Those Bonafide Teens

23. Loosening Threads

I raced back to our apartment complex and dashed up to Mishti's flat. I knocked the door cautiously. And to my dismay, Mrs Kanwal opened the door.

"Riya, you are here? Mishti said she was going to her friend's house! I thought it must be you, so I didn't ask her anything" she asked looking at me suspiciously.

That was it! I was caught with the wrong person at the wrong time.

"Err..did she? It was not me. I mean..yeah..oh yeah..now I remember. She said she would be going to Zoya's house. And err..I'll be going now as well." I explained doing my best to sound casual and pulled out my phone to call Mishti.

"Mishti left her phone here. There's no use calling her" said Mrs Kanwal glaring at me, like I'd come to kidnap her daughter or something.

"Uh.. Okay", I put my phone back into my pocket.

"Why are you both going to Zoya house?"

"Uh..record work."

"What record?"

God! This woman was incorrigible!

"Biology"

She scanned me, looking unconvinced. "Umm..right" she muttered finally and went back into the flat.

Now what?! I went back to my house and called up Zoya.

I couldn't get the line. I called her a few more times, in vain. So I decided to go straight to her house. I texted my mom that I was going over to Zoya's. I hired a cab and reached there.

She was just opening the door of her flat when she heard me come up.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here to complete the Biology record with you and Mishti which we are supposed to be doing together right now."

Zoya looked at me like I was crazy. "Don't ask!" I said and told her everything that had happened.

Zoya sighed. "You mean Mishti is not at home?". I shook my head.

"Riya could it be possible that's she's gone missing?"

"I don't think so. She has gone home, told her mom, and went only after that"

"We need to inform her parents. This is out of our hand" Zoya said gravely.

"But I have told Mrs Kanwal that the three of us are together!"

Exactly what Mrs Kanwal would say if she knew her daughter was missing, I didn't like to think!

"Then call up your mom", said Zoya.

"Okay", I said not really taking in what she said. I took out my phone and called up my mom.

"Riya, I got your message. Come back after you've finished your work. Is Krish home?"

"No. He is still in school. Wait! Haven't you reached home?" I asked curiously.

"No. I am at Mrs Malhotra's home".

I almost dropped the phone.

"Reyansh's mom?" I cried.

"Ah yes" my mom said cheerfully.

"Is Reyansh at home?" I asked frantically.

"Yes. He is in his room. Mishti is there too. I was surprised. I thought she might be with you girls".

My heart was thumping now.

"Mom can you please ask Mishti to speak to me? It's urgent!"

"Riya I am with Mrs Malhotra and we're working. Why don't you call up Reyansh?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. Right" I said and hung up.

"What the hell is happening here?" asked Zoya looking at me completely confused.

"Mishti is with Reyansh" I told her quickly "We have to speak to her"

"Riya this means - -?"

"This means Reyansh has told Mishti everything and if Mishti is still at his home, it probably means she has taken his side and will be in no mood to talk to us but we've got to try once"

"What are we going to do?"

"Call up Reyansh's mobile"

"That's mad! We are not having anything more to do with that bastard! He is a backstabber!"

"That's the only way. The idiot Mishti left her mobile at home. What else can we do?"

I called up Reyansh's mobile. As expected there was no answer. I called him again. No answer. I kept calling him. No answer.

"I am going home Zoya"

"I am coming with you"

"What? No!"

"Yes I am" she said seriously and led me out of her house.

As soon as we entered my complex, we dashed straight to Mishti's house. The door was closed. Maybe Mishti was not home yet. We were not going to give up. We had to speak to her.

Suddenly the elevator door opened and out walked Mishti. She saw us and her frowned.

"Mishti listen to us, we have important news" I cried at her.

"I have already been updated, thank you very much" she said stiffly and kept walking without even looking at us.

"What were you doing at Reyansh's home?"

"None of your business!"

Of course I just totally lost control, "Mishti your backstabbing boyfriend has poisoned you!"

"Don't be preposterous Riya! You and Zoya are deliberately conspiracing against Reyansh! I don't know who the real culprit is, but it's not Reyansh!"

"Love is blind girlfriend! But open your eyes", Zoya said desperately from behind me. "Your boyfriend is a cheap minded, double faced bastard!" she cried hysterically, waving her hands in the air.

"How do you even know? You have no proof! And you ousted him from the club as well!"

"Varun was the one who figured it out first" Zoya said impatiently, "He told me Reyansh was not at home on Wednesday evening. And he had the keys to the store room! He was at school for a long time, busy with his dirty work!"

Mishti looked at us indignantly for a moment and then said through gritted teeth "Reyansh was not at school on Wednesday evening!"

"And how do you know, may I ask?" I asked angrily.

Before Mishti could answer the door was thrown open and Mrs Kanwal stood at the entrance of the flat like a thunderstorm glaring at us.

"What the hell is going on here?" she snarled.

"Umm..nothing mom" Mishti said dully, "They came to see me off"

"I heard people shouting!" she said looking around at us.

"Uh..that was the sound from the TV in the next flat. That Star Plus serial you know!" Zoya said and giggled stupidly.

God!

"I don't hear anything now" Mrs Kanwal said irritably.

"Uhh..serial over" Zoya said and giggled fakely again. Mishti rolled her eyes.

Mrs Kanwal looked thoroughly unconvinced. "Come mom. Let's go inside" Mishti said quickly and led her mother inside and shut the door on our faces.

A/N : Thank you for keeping up guys! It means so much to me. Please do continue reading and do share your thoughts. Leave me your valuable vote before scrolling ahead.

Thank you. Plenty of love!