Those Bonafide Teens

15. A Rebellious Stint

We hired a cab and left together. We turned around the street to the retail store as we had planned, just in case anyone was watching, and doubled back to reach the mall.

"I brought my add on card, so there's no need for cash", I said brightly as we entered into the mall. We met Abeer and Reyansh at the entrance and started our shopping.

We ran up and down the mall for three hours. Hey! The costumes were amazing! There were costumes for every kind of event! In every possible theme! In every possible color!

We finally dragged ourselves to the bill counter after shopping. I handed my card to the lady at the counter and to my shock she said, "Sorry, the card balance is nil".

That was it!

How could I have been so stupid to not check the balance beforehand? And we had no money on us! Just great!

"Ri call your mom and ask her to recharge the card", Zoya said frantically.

"I am not talking to her. She'll kill me. You do it" I told Zoya.

"Fine" she snapped and called up my mom from her mobile.

"Two minutes please" I told the billing lady who glared at me and giggled nervously.

"No I'll do it. I am the best with parents. Put the phone on speaker." Mishti said firmly.

"Hello, Saba Dixit speaking"

"Hello, Saba Aunty, this is Mishti"

"Yes?"

"Aunty when we left from home.." but mom cut her across.

"Am I about to discover, where you three have run away to, when you're supposed to be right behind our complex?"

"Aunty how did you know?" Mishti asked baffled.

"Please Mishti. You are talking to the woman who raised Riya Dixit."

Damn! So she had found out!

"OK we aren't in the Retail store" said Mishti grimly.

"Alright then. Let's hear the worst."

"We're at the mall. And err..we have a problem here."

"What happened?"

"Riya's add on card balance is nil", said Mishti.

"Well I knew Riya would do something stupid", she said dryly. Mishti and Zoya sniggered at me

"Okay. I'll get it recharged. Come home soon all of you, or I'll have to tell your mom" Mom said and hung up.

Mom got my card recharged in a few minutes and we finally got out of the store carrying our bags.

We decided to go to the food court to have our lunch before going home. But just as we walked in, talking excitedly, Zoya suddenly asked, "Mishti.. what would your parents do if they found out?"

"How can they?"

"Because they're right there".

I turned around sharply and sure enough Mr and Mrs Kanwal were there talking to two other people!

What the hell!

I couldn't believe Mishti's dad who had been so indifferent towards us, not three hours ago, was now chatting amicably with those people.

"Wait, what's happening here?" Abeer asked.

"We're not supposed to be here. Remember?"

"I don't think they've seen us" said Mishti darkly..

"But what if they do?" Zoya asked.

"What are we waiting for? RUN", I yelled.

The five of us dashed across the food court, over to the escalator. We just races down it with our overflowing bags. People starred at us like we were crazy. Yeah, we must have looked completely mad!

We raced across the play area, the cinema hall and the spa without looking back. We soon reached the second floor, then the first floor.. and finally we were out of the mall!

"Why did you ask us to run?" Reyansh asked now looking annoyed, "We are not criminals. Now the whole mall would be thinking we are from a mental hospital or something".

"How does it matter what they think?" I snapped at him, "We've escaped from Mishti's parents and that's enough".

"I can't believe my parents just turned up like that out of nowhere" Mishti said, "Sorry guys we couldn't have lunch".

"It's okay babe", Zoya said "Let's go home now. I am completely famished".

So all of us returned home in a slightly dull mood since the whole thing had ended so abruptly.

But at least we had got everything we had wanted! I was excited to take everything to school the next day. Woo-hoo!

A/N : Hello guys. Thanks for all the reads so far. Please do press the vote button before moving ahead. Thank you!

Lots of love!