Chapter 11

As they crept closer, ready to scare the couple, Mason suddenly grabbed Zariyah’s arm, stopping her.

"Wait. I’ve got a better idea," he whispered, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Zariyah raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what’s this brilliant plan of yours?"

Mason leaned in and whispered his idea. As he pulled back, she crossed her arms, unimpressed. "That’s... pretty childish. They’ll catch on in seconds."

Mason frowned. "Okay, then what’s your genius alternative?"

Zariyah smirked, a spark of cunning flashing in her eyes. "Do you have your phone on you?"

"Yeah... why?" Mason asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"Just give it to me and watch," she said, holding out her hand.

Mason hesitated but eventually placed his phone in her palm.

She pressed the power button. "What’s your passcode?"

Silence.

Zariyah glanced up to see Mason looking anywhere but at her, his face tinged pink.

She grinned. "Wait—don’t tell me your passcode is your girlfriend’s birthday or something. Is that why you're blushing?"

Mason coughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No! It’s, uh... 2309."

Zariyah entered the numbers, her smirk widening. "So, she was born on September 23rd, huh? Cute."

Mason’s face went even redder. "It’s not—just don’t tell anyone, alright?"

Zariyah chuckled, unlocking the phone. "Oh, don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me… for now."

As Zariyah opened Mason’s phone camera, she carefully angled it toward the lovebirds, making sure they were perfectly in frame. With a quiet tap, she snapped a picture.

"Now, just watch and learn," she whispered, a smirk creeping onto her face as she sent the photo somewhere.

Mason leaned in, trying to catch a glimpse of her screen. "What exactly are you planning?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You'll see," she replied, her fingers working quickly as she pulled out her own phone. She downloaded the photo she had just taken and, without missing a beat, sent it off to another recipient.

A second later, both Tyler’s and Alicia’s phones chimed at the same time.

Realization hit Mason like a lightning bolt. His grin widened. "Oh, you are evil. You sent the photo from my phone to Alicia and from yours to Tyler—because they don’t have our numbers!"

Zariyah simply handed him back his phone. "Now, we wait."

"One… two… and three—"

Right on cue, a loud gasp filled the air.

"Who did this?! When did this happen?!" Alicia’s panicked voice rang through the campsite.

Zariyah barely held in her laughter. "Now, we casually walk in with the firewood like nothing happened, got it?"

Mason nodded. "Got it."

Keeping their expressions neutral, they strolled toward the couple, pretending to be deep in conversation.

As they neared, Alicia and Tyler instantly sprang apart, putting as much distance between them as possible. Alicia clutched her phone, her face pale with shock.

"Uh, you okay, Alicia? I thought I heard you scream," Zariyah asked, her voice laced with innocent concern.

The couple fumbled to hide their phones, exchanging nervous glances.

"Uh, yeah! Nothing’s wrong. I’m good," Alicia stammered, her forehead slick with nervous sweat.

Mason tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "Are you sure? You both look… stressed. Almost like you've seen a ghost."

A sly smile tugged at his lips—but just enough to keep the game going.

Zariyah and Mason exchanged a quick glance, both barely holding back their amusement as they watched Alicia and Tyler squirm under their scrutiny.

"Anyway," Zariyah said, dropping the firewood in a neat pile near the center of their camp. "We brought enough wood to last the night, so let’s get a fire going."

"Yeah, before anything... unexpected happens," Mason added, smirking as he sat down.

Tyler cleared his throat, obviously trying to steer the conversation away from whatever had just happened. "Right. Uh, let me just grab the matches."

As he rummaged through his bag, Alicia subtly nudged him, her expression screaming act normal! Zariyah bit her lip to keep from laughing.

The fire crackled to life soon after, casting flickering shadows across their small campsite. Everyone settled around it, though the couple still looked a little too tense for people who were supposed to be relaxing.

Mason decided to push them just a little further.

"So," he began, leaning back on his hands, "anyone else hear some weird noises in the woods? Like... whispering?"

Alicia nearly choked on air. "W-what?"

Zariyah picked up on the game immediately. "Yeah," she said, voice low and mysterious. "It sounded like... someone watching us. Breathing just behind the trees."

Tyler shifted uncomfortably. "You guys are messing with us."

"Are we?" Mason grinned, letting the question hang in the air.

Alicia hugged her arms. "You better be."

Zariyah smirked but said nothing. Let them wonder.

T. B. C.

Did you expect that prank by any chance?

Happy Reading!