex at that moment, that this was the second consecutive prank that she and Dylan had failed to pull on the intended victim. They were worse at this than should even be physically possible.

"What the hell are you two even talking about?" Drew's glare is sharper than a knife.

Alex motions for Dylan to speak.

He sighs, "We were trying to get back at Riley, we even gave him a note to come into this room to speak to Mr. Miller."

"Speak of the devil," Alex mutters, as Riley—sporting an expression that can only be described as incredulous, gleeful amusement—steps over a puddle of paint to enter the room.

"Oh this, this is the best thing I've ever seen," Riley bursts out laughing.

Alex groans, flushing a furious shade of red, "Shut up."

"This was meant for me, wasn't it?" He waves the note in the air.

Dylan sighs in resignation, "Yes."

That just makes him laugh even harder.

Drew rolls his eyes, shrugging off of his newly-purple leather jacket, "You're all idiots."

"What were you doing in here anyway?" Alex ignores his comment.

"None of your business," he scowls at her, "Now, if you'll excuse me."

And with that, he exits the room.

Dylan and Alex share a look, before they burst out laughing.

"Did that seriously just happen?" Alex turns to her best friend.

He nods, struggling to keep a straight face.

"And it was freaking brilliant!" Riley finishes.

Alex whips around to glare at him, for no reason other than the fact that the prank didn't touch him, "Aren't you supposed to be friends?"

"I'm still allowed to laugh, aren't I?"

"I suppose..."

It wasn't until hours later that Alex realised he didn't answer the question.

~*~

"You said you couldn't promise to stay out of it. I'm asking you to get involved."

"But on your side," Dean raises a single bushy eyebrow.

"Precisely."

"What's in it for me?"

"The satisfaction of watching your friends look like idiots and the wonderful company of myself and my best friend?"

"That does sound pretty good actually."

"Aw, you want to spend time with me," Alex coos.

"The making my friends look like idiots part," Dean chuckles, "They've done it to me countless times, now it's my turn."

"So?" Alex wiggles her eyebrows at him excitedly.

He nods, "I'm in."

"Yes!"

"What made you come to me for help anyway?"

Alex smiles slightly in self-deprecation, "A complete inability to complete a prank successfully?"

Dean chuckles, "I see."

"Besides," she continues, a mischievous glint in her eye, "You know them well, you're the perfect person to know how to get to them."

"True. Remember, I'm only doing this for some harmless fun, we're not doing anything really bad, or dangerous in any way to my boys, yeah?"

"Obviously," Alex rolls her eyes, "What do you take me for?"

He gives her a look, "A girl on a mission."

"A girl on a mission with a moral compass," Alex emphasizes.

"Whatever you say. Meet me in the parking lot tomorrow at lunch and we'll get started."

~*~

Dedicated to @sunny397 & @lozza03 for continuously reading and voting on each chapter. It makes my day every time, thank you :)