"Neo, Get up!"
I groaned as my bubbly friend shook me awake. I rolled over to face her, and slowly opened my eyes, sending her my classic death glare. "What do you freaking want?" I growled, not understanding what could possibly be more important than my precious alone time with my covers and mattress.
I tried to pull the covers over my head to block her out, but she pulled them right back down and onto the floor. I groaned and quickly sat up, ready to throw down. "Rachel!" I yelled. She just stood there, smirking and twirling her blonde ponytail in her fingers. "Yeees?" she said in a sing-song voice. I glared at her. "Give them back." I said. I was never much of a morning person.
"Hmm..." Rachel hummed, her brown eyes narrowing in thought. "Nah," she said, "I don't really feel like it." After saying this, she turned around and ran out the door, dragging my blankets behind her. Instead of following my instincts and running after her, I stayed sitting on my bed. "You're a cruel person, Rachel!" I yelled, hearing distant giggles in response.
I sighed, and decided to get up, seeing that I didn't have anything to cocoon myself in anymore. I went over to my dresser, and put on my usual yellow tank top and black cargo pants. Then I threw on my black leather jacket and dark gray high tops and looked in the mirror, brushing my raven hair and putting it up in a high ponytail. Once my appearance was decent, I headed downstairs, where Rachel was sprawled out on my couch.
"I really wish you would stop barging into my house all the time." I said, heading to the kitchen to pour myself a bowl of cereal. "Hey," said Rachel, "it's not my fault you don't know how to close your windows." I rolled my eyes and headed back to the main room. When Rachel wouldn't make room for me to sit on the end of the couch, I threatened to sit on her legs instead. Immediately, she jerked her legs away.
As I sat down and started my breakfast, I glanced over at my friend, who was lazily sprawled out beside me. "Why are you here, anyway?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Rachel looked back at me. "I'm waiting for you. Seriously, hurry up."
For a moment, I was confused. "Waiting for what, exactly?" I said, completely clueless. Rachel looked at me like I had just killed somebody. "Do you seriously not remember?" she asked, accusingly. I didn't say anything. Rachel face-palmed. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe you. We've only been planning this for two weeks!"
Suddenly, realization hit me like a bus. After choking on the mouthful of cereal I had previously tried to swallow, I shot off the couch and threw the rest of my breakfast in the sink. "Gosh, Rachel, why didn't you freaking tell me?" I asked, rushing to the door. Rachel rolled her eyes and followed me outside. "I assumed you remembered." She said as we ran down the street. "Come on, girl, keep up!"
After running several blocks, we passed a sign that said "Radiant Garden Shopping Square." We both slowed to a halt, gasping for air. "Good..." I said, catching my breath. "We're... almost there..." Rachel was leaning forward, her hands on her knees. "Good... because... I'm done... with running."
"What's the matter? You two out of shape or something?"
The sound of the all too familiar voice made us both turn around. There stood a tall male with red spikey hair and deep green eyes. He smirked at the two of us, and I shot a glare right back at him. "Shut up, Lea, we had to run the whole way here." Lea walked toward us. "Oh?" He said. "And why is that?" A sheepish look came across my face, and I looked at the ground. Before I could say anything, Rachel chimed in. "Well, SOMEBODY forgot about our plans for today."
I sent a sharp look at my friend. "I didn't forget the plan, I just forgot the date." I said. "Besides, I remembered eventually, so shut up." Rachel rolled her eyes. "Yeah, after I basically spelled it out for you." I shot her another glare, and she returned it. "Stop staring at me with those pale blue eyes. They freak me out." I grinned at this, and we all started laughing.
"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting something?"
Once again, we all turned to yet another familiar face. The deep-blue haired male stared back at us with his equally deep-blue eyes. "We kind of have a plan to go through with." Rachel smirked. "I don't know, you might have to remind Neo again. She seems a little out of it today." I rolled my eyes. "Shut up." I said. Lea laughed. "Okay, you two, let's go."
A few minutes later, the four of us were gathered in a small alleyway outside the shopping area. "Alright," said Lea, turning to me and handing me a small firecracker, "you know what to do, right?" I took the firecracker and smirked. "Yep." I said. "Good luck." Said Rachel, giving me a two fingered solute. I saluted her back, and left the alleyway.
