She had finally done it her April Fools madness had gone too far and now she was facing the consequences.
Luan Loud was in her room boxing up her stuff for the move, she hadn't meant for this to happen but impulse control had never been her best attribute.
There was a quiet knock on the door and she flinched probably an angry sibling here to tell her off for ruining their life.
May as well get this over with, "Come in," she said tiredly preparing herself for a barrage of insults.
The door opened but it wasn't an irate sibling it was far worse.
How could I have forgotten, she thought kicking herself, it wasn't just her business and friends she'd be leaving behind.
Standing in the doorway was her girlfriend Maggie, decked out in her goth finery.
As the other girl entered the room Luan suddenly felt her lip begin to tremble and she could feel the tears coming.
As if sensing this Maggie moved quickly forwards and embraced Luan in a hug letting the taller girl bury her face in her shoulder.
Luan knew that Maggie was uncomfortable around this kind of emotional display not to mention unnecessary physical contact.
That made the gesture even more touching, even so, she kept the hug brief before falling back into her chair.
She was suddenly feeling exhausted the weight of what was happening suddenly hitting her.
Maggie's face gave away nothing but she selfishly liked to think the other girl's heart was breaking as well.
In an effort to break the tension something Luan had always abhorred, she, told a joke, "What did one tree say to the other?"
"What?", Maggie asked with an expression of pity on her face.
"I don't want to leaf you," but rather than laugh at her own joke Luan lost control of her emotions and began to cry.
Helping her to her feet Maggie led her inconsolable girlfriend over to the bed.
Luan looked up as Maggie wiped a tear from her eye, "Luan you will never escape me."
"Distance is merely an illusion, time may pass before we share the same physical plane again but I'm willing to wait," the intensity with which Maggie said it made Luan swoon.
"Are you sure," Luan asked nervously sniffling, "I wouldn't want to burden you by making your weight."
Recognizing her humour as a defense mechanism Maggie sighed deeply she sacrificed her dignity, "Webcam still Skype whenever you want."
The joke almost made Luan start to cry all over again as she hugged her goth she could feel Maggie trying not to cringe.
Letting Maggie go she stood and looked at everything that was still lying around, "I've gotta get packing my family wants to leave today."
As she started putting things in boxes Maggie rose and joined her.
The two girls began to pack up Luan's things it didn't seem to take long before the door opened again and an irritated Luna walked in.
"Maggie," Luna nodded curtly to the goth, "Luan bring your stuff to the truck dude were leaving now, we're sending for the rest."
The anger in Luna's voice was palpable, Luan wanted to take a dig at her but knew her sister was leaving someone behind as well.
Carrying her boxes down to the truck Maggie in tow, Luan found the rest of her family looking at the house forlornly.
Her family turned away giving her the cold shoulder, as she loaded her boxes into the truck.
Her dad nodded at their truck driver giving him the signal to head out.
Watching sadly as the van headed towards their new life Luan almost didn't hear her family begin to snigger.
"What?" Luan asked confused, even Maggie's permanently dour face was cracking a grin.
"APRIL FOOLS!" They all shouted startling her; Luan fell back in a pratfall literally floored by her families revenge.
"You mean we're not moving?" She asked still not quite comprehending her family's ability to trick her.
"Of course not dude," Luna said not even trying to contain her laughter.
"And you were in on this?" Luan said looking at Maggie in shock.
Her girlfriend shrugged, "Luna called me, it sounded like a laugh."
"We might not be moving," Lola said smiling sweetly and craning her neck.
"But your stuff certainly is covering a lot of ground," Lana said finishing her twins thought.
Luan stared in horror at the truck filled with her possessions departing the street, she looked at Maggie for a split second before darting after it.
After chasing the van for nearly a mile Luan and Maggie received a ride back from the very bemused truck driver who had also been part of the joke.
When they got home and after Maggie had helped her move the boxes of her stuff back to her room the couple went for a walk.
Starting to feel herself again if not a little humbled Luan sighed, "You all really had me going bananas monkeying around like that."
Maggie nodded to show she was listening but refused to acknowledge the pun.
The two found themselves in a park they liked to frequent after all the kids had left for the day.
Smiling at Maggie in a knowing way Luan made the same joke she always did, in a coy voice she asked, "Maggie have you ever considered the possibility of swinging?"
With a customary roll of her eyes, Maggie followed at her own pace as Luan raced to the swing set.
Though Maggie had previously considered the idea of anyone over the age of ten using a playground to be juvenile she found Luan's sense of whimsy to be adorable.
Already in the swing, Luan waited for Maggie to push her.
As Luan began to drift back and forth she began to speak and Maggie listened intently.
"You really did have me going, Spooky," Luan said a note of respect in her voice, "But don't think I won't remember this betrayal next year."
The casual sound of Luan's speech caused Maggie to freeze in anger, her girlfriend continued to speak but she didn't hear a word.
In a flash she was in front of Luan, Maggie grabbed the chains of the swing before Luan could collide into her.
She watched as Luan's eyes went wide at her sudden act of strength but didn't allow her the chance to make a joke this was too important.
"I would never betray you," Maggie said this with a quiet ferocity that she was certain made Luan want to take back her statement but didn't give her a chance.
"When Luna contacted me your families plan was already in motion it was too late to interfere."
"Instead I chose to ingratiate myself to them by going along with it,"
"Next year when they are planning their defenses they will not see the double cross coming until it's already to late."
Watching Luan's jaw literally drop Maggie grinned her girlfriend was at a loss for words.
Before she knew what was happening Luan flung herself from the swing tackling her into the sand in a hug.
Wrestling her crazed beau off of her Maggie sat and tried in futility to dust herself off.
Lying on her stomach Luan propped her chin up with her hands and smiled at her girlfriend with a look of new found respect.
"I think I might be falling for you," Luan said ruefully.
Sighing deeply as if blaming herself Maggie replied, "Sometimes I do wish you weren't so literal."
Pulling herself up the goth looked from Luan to the swing and asked, "Do you wish to continue swinging or have you satisfied your inner child?"
Somersaulting into a standing position something devious flashed across Luan's face that made a Maggie's heartstrings flutter.
"Oh no, the time for fun is over," Luan spoke taking her scrunchy off allowing her hair to cloak her face, "The time of innocence is over now…"
Pausing for dramatic effect Luan penced her fingers, "Now is time to plot."
With that Luan began to laugh maniacally, Maggie wondered for a moment just what she had unleashed.
Taking her girlfriend's hand Maggie couldn't help herself, she began to giggle; this was going to be fun.