Mara’s POV
“Yes mum, we learnt alot in school today” I swallowed a huge chunk of my saliva before I got myself to lie to my mother.
“You can drop the act now Mara. I already know that you have been out of school for the past 2 weeks , your teacher called me today” my mum’s voice was breaking and I knew she was saddened by the fact that she was so helpless.
“But there was really no need for you to lie to me all this while” a tear escaped from her eye.
I went to where she was and embraced her.
“I’m really sorry mum, I didn’t want to make you worry. You already do alot for us to survive and I didn’t want to add to your pains. But look on the bright side mum, I have been doing so many jobs that I managed to save up” I lied to my mum again bringing out the cash from my school bag, I even managed to sell off that lady’s purse on my way back home.
“Oh my!” My mum was shocked beyond reasonable doubt, she couldn’t believe her eyes, she was happy but only for a moment before she paused to look at me.
“Mara!” she pulled my ear.
“Yes mum” I yelped as I held her hand, seeking relief.
“I hope you didn’t do anything bad to get this money. I mean getting this kind of money isn’t easy these days” my mum pulled my ear even harder this time.
“Of course not mum please release my ear now, you are hurting me and you might yank my ear off” I yelped in pain.
I handed the money to her and went into my bedroom, I just couldn’t stand the fact that I had to lie to my mum. It was never really my intention to steal but I was left with no choice, no one was willing to give a teenager a job so I had to steal, it was the only way out for me.
At Mia’s school
It was a normal occurrence that Mia’s school mates would stare at her whenever she walked down the hallway, but the way they were staring at her just felt different, Mia had a strong feeling that something was off this time around and it didn’t settle well with her.
She could hear the whispers and when she stopped in her tracks was when she heard someone scream
“Even the ones who pose to be innocent aren’t even innocent. You think they are good but at the end if the day you get to find out they are thieves, how disgusting” the student wasn’t even scared and Mia was forced to turn around to look at her, not too long after the girl just displayed her drama Caleb walked passed Mia and he made sure that his shoulder collided with that of Mia’s.
“Ouch!” Mia yelped in pain
“I’m sorry I never thought thieves like you do get hurt, I mean I didn’t think you guys could feel pain ” He tormented her but Lakshmi showed up in time to give him an earful.
“You can’t think anything when you don’t have brains, common knowledge really” Lakshmi was so firm.
“I wasn’t talking to you so I suggest you mind your own business” Caleb shunned her.
“Don’t even look at me like that Mia, I saw you running away with that woman’s purse and I must admit that I never knew you could run so fast” he kept on teasing her.
Mia was just surprised, she had been called many things before but never had she been accused of stealing anything.
“I don’t understand you” she shook her head in confusion, even though she did not know when those words escaped from her soft lips.
“Why would you? You don’t have to deny anything Mia. I already know the truth and I already took the responsibility of telling as many people as I could tell in school. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Is this the kind of upbringing your parents gave you?” Caleb was beginning to show his own frustration.
“And here I thought you were a good and honest girl, I never knew that you were actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing” Caleb nodded his head in disappointment.
“That is enough! You have said enough Caleb. So far, I have stood here and let you say all that nonsense to my friend but I cannot take it any longer. If something is wrong with your brain then I suggest you see a psychiatrist. You are busy accusing Mia of stealing. So tell me what she stole? Your brains?”.
Lakshmi was losing her temper and she didn’t know how she was able to stop herself from attacking Caleb at that point.
“Why are you the one defending her? Can’t she speak for herself? Do you know why your friend is so quiet? It is because she is actually guilty and I am sure that her conscience must be pricking her. That’s why she is unable to say anything to me” Caleb was asking and answering himself.
“She is quiet because unlike you she has brains and she knows better than to banter words with a fool like you. Don’t forget that she is the same person that saved your life, she is the reason you even have the guts to stand in front of the whole school to say such nonsense.
But I guess she made a big mistake, she should have just let you die the way everyone else had abandoned you. I don’t know why she still had to go all the way to save a monster like you” Lakshmi couldn’t hold back her anger anymore as her words were accompanied with a big slap across Caleb’s face.
“That is for calling my best friend a thief and this is for humiliating her” Lakshmi landed another slap on his face. He wanted to attack her as well but she held his hand midway and twisted it, making his hand settle uncomfortably at his back.
“Don’t you even forget for a second, who I was before I decided to change my ways. I still have that strength in me and as for this nonsense you just displayed here..” Lakshmi paused to smirk.
“Just pray you go home with both your legs still intact” she freed him from her grip at once and took Mia’s hand as she led her past the hallway.
Alyssa had been watching everything like a movie as she walked up to Caleb.
“Are you going to let her treat you that way? As if you are a nobody?” She was trying to poison Caleb’s mind against Lakshmi.
Caleb tried to answer her but she just waved her hands in the air, signaling that she wouldn’t be able to hear what he would say to her so he brought out a book and pen.
“Learn to mind your business or else your sense of hearing wouldn’t be the only thing that you would lose so far” his handwriting was so bold that even someone who had eye defections could see it clearly.
“Today she just twisted your arm but tomorrow she will do more than that and embarrass you the more in front of the whole school, only then would you know what you have done to yourself by allowing her to treat you this way” Alyssa yelled at Caleb who was walking away in an empty hallway.
Although he didn’t respond to her, her words definitely sank in his head.