When I turned the corner, I walked down the shopping square to the bakery. "Why hello, young lady." Said the old man inside the booth. "What can I get for you?" I smiled back at the man, concealing the firecracker in my pants pocket. "Hello." I said, in a sickly sweet voice. "One loaf of bread please." The old man nodded, then went to the back of the shop. He took some dough and kneaded it, shaping it into a loaf. Then he took it to the oven in the back, opening the small door and starting a fire. 'Now's my chance' I thought.
Quickly, I grabbed the small firecracker in my pocket and pulled it out. Then, as soon as I saw an opening, I threw the firecracker in the oven and ran like hell. As soon as I turned the corner, I heard a loud crackling noise. "What the-" I heard the man yell. "Ahhh!"
I started snickering to myself. 'If only I could have seen his face!' I thought. After a few seconds of laughter, I ran to catch up with my friends. They were hiding on the rooftops across the way, watching the whole thing. A few days back, we drew straws to see who would have to do the dirty work and miss the reaction, and I lost.
As soon as I got up on the roof, I heard heavy laughter. I looked at my friends, and saw that Rachel and Lea were almost dying of laughter, while Isa was off to the side smirking and crossing his arms. "That was awesome!" said Rachel, finally calming down a little. "You should have seen his face!" Isa un-crossed his arms and walked toward the rest of us. "Well, it wasn't our best prank, but it was definitely a good laugh."
I smiled at him, and giggled to myself. "Yeah, I hope that guy's alright." After I said this, a hand was placed on my shoulder. I turned around to see Lea, who was smirking. "Don't worry- the firecracker we gave you was for kids. If it won't hurt them, it won't hurt him." His smirk then turned into a sincere smile. "Nice job."
After we got off the roof, we went back to my house to hang out. On the way, we stopped to get sea salt ice cream. "Well, this was a productive day." Said Lea as we all sat around eating our ice cream in my living room. I laughed. "You're only saying that because you got ice cream." Isa and Rachel laughed along with me, and Lea smirked. "Very true." He said.
For the rest of the day, our gang hung out at my house. We talked and exchanged ideas for new pranks, until night fell. "Well," said Isa, getting up from his seat, "I should get going." Lea stood up, too. "Yeah, me too. Don't want to stay out too late." The two headed out the door. "Okay, see you guys!" said Rachel, waving them goodbye. I waved at them too, and they left.
"Hey, Neo?" asked Rachel as I put my feet up on the couch. "Hm?" I hummed. "What do you think of Isa?" she asked, a slight blush coming to her face. I narrowed my eyes. "Well, he's a good friend, I guess." I said. "What do you think about him?" Rachel blushed a deeper red and looked at the floor. "Well..."
Immediately, my eyes widened, and I threw a throw pillow at her face. "You like him, don't you?!" I yelled. "Why didn't you tell me? When did you first feel something for him? What did you do when-"
I was shut up by a hand covering my mouth. "Neo!" Yelled Rachel, who kept glancing at the door. "Shut up! They didn't leave that long ago. They could still be able to hear you!"
Not dealing well with being silenced, I licked her hand, causing her to jerk it away, disgusted. "Alright, I'll be quiet, but do NOT do that again." I said with a threatening look. "Now, start from the beginning."
When I first said that, I was expecting her to tell me a short story about a small crush that started a few days ago. But as she went on and on about what was going on, I realized that was not the case. Rachel literally told me everything, starting with the first time she started crushing on him, which had actually been several years ago when we were still in school.
When she was done with her tale of secret romance, I stood up from my seat. "Are you kidding me?" I yelled. "You've had a crush on him for four years, and you haven't even said anything to him? Or- more importantly- ME?!" Rachel had a sheepish look on her face. I shook my head. "Dude, you're nineteen. You're a grown up. You need to tell him.
Rachel stood up and rapidly shook her hands at me. "No! What if he doesn't feel the same way? I can't take that risk." I gave her a stern but sympathetic look. "Rachel, if you really like him, then it's a risk you're going to have to take."
After a few moments, I sighed. "Alright, I'm going to bed. You can stay here if you want, since it's so late. I'll bring down a blanket so you can sleep on the couch." Rachel smiled. "Thanks." I smiled back, and got a blanket from the closet. After saying good night, I went up to my room, dragging my covers that were still downstairs with me.
I made my bed, changed into my night shirt, and lay down, curling up against the wall that was parallel to my bed. 'I can't believe I never noticed.' I thought, closing my eyes. Rachel was always so obvious about that kind of stuff. 'She really should tell him, though. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he likes her back.' Thinking this, I sighed. 'Maybe I should take my own advice.'