Chapter Text
It all started with a few challenges and dares. Now, you find yourself known as Golden Isle University’s most infamous prankster. Whether that’s a good thing or not… you’ve already made your judgement.
The sky was scattered with just the right amount of clouds, with the sun playing hide-and-seek behind them. It was a beautiful day, though it would have been even better if you weren’t stuck with volunteer work—helping the librarian input new books into the database. The Student Council President deemed it a suitable punishment for replacing all the light bulbs in the student lounge with red ones, essentially converting it into a darkroom. You thought it was hilarious to see the looks of horror on the students' faces.
You had help, yes, but you were still deemed the mastermind. Not that you had a great track record either.
“Thank you for your help today,” Lisa, the librarian, smiled at you. “Try not to get into trouble too often.”
You gathered your things and neatly packed them. Spending time around books wasn’t going to make you any smarter or deter you from your mischief. “One day, everyone will see the genius behind my pr—uh, experiments.”
“Everything in moderation,” Lisa chuckled as she got back to work.
Before you left the library, you made sure to grab your camera– a Nikon FA that you bought a year ago, pulling it over your head and wearing it cross-body. You made your way to the residence hall, wanting to see if they had changed the lights back. The walk gave you some time to think as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and shone in your eyes.
Ever since you enrolled at this university, you’ve done nothing but cause mischief. All harmless pranks, sure, but you just couldn’t stop. And there was one reason: Alhaitham, the Student Council President.
You enjoyed making sure his days were filled with cleaning up your messes, all of which you deemed ‘experiments’ conducted to further your research in your major- Sociology. It’s a good thing your course director found your ‘experiments’ innovative and relevant. But she still tells you to get the appropriate permissions for conducting them… which you will, in due time.
You casually strolled into the student lounge and found that all the lights had already been replaced, and fellow students were already hanging around. You didn’t make it hard to find the original lights—you stashed them in the corner of the room. But you didn’t expect them to be so quick about it. That’s Alhaitham for you.
The students greeted you and commended you for your ‘experiment.’ You interviewed the participants and got out of there. You had to make it look at least a little legit. After all, no one knows that you do this to stay fresh in Alhaitham’s mind.
You weren’t obsessed with him, no; you just couldn’t think of any other way to interact with the Anthropology major due to your crippling social anxiety. You only hoped you remained on his good side, though that seemed highly unlikely.
As you made your escape, you found yourself at the notice board, idly looking through the upcoming events. Just then, a Prefect approached you.
“Hey, prankster!” she greeted you with a smile you could only describe as sardonic.
“I have a name, you know,” you stated, turning to give her your full attention. “What’s up?”
“The President is asking to see you by the fountain.”
You raised an eyebrow. There were many fountains on this campus—one in almost every building, and a few outdoors.
“Which one?”
“The one inside the admin building,” she patted your shoulder and gave you a look of pity.
You thanked her and took your time heading to the location. Just what could Alhaitham want from you? He’d never called on you like this before. You usually only saw each other in the student council room or in classes that coincided. Maybe he’s finally truly done with your stunts and wants to ask you to stop once and for all. Or maybe you should be a normal person and talk to him.
You reached the fountain and stopped at a distance, noticing some renovation work going on. You fidgeted with your camera for a moment and then remembered what you’d read on the notice board—everyone was to stay away from this particular fountain due to renovations around the area. Why would Alhaitham ask to meet here of all places?
Before you could come up with any explanation, you heard a loud crash. You watched in shock as the scaffolding collapsed and workers scrambled about. Luckily, you were a safe distance away, so you didn’t get caught up in the mess. It didn’t look like anyone was seriously injured, thankfully.
The safety officer noticed you standing at a distance and told you to leave for your own safety.
You determined that this had nothing to do with you, so you turned to leave. Just as you were about to go, the Prefect from before made her presence known from behind a pillar.
“Holy—! How long have you been standing there?” you exclaimed. She had appeared like a ghost.
“What have you done?” she accused. You looked at her, dumbfounded.
“What? I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t even near the fountain,” you gave her a look of suspicion. “On the contrary, you were the one who told me to come here.”
She made a confused expression, a mocking one at that. “No, I didn’t. Are you trying to shift the blame onto me?”
You were speechless for a second. Was this all part of her plan? Why, though? You hadn’t done anything to her.
“I’m not blaming anybody. This really is none of our business,” you said, trying to walk around her. She stopped you.
“Are you running away?” she scoffed. You couldn’t believe the audacity. You were going to overlook the fact that she told you Alhaitham wanted to meet you here, but that was for another day when you were feeling nice.
Just then, you saw Alhaitham with some of the faculty, watching the situation with the fountain. Your gazes met, and you pursed your lips into a smile. He looked at you for a long while, then approached.
Before either of you could speak, the Prefect pointed a finger at you.
“This prankster is the one responsible for everything.”
You looked at her again, mouth slightly agape, trying to understand what was going on in her mind. But it was impossible to understand someone of inferior intellect. You chuckled at the thought.
“Right, and you said the President wanted to meet me here,” you casually mentioned. Alhaitham raised his eyebrow at you and looked at the Prefect, gauging her reaction.
“Is that so? I don't remember asking you to be my messenger,” Alhaitham crossed his arms across his chest. You weren’t too troubled by whatever the girl wanted to blame you for because you didn’t do anything. You were just a tiny bit thrilled to have a normal conversation with Alhaitham.
The two of you waited for the Prefect to say something, but she looked utterly cornered. You found it funny how she had nothing to say to Alhaitham.
