38

Maria heard Arnold saying those magical words. All three friends were shocked to see Maria.

MARIA - "Why are three of you looking at me like that?" **STARING**

ARNOLD - "Mom, when did you come?" **SCARED VOICE**

ARYA & RAHUL - **TOGETHER** "Yes aunty, when did you come?"

MARIA - "Why?" "Shouldn't I come here or should I need to get your permission to come here?"

ARNOLD - "It's not like that mom" **SCARED** "You were in the kitchen, why did you suddenly appear?"

MARIA - "Don't question me okay?" "How did you know those magical words?" "What's that box in your hand, Arya?"

ARYA - **HIDE BEHIND HIM** "Nothing aunty while coming from the store we got this waste box so I took it" **COVERING THROUGH A FAKE SMILE**

ARNOLD - "Yes mom it's just a waste box that's it"

MARIA - "You didn't answer my question" **LOOKING AT ARNOLD SERIOUSLY**

ARNOLD - "Mom, I heard it from my classmates." "Who's that, Ah Robert? That's what he said once in class." "Right, Rahul?" **GIVING SIGNAL THROUGH EYES**

RAHUL - **SHIVERING VOICE** "Ah, yes aunty" "He will be saying some stupid things like this"

A fake smile on their faces was all they could do to cover up the situation.

ARYA - "Aunty we will leave now it's already getting late we need to go home. Bye aunty" **WHISPERING** "Rahul will you be here until we get caught?"

RAHUL - "Yes, Bye aunty"

ARYA - "Bye Arnold, be careful"

MARIA - "Why should he be careful?"

RAHUL - **HITS ON ARYA HEAD** "Nothing aunty, you know he will be making jokes and teasing everyone" "We leave now aunty"

Rahul and Arya left. Arya took that black box with her. Her suspicions about Arnold grew. Arnold started to sweat.

MARIA - "Arnold tell me the truth and don't try to hide from me anything like your father"

ARNOLD - **SWOLLEN SALIVA** "I am not hiding anything, mom"

MARIA - "Those words were used by your father and apart from some people no one knows those magical words" "Did you meet someone who is very close to your father?"

ARNOLD - "No mom, I said no my classmate Robert will be saying some stupid things like this"

MARIA - "I know you are hiding something from me. One day you will come to me like your father"

Maria left that place immediately out of anger. Arnold was very scared, to tell the truth.

ARNOLD - **FOLLOWED HIS MOTHER** "WHAT?" "What did father tell you?" "Tell me, mom"

MARIA - "And tell that idiot fellow Arya to give back that black box, okay?" **GOT INSIDE HER ROOM**

ARNOLD - **WONDERING** "Mom, do you know about that black box?" **STOOD STILL**