his Is How I Won a Prank War My Neighbor and I Had Going for the past Year
It started off innocently enough. Selene parked her car in the wrong parking spot, fueling a prank war with Paul, the real owner of the parking spot. As the months went by, the pair continued their prank war, but Selen started to wonder about the future of these seemingly innocent practical jokes. She took matters into her own hands and asked Paul out for dinner, under the guise of someone else. Will it be the ultimate prank or something more?
It all began with a parking mishap. It was just one innocent mistake that spiraled into a year-long prank war with my neighbor, Paul.
An apartment building parking lot | Source: Unsplash
One evening, I accidentally parked in Paul’s parking spot in our apartment building’s lot. It was late, I was exhausted, and I just wanted to crawl into bed.
I didn’t think much of it until the next morning when I was on my way to the office. There, on my car, on an empty takeaway cup, a note was scrawled in messy handwriting.
A woman sleeping in bed | Source: Pexels
Thanks for ruining my day.
“Oh, crap,” I said to myself when I sat in the car. I needed to make amends.
A woman sitting in a car | Source: Pexels
The following morning, I left a warm cup of coffee on Paul’s car roof with a note that read:
Sorry for the mix-up. I hope this makes up for it.
A person holding a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels
If you’re wondering, Paul and I didn’t know each other. We just lived in the same apartment block and knew everyone’s names and door numbers.
A few days later, I found a bill from a car-washing service under my windshield wiper. It seemed that Paul didn’t notice the coffee that I left and spilled it all over his car when he drove off.
A car in a car wash | Source: Pexels
I refused to pay the bill, and thus, the little war began.
“I think that you and this mysterious Paul are either going to fall in love or end up despising each other,” my friend Daphne said at work.
A smiling woman holding a folder | Source: Pexels
“Probably the latter,” I said. “It was all fine until he gave me a bill.”
“Selene,” she said knowingly, “I’m telling you, this is just the beginning.”
The next day, I left my work phone number on his car.
Call me regarding the payment.
A piece of paper on a car | Source: Midjourney
Paul called me later that evening.
“Really? You thought that leaving coffee on the roof of a car was a good idea?” he asked, going straight into it.
“How was I supposed to know that you’d drive off without looking? Besides, it was a peace offering!”
A man using a phone | Source: Unsplash
“More like a disaster,” he said. “It was all over my window. Pay the car wash bill, please.”
“I’m not paying for it,” I said, hanging up.
After that, the pranks escalated quickly.
Spilled coffee in the air | Source: Pexels
“I told you,” Daphne said when she came home with me one evening. “It’s going to get more intense. You need to listen to me. Trust me on this, you and this guy are going to get under each other’s skin.”
“I don’t know about that, Daph,” I said, dishing out the curry we had bought for dinner.
Bowls of curry and rice | Source: Unsplash
“But you’re having fun?” she asked, tearing into a piece of bread.
“I am!” I said. “Mainly because it’s nothing serious.”
Flatbread on a board | Source: Pexels
One day, I found my car doors wrapped in plastic wrap.
The next week, I retaliated by covering Paul’s car in sticky notes, each one asking him to fix his parking.
A person tearing through plastic wrap | Source: Pexels
“If it rains tonight,” Paul said, immediately calling me after seeing the sticky notes, “you’ll have a mushy mess of paper to clean up.”
“I think you’ll figure it out for yourself,” I said, hiding behind my curtain.
A car covered in sticky notes | Source: Midjourney
I had to admit, I was attracted to him. I didn’t know if Paul knew who I was, but it was easier for me to watch him from my apartment. I had gotten used to watching him wash his car.
It turned out that it was comforting. There was a sense of intimacy that we had built up.
A person hiding behind blinds | Source: Unsplash
After months of back-and-forth pranks, ranging from balloons tied onto car handles and window wipers, to fake parking tickets, I decided that it was time to end the war.
“But you need a grand finale,” Daphne said as we sat in our office, trying to work through month-end reports.
A woman using a laptop | Source: Pexels
“Like what?” I asked, typing away at my keyboard.
“You’re into him, right?” she asked, sipping her coffee.
“I think so,” I said. “But I don’t know much about him.”
A woman drinking coffee | Source: Pexels
“Then get to know him,” my friend pressed on. “There’s something there; if not, this would have ended a long time ago.”
“Fine,” I said. “But you write the note. He knows my handwriting now.”
We intended to write a note from a secret admirer.
A person writing a note | Source: Pexels
“She can just be someone from your apartment,” Daphne said. “And it’s not like you and Paul have even interacted in person, Selene. To be honest, I don’t know how you’ve managed to stay anonymous for so long.”
“It’s the thrill of it,” I said.
A smiling woman | Source: Unsplash
Early the next morning, I left the note that Daphne had written on Paul’s car.
Hey, I saw you leaving your car and couldn’t help but notice how handsome you are. Let’s have dinner?
I added my personal number that he wouldn’t recognize at the bottom.
A folded piece of paper | Source: Midjourney
To my surprise, Paul called me later that morning.
“Selene, you’ll never guess what happened!” he said excitedly. “Some woman left me a note on my car.”
