Prank Wars

by Fowers, Stephanie

  I frowned. “Excuse me?” I met his angry eyes and got angry myself. “You don’t like my gifts?” I asked. His eyes narrowed, and I felt my heart speed up at his assessing look. “What about this?” I handed him a sterilized needle that I filched from the technician at my side. “Take it. That comes straight from my heart, you player!” The EMT stole it back with an efficient move.

  “Nope.” The look Byron gave me spoke volumes. “I don’t want that.”

  “Stop moving around,” the EMT told him sternly. “Or I’ll strap you down, sir.”

  Now I had a goal. I’d get him strapped down in no time. I’d at least give him something to remember me by. I realized it was a bad habit. I had always hoped to give him so much of me that he’d never forget me, though now, none of it seemed enough. Now I wanted something real. “What about this?” I handed Byron a rolled up bandage. “It’ll mean a lot if you take it.”

  That was promptly confiscated from me too. Before I could steal something else, Byron took my good hand with a proprietary air. “Give me this, cuz. That’s all I want. Is this alright with you?”

  My fingers wrapped reflexively around his. “I’m not sure.” The tears I had been fighting threatened to take a hold of me again. Now that I could tell him what was on my mind, it almost hurt too much to say. I took a deep breath and tried anyway. “You told me what you felt for me wasn’t fake.” Embarrassment filled me. I was about to completely let go. There wasn’t enough trust in the world that could shield me from his possible rejection, but it didn’t matter anymore. “What did you feel, Byron? Before, I mean?” I searched his eyes, trying to find something that would give me the truth. “What’s real, New Zealand?”

  Byron knew I had trust issues, but this was a legitimate concern. Would he think so too? If he didn’t, then all of this had been his cover. I couldn’t shield myself from that anymore. “What’s real?” he asked. He let go of my hand, his eyes trailing around the ambulance; they found my broken arm. “Does that feel real?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Then it’s real. Believe me, this is real. You don’t want me to prove it, do you?” I smiled in response. Byron must have taken that as an affirmative because he leaned towards me like he was going to kiss me then jerked to a sudden halt. I beamed when I realized that he couldn’t get any closer. The paramedic held him down. “Can you free my hand, ma’am?” he asked the EMT. She twisted her lips in irritation, but she was possibly a romantic because I saw the amusement behind the stern face.

  She unstrapped Byron and he grinned before his lips met mine.

  Epilogue

  Day 216

  1025 hours

  “War. It almost did me in. Though it seems to me that the biggest war is the one waged inside your heart. I mean, it might rank pretty high up there with the war waged inside your head—you know the one where you want to tell Lizzie what happened to your crazy idea that bad guys wanted you dead, and especially when she wonders why your roommate Sandra abandoned the apartment in a rage in the middle of the night, or why you came home the next day with a broken arm, a bandaged hand, and a sprained ankle. And then when she sees you exchanging secret glances whenever you talk to Tory, and why you and Lord Byron spend so much time at the study lab with Thanh or why you actually agreed to do the boyfriend-for-a-week program with him and it’s going on a lot longer than anyone ever expected. And even most mysteriously of all, why you’re taking world affairs and humanitarian classes because now you know what you want to be when you grow up and it isn’t what you ever imagined it would be. So yeah, I guess that would be a pretty big battle to fight...and win. Oh, and if you’re reading this right now, Lizzie, don’t worry about it. Just chalk it up to my vivid imagination”

  —Madeleine’s War Journal Entry (Monday, September 15th)

  Acknowledgements

  As always, I have a HUGE list of friends who have helped me in the making of this book. I'm sure many of you on this list don't even remember helping me because it's been so long since this book transformed from that twinkle in my eye to the book it now is (you grew up so fast, little “Prank Wars”). But, if you read your name and it's a complete surprise to you, just know; yes, you DID help me. Therefore, thanks to my fantastic and splendidly fanatic editors: Nancy Wakefield and Lucinda Fowers. You made my tedious ramblings sound somewhat educated.

  Many thanks to my intrepid readers of my first, second, and third drafts, who helped me rip out the boring parts and smooth out most of the confusion: Ashley Fowers Elliott, Danyelle Ferguson, Daryl Gessel, Debbie Gessel, Hilary Hornberger, Melanie Jacobsen, Rachel Burt Fowers, Rebecca Jorgenson, Samantha Scogin, Sandra Barton, Tina Dean and Tricia Smith (if I missed anyone, feel free to give me a swift kick in the pants).

