Free Horse Capades by Bonnie Bryant Page B

which just happened to have pictures of baby bunnies all over them.
    “Gotcha,” Alex said with a wink. He remained in the doorway clutching the camera, poised to run as soon as Stevie came at him.
    But she didn’t. Instead, she just slumped back down in the desk chair. “Go ahead and print it,” she said tonelessly. “I don’t care.”
    “Huh?” Alex looked surprised, then suspicious. He tucked the camera behind his back. “Is this some kind of trick?”
    “No,” Stevie replied. “I don’t expect you to believe me, though. Nobody else does.”
    “What do you mean?” Alex asked. He still looked suspicious.
    “I mean I’ve given up practical jokes. For good.”
    Alex laughed. “Yeah, right.”
    “That’s what everyone says,” Stevie said with a shrug. She listlessly poked at a stray paper clip. “But I don’t care anymore. It’s true, and
I
know it, even if nobody else does.”
    “But why?” Alex asked.
    Stevie quickly explained about her teacher’s speech and her own thoughts afterward. “So I figured I was better off playing it straight,” she said. “I didn’t want to get in any more trouble than I already had.”
    “That doesn’t sound like you, Stevie,” Alex said.“Usually trouble is your middle name. And I thought you liked it that way.”
    “Maybe I used to,” Stevie replied. “But maybe I’ve changed.”
    Alex took the camera out from behind his back. “You? Change? I doubt it,” he said skeptically.
    “Believe it or not, I don’t care.” Stevie started picking the sequin off her face.
    “Hmm,” Alex said, leaning against the door frame. “Your story really isn’t very convincing at all. And that makes me think it just might be true. But I can’t help thinking this could be some kind of a trap.” He shrugged. “I don’t know, Stevie. I want to believe you this time. I really do. But why should I?”
    Stevie thought fast. She never would have expected it, but Alex sounded almost ready to believe her. “Well, for starters,” she said, “you should believe it because I knew you were going to the movies with your new girlfriend, Susie, on Sunday afternoon, and I didn’t even think about going to the same show and throwing popcorn. And I saw Chad practicing his soccer moves right below my window the other day after dinner, and I never for an instant considered filling a few of the balloons I have right here in my desk drawer with water and dropping them on his head.And I noticed that Michael left his favorite football jersey lying in the living room last night, and I had absolutely no plans to throw it in the washing machine with my red socks so the numbers would come out pink.” Stevie paused and looked at her twin. “Should I go on?”
    Alex held up his hands. “No, no,” he said. “I guess I’m convinced—for the moment, anyway. And if it’s true, I have to admit it’s too bad. You were good, Lake—really good. It’s a shame if you’ve really turned your back on all that talent.
If
you really have, that is. After all, you can’t blame me for still being a little suspicious.”
    “I guess not,” Stevie said glumly. “Goodness knows you’re not the only one. Carole and Lisa don’t believe me, and neither does Phil.”
    “Are you surprised?” Alex twirled the camera strap around his finger. “If you ask me, they’d be idiots to believe you, considering your record.”
    Stevie sighed. “I know. And I guess it doesn’t help that I’m trying to convince them to wear weird costumes and act in a wacky movie at the same time I’m trying to get them to believe I’ve given up practical joking.”
    “No kidding,” Alex agreed. He grinned. “Actually,when you think about it, that’s kind of a practical joke in itself, isn’t it?”
    Stevie looked up. Her brother had a very wicked look on his face. Stevie recognized the look, because it was one she had seen in the mirror many times. It meant his mind was working in a very interesting way. “What