“Really?” I asked, feigning surprise. “What did it say?”
A woman on the phone | Source: Pexels
“She said that I was handsome and she wanted to have dinner. She left her number, too. So, I’m going to text her and go.”
Paul took the bait and texted me. We set up a date, and I, still pretending to be someone else, agreed to meet him at a local restaurant.
A table at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
I was already seated, suddenly nervous. We had been at this for so long; what if everything blew up in my face?
What if I was living in a romantic comedy and Paul actually couldn’t stand me?
Almost ready to leave, Paul walked into the restaurant.
A man in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, you’re here! You look familiar,” he said. “But I suppose I have seen you around the building.”
He spoke quickly, as though he was just as nervous.
“I’m sure that’s exactly it,” I said, smiling.
A smiling man | Source: Pexels
“Your voice reminds me of my neighbor, Selene. I’m sure you’ve seen us pranking each other recently,” he chuckled, his eyes glazing over as if lost in a memory.
“What’s that been like?” I asked.
A smiling woman at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Well, Daphne,” he said, as I had introduced myself over text, “it’s been hilarious. It’s been the best few months of my life.”
“It sounds like she’s grown on you,” I said, smiling.
“She’s feisty, all right,” he said, ordering himself a whiskey.
A man holding a glass of whiskey | Source: Pexels
The rest of the evening went by smoothly, but the more Paul spoke, the more I found myself genuinely enjoying his company. He was charming, funny, and surprisingly sweet.
By the time our meals arrived, I couldn’t keep the truth from him any longer.
Plates of food at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Paul,” I said, picking up my cocktail, “there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What’s that?” he asked, looking me in the eye.
“I haven’t been very honest about this date,” I said slowly. “I’m Selene.”
A cocktail on a table | Source: Pexels
Paul’s jaw dropped.
“Wait, really?” he asked. “Why did you want to meet like this?”
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “Call it insecurity? Daphne is my best friend; I asked her to write the note, and I used her name. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have deceived you.”
A shocked man | Source: Pexels
“No, no,” he said, a large smile forming on his face. “I’ve never had this much fun with anyone. I’m glad we got to meet. Finally.”
The rest of the evening went much smoother, knowing that we had something in common. It was something to bond over. And more than that, there was chemistry between us. It wasn’t just me.
“I’m glad we did this,” Paul said as we went our separate ways in the parking lot. “It needed to happen.”
An empty parking lot | Source: Pexels
“And now, we’re here,” I said, taking his hand, suddenly feeling brave.
I don’t know where our relationship will go or what it will become, but I do know that I’ve taken the first step toward something.
What would you have done?
A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels
My Husband Refused to Take Photos of Me on Our Vacation — His Reason Shocked Me, but My Revenge Left Him in Tears
Hi everyone, Hannah here. This is a difficult story to share, but I feel like I need to. I’m a 38-year-old mom of two amazing kids (seven and five), and I’ve been married to my husband, Luke, for nearly a decade. We’ve had our share of challenges, like any couple. But something that happened on our recent trip to Mexico shocked me.
A mother with her little daughter and son | Source: Midjourney
Imagine this: we’re in Mexico, surrounded by stunning beaches and gorgeous weather. I was so excited about this trip. I had planned everything meticulously because, let’s face it, as a mom, I rarely get a break.
This was supposed to be our time to reconnect, relax, and just enjoy each other’s company. But right from the start, Luke was acting weird. Every time I asked him to take a photo of me or with me, he’d brush it off.
A white couple on a vacation in Mexico | Source: Midjourney
“I’m not in the mood,” he’d say, or “Can we do it later?” At first, I didn’t think much of it. Maybe he was just tired from the travel, right? But then it kept happening.
We were on this beautiful beach, and I was wearing this new dress I bought just for the trip. I felt good about myself, which is rare these days after two kids and all. I asked Luke, “Can you take a picture of me with the sunset?”
He sighed and muttered, “Not now, Hannah.”
A white woman posing for a photo during sunset on the beach | Source: Midjourney
I frowned, feeling a bit hurt. “Why not? It’ll just take a second.”
“I said I’m not in the mood,” he snapped, turning away.
That stung. I mean, we’re on vacation, and he can’t take a moment to snap a photo? I felt embarrassed and confused.
Throughout the trip, I noticed him being extra protective of his phone. He’d hide the screen whenever I walked by and took it with him even to the bathroom. My gut told me something was off, but I tried to ignore it.
A closeup shot of a mobile phone lying on a bed | Source: Midjourney
One afternoon, Luke was in the shower, and I saw his phone lying on the bed. My heart pounded as I picked it up. I know it’s wrong to invade someone’s privacy, but I had to know. I quickly unlocked his phone and opened his recent messages.
There it was, a group chat with his friends. And what I read made my blood run cold. He had written, “Imagine, guys, at her weight, she still wants me to take pictures of her! Where would she even fit in the photo? She hasn’t been the same since giving birth.”
A shocked woman checking a mobile phone | Source: Midjourney
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. This was the man I loved, the father of my children, saying such cruel things behind my back. I thought we were partners, that he loved me for who I am, but here he was, mocking me to his friends.
