Pranking The Prankster

Chapter 33

Song
Memories — Maroon 5

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Today's Halloween, and I'm going as Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. I'm wearing a gray v-necked sweater and a Hufflepuff scarf, a plaid quilt and knee-high socks. Luke's going as Ronald Weasely. Most boys would opt for Harry Potter, but Luke's already got the red hair and everything, so it's an automatic choice. We always coordinate our costumes. Last year we went as Spiderman and Mary Jane.

We're working on Animal Farm in English, an easy subject matter. School's almost a joke now. We've already written our SATs and there's nothing else to do. The results came out almost a week ago. I'm not tooting my own horn or anything but I got the highest score, a 1410. Once the excitement died down at school however, it just kinda got . . . boring. Even the teachers are getting sick of us. Mr Lawrence didn't even bother to show up for Biology today.

In French, however, Mrs Martin doesn't let us off the hook. She perches at the edge of her desk as she begins her lesson, so we all get an eyeful of her pale legs and awful beige stockings. Her skin is so pale it's almost translucent, like cling film. I guess she ran out of spray-tan or something.

Halfway through the class, Josh barges into the room, and I'm taken aback for a moment by how familiar the moment feels. This time however, he has a menacing chainsaw strapped to his back, and he's wearing a red flannel shirt and a white hockey mask. He's come as Jason from Friday the 13th — classic. Everyone cheers and whoops as he takes his seat, and he grins, basking in the attention.

"Calmez-vous, tout le monde," Mrs Martin says crossly, but no one is really paying attention. The bell rings ten minutes later, and people jump out of their seats, crowding around Josh's desk. I slip away unnoticed.

Jax is waiting for me in the hallway. He's not wearing a costume, just ordinary clothes, boot–cut jeans and a navy-blue turtleneck sweater that I've never seen before. He wolfwhistles when he sees me.

"Nice," He says appreciatively, checking me out.

I just smile, preoccupied with shoving my books into my locker. "What are you supposed to be, anyway?"

"I'm a vampire. See?" He pulls back his lips and grins to show off cheap white plastic fangs. He taps his chin thoughtfully. "Hey, maybe I should have put on some glitter."

"Typical," I sigh, slamming my locker shut. "Now I'm beginning to feel overdressed."

"Don't worry about it, Anna," He says. "I think you look really cute. Now let's go get lunch."

The cafeteria is a menagerie of movie characters. There are a few Marvel superheroes, from Captain America to Iron Man to Spiderman, and a couple of cartoon characters too, like Jessica Rabbit and the Disney princesses. I think there's an Edward Scissorhands somewhere too.

To my horror, Jax leads me right to Popular table. Everyone stares at us. No, not at him, at me. He's right at home here, because this is his crowd. I'm the one who doesn't fit in.

"Hi, guys," Jax says, beaming. "This is my girlfriend, Anna."

For a moment everyone is just as stunned as I am. Then a guy dressed as a werewolf let's out a whoop, "Dude, I thought you were celibate!" and everyone laughs. Except Josh. He's chatting up a girl with raven hair and coffee-coloured skin, and she's looking at him like she's a starving lioness and he's a particularly tasty piece of meat. It looks like she has something in her eye, the way she keeps batting her eyelashes, and she keeps tugging her skirt up to reveal more leg, then back down to reveal a larger expanse of cleavage. Behind them, Kristen Baker is glowering at the back of Josh's head, her eyes red and puffy from crying. I guess she's been dumped already.