All For What!

12

"You are home early today," Nafisa voiced out her thought, as Maryam pulled into the driveway.

"I came back to take a file from my room. I forgot to take it in the morning," Maryam explained.

"Okay. Do you want me to prepare something for you before you go back to work?" Nafisa asked, praying inwardly for her to decline. She was tired and needed to rest.

"No, dear, but make sure to prepare lunch for Manal before she comes back," she paused to take a look at her wristwatch. "This is 2:40pm and Manal will be back by 3:00pm. Please do it before she returns," Maryam beseeched. She went to her room and returned shortly after with the file. "Please don't forget." She stated, before walking out of the house.

Nafisa frowned at the thought of going into the kitchen to cook, instead of resting after school. She threw her backpack on the cushion and sashayed to the kitchen.

"What am I going to cook now?" She asked herself. She wanted to cook something easy, something that wouldn't take too much of her time, so she decided to cook noodles and boiled eggs.

•

By the time Manal returned from school, Nafisa had already finished cooking. She was about to go to her room, when Nafisa called her back.

"Where do you think you are going? Didn't you see me when you came in?" She found it rude for a kid like Manal to walk into the house without greeting her.

"I did," Manal replied, nonchalantly.

"You did? And what are you suppose to do when you see someone older than you?" She asked, pointing to herself.

"Greet," she answered.

"So you know! Why didn't you do that when you came in?"

"Because I didn't want to," she pulled out her tongue mockingly and ran upstairs, to her room.

"Come here, you silly girl," Nafisa yelled and ran after her.

"Open the door, Manal," Nafisa ordered, banging her fists on the door.

"No, go away, I don't like you," she yelled from inside her room.

Nafisa rolled her eyes. "The feeling is mutual, I don't like you either, just open the door and let me in, otherwise I will call your mother and tell on you," sh threatened. She knew it would work, because Manal was kind of afraid of her mom.

"Please don't," she pleaded. She obviously didn't want to be reprimanded by her mother.

"Then be a good girl and come out on the count of five," Nafisa smirked. She had gotten something to use against her to always make her do what she wanted anytime, any day.

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

Before she could say the last number, Manal opened the door.

"Come here, you brat," Nafisa held her by the ear and dragged her downstairs.

"LEAVE ME ALONEEE," Manal screamed and bit her hand. She took the opportunity to run away again.

"I'm going to teach this girl a lesson today," she seethed. The brat was too stubborn for her liking, she would have to do something to keep her under control and fast.

She looked around the house for her and finally found her in the kitchen.

"Why did you bite me, you spoiled brat?" Nafisa asked, her hands on her hips.