I put his phone back and sat there in shock. How could he? I felt devastated and betrayed. Our marriage was far from perfect, but I never imagined he thought so little of me. I cried quietly, not wanting the kids to hear.
A depressed woman sitting in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney
After some time, my tears dried up, and I felt something else: anger. I wasn’t going to let him get away with this. I needed to do something to show him that his words had consequences. That’s when I had an idea.
I took out my phone and went through the photos I had taken myself during the trip. I selected the best ones and posted them on Facebook with a caption that read, “Looking for a new vacation partner. Am I really so unattractive that even my husband doesn’t want to take pictures of me?”
A woman taking a selfie on a beach | Source: Midjourney
Almost immediately, the post started getting likes and comments. My friends and even some acquaintances chimed in with supportive messages. They praised my photos, calling me beautiful and expressing their shock at Luke’s behavior. I didn’t mention the specifics of what he said, but the message was clear.
When Luke came out of the shower, he noticed my mood had shifted. “Everything okay?” he asked, probably sensing the tension.
A woman using her phone while sitting in a room | Source: Midjourney
“Just peachy,” I replied, not looking up from my phone. I was still furious and hurt, and I couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with him.
The next day, I was still reeling from the shock of Luke’s betrayal. I couldn’t shake off the things he had said about me. But then, something happened that added another layer to this already complicated situation.
Just before our trip, I had received news that my uncle, whom I had never met, had passed away and left me a substantial inheritance.
A closeup shot of a middle-aged man signing a document | Source: Midjourney
I had planned to share this news with Luke during our vacation, thinking it would be a joyous surprise. But after discovering what he really thought of me, I decided to keep it to myself.
That morning, word somehow reached Luke through his mother, who had found out about the inheritance. I was in the middle of packing our bags, ready to cut the trip short, when Luke walked in with a bouquet of flowers.
He had this sheepish look on his face, one that I had seen a few times before when he knew he had messed up.
A woman packing her suitcase | Source: Midjourney
“Hannah, I’m so sorry for everything,” he started, holding out the flowers. I took them without a word, waiting to hear what he had to say next.
He continued, “I know I’ve been a jerk. I shouldn’t have said those things. But honey, with your new money, you can hire a trainer and lose weight.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Did he really think an apology would be enough, followed by a suggestion that I use my inheritance to change myself for him? I was overcome with rage and replied, “Maybe I will, but without your advice.”
A closeup shot of a man holding a bouquet of flowers | Source: Midjourney
The look on his face was priceless. He had expected me to just forgive him and move on. But I was done. I had reached my breaking point. “Luke, I’m divorcing you,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.
His eyes widened, and for a moment, he was speechless. Then, to my surprise, he began to cry. “Please, Hannah, don’t leave me,” he begged. “I’ve already told my friends I was planning to buy a new SUV to go off-roading with them, and now, without your money, all my plans are ruined.”
A closeup shot of a man crying | Source: Midjourney
I was dumbfounded. It hit me then how little he valued me. It wasn’t about our relationship or our family; it was about what my money could do for him. I looked at him with pity and determination.
“It seems like you love my money more than me. You can find another way to buy your SUV, but you won’t do it with my money or by humiliating me. Goodbye, Luke.”
I walked away from him then, feeling a strange sense of relief coupled with sadness. This wasn’t how I had envisioned my life, but it was time to take control of my happiness.
A new black SUV parked along the roadside | Source: Pexels
I spent the rest of the day making arrangements to return home and start the divorce process. The support from my friends and family continued to pour in. Each comment and message helped me regain my confidence and belief in my own worth.
I realized that I didn’t need someone like Luke to validate my beauty or my value. I was enough, just as I am. I decided to move on with my life, focusing on my kids and myself.
Three women spending time together | Source: Midjourney
In the days that followed, I started working out, not because Luke suggested it, but because I wanted to feel healthier and stronger. I took up new hobbies, spent more time with friends, and even considered going back to school.
One day at the mall, I ran into Luke. He startled me with a half-compliment. “Hey! I almost didn’t recognize you, Hannah. You look different. How are you and the kids?”
“We’re both doing great,” I replied, not wanting to continue the conversation.
“Hannah, I’ve been meaning to ask you if…”
A man talking to a woman in a mall | Source: Midjourney
“I’m running late, Luke. I have to be somewhere. Excuse me,” I said before leaving. From the corner of my eye, I saw confusion and pain paint his otherwise calm and confident face.
But that didn’t bother me anymore because I was now free to live my life on my terms and feel comfortable in my skin. Rather than mourning my doomed marriage, I was ready to move forward with strength and self-love.
So, what do you think? Did I handle things correctly or was my reaction a little too overboard? What would you have done differently in my shoes?
A woman smiling while standing near a window | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one you might like: When Eliza’s 10th wedding anniversary comes around, she hopes that Tom will take her away for a romantic getaway. But when he forgets about their anniversary and needs to work, she turns it into a girls’ weekend, only for her to see that Tom’s business trip is a rendezvous with his mistress.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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