Ghosted by Accident 1
Chapter 1: First Day, Same Tricks
Jake woke up to the familiar sound of his alarm blaring. He groaned and reached out to silence it, squinting at the clock. 'Why does it always feel like Monday?' he wondered, rubbing his eyes. The first day of classes was already a week in, but it still felt like he was adjusting to the new routine. He grudgingly got out of bed, dreading the day ahead. His mind raced with thoughts of the mounting assignments and the endless cycle of pranks his friends seemed to enjoy.
He dragged himself to the bathroom, barely noticing the time. Just as he turned the corner, he saw Tom and Sam huddled by the door, trying to stifle their laughter.
'What are those two up to now?' Jake thought, shaking his head with a mix of curiosity and resignation. He opened the bathroom door, only to be met with a small flood of confetti that burst from a hidden cannon above the door. It exploded in a colorful mess all over him.
"Surprise!" Tom and Sam shouted, barely containing their laughter.
Jake blinked, staring at the confetti raining down. 'Seriously? A confetti cannon?' He couldn't help but laugh despite himself. "You guys are relentless."
Tom grinned, trying to look innocent. "It's just a little morning cheer. Thought you could use it."
Sam added, "Besides, you've been pretty stressed lately. We figured you'd appreciate a bit of unexpected fun."
Jake shook his head, brushing confetti off his shoulders. "Alright, alright. I'll give you this one. But no more pranks before my coffee, okay?"
'I swear, these guys must have a book of pranks they follow,' Jake thought, trying to ignore the little nagging voice in his head that told him to brace for more mischief.
---
Later that Day
Jake sat in his favorite café, sipping on his coffee and flipping through his notes. It was a rare moment of peace in the middle of his hectic day. He had just finished a class and was trying to relax when he saw Tom and Sam across the café, whispering and pointing in his direction.
'What are they plotting now?' Jake thought with a sigh, shaking his head.
Suddenly, a burst of loud, recorded ghost moans came from behind him. Jake whipped around, only to see a small speaker set up on a nearby table with a Halloween-themed sticker on it.
"Seriously?" Jake muttered, shaking his head. He tried to ignore the pranks, but it was hard not to laugh when he saw Tom and Sam trying to look inconspicuous.
"Hey, Jake!" Tom called out, coming over with a wide grin. "You hear that? Sounds like we might have some ghosts in here."
Jake chuckled, giving them a mock glare. "Yeah, yeah. You guys really outdid yourselves this time. I almost fell for it."
Sam grinned. "Well, we're just getting started. Got to keep things interesting, right?"
Jake leaned back in his chair, feeling a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Alright, as long as you don't mess with my coffee."
---
Jake headed back to his dorm after an exhausting day, still chuckling about the café prank. As he approached his room, he noticed a strange noise coming from inside. He frowned, curious and a bit wary. 'What now?' he wondered, already bracing himself for another prank.
Jake unlocked the door and pushed it open, only to be greeted by a cascade of colorful plastic balls pouring out from the room. His entire room had been turned into a ball pit, with balls covering the floor, his bed, and even the ceiling.
Tom and Sam, who had clearly been waiting for him, emerged from behind a pile of balls, looking both guilty and amused.
Jake stood in the doorway, his jaw dropping. "Seriously? How did you even manage this?"
Tom, brushing balls from his hair, looked sheepish. "Okay, so we might have enlisted some help. We got a few of our friends to help us set this up while you were out. We figured you'd need a good laugh after the past couple of days."
Sam chimed in, trying to look innocent. "We knew you'd be coming back from the café, so we had everything ready and waiting."
Jake stepped into the sea of plastic balls, his frustration melting away. "You guys are unbelievable. This is actually pretty impressive, though."
Tom grinned. "We aim to please. Plus, we thought this would be a bit more fun than scaring you half to death."
Jake settled into the ball pit, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement. 'They never stop. But honestly, it's kind of nice to have these moments of laughter.' He thought, smiling despite himself.
---
In Class
The next day, Jake trudged into his psychology class, trying to shake off the remnants of his sleep. The classroom was filled with the usual buzz of students chatting and flipping through their notes. He took his seat and pulled out his laptop, already thinking about the pile of assignments awaiting him.
"Hey, Jake!" called Becky, one of his classmates. "Did you hear about that guy, Arjun, who passed away?"
Jake looked up, puzzled. "Arjun? No, I hadn't heard. What happened?"
Becky sighed. "It's kind of a tragic story. Apparently, he was a really nice guy, but he died unexpectedly. It's been tough on his friends."
Jake nodded sympathetically, his thoughts drifting. 'Just another reminder of how unpredictable life can be. I hope his friends are doing alright.' He thought, feeling a pang of empathy for Arjun's loved ones.
---
Later, Jake met up with Tom and Sam for dinner at a nearby diner. The conversation was light and filled with laughter, the pranks of the past days the main topic.
"So," Tom said between bites of his burger, "what's the plan for next weekend?"
Jake laughed. "I'm just hoping for a break from the pranks. But knowing you guys, that's probably too much to ask."
Sam grinned. "We'll see. We might have something special in store. Or maybe we'll just give you a breather. We'll decide."
Jake relaxed, enjoying the camaraderie. The day's pranks and class discussions had left him a little worn out, but moments like these reminded him of why he enjoyed college life. 'Even with all the craziness, I wouldn't trade these moments for anything.' He thought, savoring the simple pleasure of a meal with friends.