As the Prefect stammered, struggling to come up with a response, you watched with growing amusement. It was clear she was in over her head, and the more she tried to wriggle out of the situation, the more tangled she became.
Alhaitham’s gaze flickered between you and the Prefect, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed, and with a tone laced with mild irritation, he spoke.
“Enough. If you have nothing more to say, I suggest you return to your duties.” His words were directed at the Prefect, but you could feel the weight of his scrutiny on you.
The Prefect muttered something under her breath before scurrying away, leaving you alone with Alhaitham. The atmosphere shifted subtly, the playful tension from moments before replaced by something more charged, more personal. You contemplated retreating to your dorm for the day.
“You’re really getting a reputation, you know,” Alhaitham said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost contemplative, and you weren’t entirely sure if he was amused or exasperated.
“Reputation or legacy?” you quipped, leaning casually against the wall. “I’d like to think I’m leaving my mark.”
He arched an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly. “Your mark, huh? And what exactly is the endgame here? To be remembered as the university’s most notorious prankster?”
“Is that a bad thing?” you countered, trying to keep your tone light, though you couldn’t help but wonder if he saw through your façade. “Besides, I’m conducting valuable social experiments. You know, contributing to the greater good and all that.”
Alhaitham’s lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, you thought he might argue. Instead, he surprised you.
“And what if your experiments cause real trouble one day? Like what happened here?” He gestured to the collapsed scaffolding behind him. “What if someone gets hurt because of one of your ‘experiments’?”
You blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness in his tone. You looked at the workers who were barricading the area, some with minor injuries. “I wouldn’t let that happen,” you said, a bit more defensively than you intended. “And this… this wasn’t me… I only do harmless pranks, you know that.”
His gaze softened, but only slightly. “I know. But that doesn’t mean you’re always in control. Things can spiral, especially when you’re playing with people’s lives, even if it’s just for fun.”
You looked away, the weight of his words sinking in. You’d never really considered the potential consequences of your actions beyond the immediate thrill. But now, standing here with Alhaitham, you can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. At the same time, you feel wronged. You've never done anything that would harm or embarrass people.
“Why do you care?” you ask, trying to deflect. “I thought you’d be happy to finally catch me in the act.”
Alhaitham takes a step closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Because, despite everything, I don’t want to see you hurt. Or worse, expelled.”
Your heart skips a beat, and a strange warmth spreads through your chest. You’ve always seen Alhaitham as a challenge, a worthy opponent in your game of cat and mouse. But hearing him express concern—genuine concern—for you is something you hadn’t anticipated.
For a moment, neither of you says anything, the silence filled only with the distant sounds of the campus and the closer sound of the construction workers sectioning off the area. Then, with a sudden burst of resolve, you state your stance.
“I won’t stop doing what I do. Whatever happened here today wasn’t me.” You look him in the eye. “My experiments are always safe and well thought out.”
Alhaitham holds your gaze, his eyes searching yours for any sign of deception. For a long moment, the tension hangs thick between you, unspoken words hovering on the edge of being voiced. You can feel your pulse quicken, but you refuse to look away.
Finally, Alhaitham sighs, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “I believe you,” he says, and you can hear the sincerity in his voice. “But you need to understand that not everyone sees things the way you do. To them, a prank is just a prank—harmless until it’s not.”
You nod, appreciating that he’s at least trying to understand your perspective. “I get that. But I also think people need to lighten up. Not everything has to be so serious all the time.”
A small smile tugs at the corner of Alhaitham’s lips. “True, but you have to admit, there’s a fine line between fun and recklessness. And you, well… you like to walk that line.”
You grin, unable to resist the playful spark that lights up inside you. “What can I say? Life’s more exciting that way.”
Alhaitham shakes his head, though there’s no real admonishment in the gesture. “Just be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
There's that warmth again, spreading through your chest like a slow-burning fire. It feels like a lush forest quietly unfurling, roots anchoring deeper into rich, fertile soil, growing stronger with every heartbeat. It’s strange, this feeling—both comforting and unsettling at the same time—a foreign feeling.
You’ve always known that Alhaitham is someone you respect, maybe even admire. He’s someone you wanted to get to know better. But now, standing here with him, you realise that it might be more than that.
“I will be,” you say, unwavering, and for once, you mean it. “I promise.”
Alhaitham seems to accept that, and for a moment, the two of you simply stand there, the world around you fading into the background. It’s peaceful, in a way you hadn’t expected. Maybe going the roundabout way was a bad idea.
Then, as if remembering something, Alhaitham glances over his shoulder at the workers who are still cleaning up the mess. “You should probably head out. I’ll take care of things here.”
You’re about to protest, but the look he gives you is firm but kind. “Go on,” he insists. “I’ll make sure they know this wasn’t your doing.”
You hesitate for a moment, then nod. “Thanks, Alhaitham.”
“Don’t make me regret it,” he replies, though there’s a hint of a smile in his voice.
As you turn to leave, you feel his eyes on you, and it takes all your willpower not to glance back. The walk away from the scene feels different now—less like an escape and more like a step toward something new. Something you can’t quite put your finger on yet.
But as you head back toward the residence hall, one thing is clear: Alhaitham’s concern for you is genuine, and it’s stirred something inside you that you’re not sure how to handle. For the first time, you find yourself wondering if your pranks are really worth the potential fallout—or if there’s a way to channel your creativity and desire for friendship into something… more meaningful… or maybe it’s fine even if you stay the same.
And maybe, just maybe, you’re ready to find out.