  To my Science Consultants: Brent Young, Dan Yates, David Young, Eric Sweden, Jason Young, Phil Brown, Robert Palmer, and Rob Wells. Please know that your contributions were the backbone of my story. I never could have any moments of suspense without you.

  Much appreciation goes to Alex Nitz and Hilary Hornberger for being my legs on this book cover; Kristi Linton for your photography; Jacqueline Fowers for your graphic design; and Heather Justesen for your interior layout expertise. Thank you for your talents and making this book look exactly how I dreamed it would be (for I don't know how many years). I truly appreciate the sacrifice and time you spent on this.

  And of course, a special round of applause goes to all you pranksters out there who have touched my life: Andrea Goates Thomson, Andy Mott, Bart Seeley, Breanne White, Brian Hansen, Cassie Burgi, Eric Russell, Erica Fowers Okere, Erika Childs, Justin Fowers and the V for Vendettas, Katie Hansen, Larissa Villers, LeAnn Bowan Wach, Lisa Hess Keillor, Lucinda Fowers Lahn, Marcus Green, Marie Young, Quinn Peterson and the rest of B5, Rachel Fowers and the Unicorns, Stacy Young Larson, Spencer Matsuura, Vanessa Swenson and the rest of the Pinegar rascals, and to the many many more who blessed my life with their pranks.

  Also, where would I be without the good actors who helped bring “Prank Wars” to life in the book trailer? A special thank you to Lucie MacNair, Josh Miller, Annie Pulsipher, Tinesha Zandamela, Julia Sachs, Amanda Rose, Jeremy Henrie, Greg Webb, Colin Rivera, Skip Warner, Estée Arts, Gabriel Nicholas, Jon Madsen, Junyi Wang, Kim Chamberlain, Lauren Wilkins, Madison Heil, Nicole Froerer, Phil Nelson, Sheridan Bronson, Skipper Plowman, Weston Childers, and Jenica Schulz.

  And to Ashley Fowers Elliott, my sister (and a talented photographer). Thank you for all your photographs that I put on my blog page and for my bio page in this book. Your artistic ability never ceases to amaze me.

  Of course, I need to give a nod to my Young Women, who have shared so much of my life for these past few years: Britney, Carrie, Lindsey, Lacey, Jenny, Kelly, Stacey, (and do you notice all our names end with [ee]?). Yeah, cool.

  Finally, my deep gratitude goes to my WesTech Engineering crew, who swapped stories with me to help wile away the time while spinning pounds and pounds of straw into gold: Amy Beaver, Brady Ririe, Brian Martin, Carol Williams, Cheryl Anderson, Christine Vincent, David (all of ‘em—Hardin, Scott, and Snyder), Debbie Gessel, Erika Schipaanboord, Holly Gentry, Ian Anthony, Kali Wall, Jeremy Lawrence, Jodee Bielstein, Johanna Loeza, Kristi Linton, Mickaela Hawkley, Rachel Barrett, the evil twins (meaning Blake and Adam), Saul Oliveria. Deep breath—did I miss anyone? Thank you all for your stories, friendship, and name suggestions. I appreciate the great times we spent together.

  All of you have touched my life for the better. Without the experience and time that we now claim as our memories, I doubt this book would ever have been possible. Thank you again.

  .

  Also by Stephanie Fowers

  Meet Your Match

  Rules of Engagement

  About the Author

  Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film. She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., BBC (which she supposes includes non
-bonnet movies Sherlock and Dr. Who). Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist. This summer, she plans to workshop her musical The Raven with the talented composer, Hilary Hornberger. Stephanie's also excited to film some big time shorts (and possibly some features) in the near future with her cousin and friend, Sandra Barton, and with her brilliant sister, Jacqueline Fowers. Feel free to check out the Triad's film misadventures on YouTube. And of course, since discovering the exciting world of online books, Stephanie plans to bring more of her novels out to greet the light of day. Be sure to watch for her upcoming books, including YA fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, a compilation of short twisted fairy tales, and more—much more—romantic comedies. May the adventures begin.