Rebels by Accident

Author:Patricia Dunn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc
Published: 2014-10-01T16:14:06+00:00

chapter

EIGHTEEN

“Where’s Sittu?” Deanna asks a moment later.

“She went to meet Ahmed.”

“Already?”

“Well, you’ve been gone a long time.”

“Do you really want to know what I was doing in there?”

I wrinkle my nose. “Ew. Maybe you should eat more fiber.” Deanna glares at me and I change the subject. “Sittu seemed a little nervous.”

“How cute!”

“She said we should take our time before meeting her in the café.”

“Then let’s take our time. Hey, there’s a movie theater over there.”

We walk over to the entrance. “Wasn’t this out, like, two years ago?” I point to the poster advertising the Hannah Montana movie.

“I saw it,” Deanna mumbles. It’s actually kind of nice to see that even Deanna has a dorky side. “Well, it wasn’t my choice. My mom doesn’t like to take me to R-rated movies, and it was the only thing playing in the theaters at the time.”

“Your mom will take you to demonstrations, but she won’t take you to R-rated movies?” I regret this as soon as I say it.

“You just don’t get it.” Deanna starts toward the escalator.

“I’m sorry!” I run after her and catch her before she gets on. “I didn’t mean to bring it all up again.”

“Look, Mar, when you say such clueless stuff, it just makes me mad. So let’s stop talking about demonstrations and justice and Egypt and pretend nothing is happening outside this mall. Okay?”

“Deanna, I want to understand. I really do. But I guess I never cared enough about something to consider protesting or marching.”

“You sign all those petitions I email you.”

“That’s because you’re my BFF and I love you.”

“Well”—Deanna puts her arm around me—“I guess I love you too.” I can hear her smiling.

“Hey, Sittu gave me this,” I say, opening my palm. “She wants me to buy something nice for my birthday.

“Then let’s find you an awesome outfit. Let’s check out the lower level.” Deanna drops her arm and steps onto the escalator.

I go to follow her but pull back. Ever since I was four, when I tripped and fell on one, I hesitate to take the first step.

“Mariam, come on!” Deanna shouts up to me. She’s already halfway down.

I try to step again, but I can’t do it.

“Don’t rush me!” I shout to her. “You know I hate these things.”

There’s a woman and a little boy waiting behind me. I move out of their way. The boy, who can’t be any older than three, jumps on and runs down a few steps until his mother catches him. I was never that fearless. Why am I such a wimp?

The next thing I know, Deanna is climbing up the escalator.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” I yell to her.

“If you won’t come down, I’m coming to get you.”

Deanna passes the boy and then his mother; then she is at the top, reaching for my hand, stepping in place like she’s on the StairMaster in her basement.

“This is stupid,” I say. “I can do it. I just need a second.”

“Of course you can do it. You climbed up the freakin’ Great Pyramid.

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