Melissa was walking with her friends home. They all stopped at a luxurious shop which sold confectioneries. While, Melina was in school with a classmate of hers solving some questions on mathematics. Melissa decided to leave her twin and follow her three friends. Although, they weren't really best of friends yet Melissa still called them her friend's.
"What are we doing in this shopping mall?" Melissa asked her friends.
"We want to buy some materials." Paula the fat one said.
"What materials?" Melissa was curious. "And do you have mo-ney?"
"Of course, we're not like you." Martha the other mocked eying Melissa.
"I got money. Who is going in with me?" Jessica swayed her tiny waist, she was the richest girl among them all. The others followed her lead, Melissa reluctantly followed.
The mall was bulit wide in width and also high, it had expensive goods placed on either sides like an aisle. It was easy for one to move around, deciding on what he wants. Jessica picked some chocolates and cookies for herself, then moved to the counter to pay for the goods.
"You got money there, Melissa?" Martha whispered closely to Melissa.
"Of course. I have." She laughed wanting to impress them and showing them some three crumpled notes she had in her hand.
"Then, you will pay for Martha and I." Paula at her other side picked up some bulky biscuits and another cake.
"What do you mean I will pay for you?" Melissa's head rang like a bell. She knew intently that she had no money on her. Paula beamed waving at Martha to follow her to the counter.
Melissa's heart began to thump, how would she get out of this kind of trouble? She followed behind, thinking of how to convince Paula to drop back what she had picked. Her money was barely enough to even buy some pricey biscuits.
Unknown to Melissa, Martha had dropped the same goods in Melissa's school's bag while Paula replaced what she had taken. While the rest of Melissa's friends walked out, Melissa was stopped along the way by the security guard.
"You have to pay for what you have taken." The security man said to Melissa.
Melissa looked surprised. She raised both hands to her torso. "But I didn't buy anything." Melissa protested. The security guard took her school bag and made a thorough search. In her bag were three big parcel of chocolate and a vanilla, creampie cake.
Melissa looked horrified. She couldn't explain how the said goods had gotten into her school bag.
*****
Melina was passing by the shopping mall after leaving the school's ground. She saw Melissa's friends by the famous shopping mall and wondered why Melissa wasn't in their midst. She watched their faces as she walked up to them; something was wrong.
"Where is Melissa?" She directed the question at them, staring intently at each of their faces.
"She is in the mall waiting for her twin to save her." Paula snickered.
Melissa bit her lower lip, she was trying to hold back her seething anger. "You guys have done it again, huh?" Melina quried.
"Nah, we did nothing wrong. Your sister stole because it is in her genes." Martha laughed, fanning her face with her left hand while she laughed.
Melina stepped back, she restrained herself not to jam a punch into any of their faces. She ignored them and sauntered into the shopping mall. She could recognize her sister's voice who was swearing in the name of their dead dad. A small group of people had garthered around Melissa while a security guard threatened to take her to jail. She pushed past two older women and stepped beside her sister.
"My sister is not a thief! Isn't that enough?" Melina said to the security guard.
Spectators eyes ogled, most were stunned that Melissa was surprisingly a twin. A young man in his early thirties who had low cut hair, dressed in pale silvery suit stepped forward. The scene was already getting too much attention.
"How much are the goods?" He asked the security guard.
Both twins turned to look at him in astonishment, Melissa in relief probably while Melina in so much hate.
"I said my sister is not a thief." Melina repeated herself.
"I'm impressed by your act, really I am. But this can not go on." The man said to Melina then brought out some wads of notes. "How much are the goods again? Let them have the goods to themselves." He smiled at the security guard.
The security guard directed him to the counter where he paid for the goods. Melina never left her spot until her sister grabbed her hand and led her outside the shopping mall. They watched as the man got into his Jeep after Melissa had thanked immersely.
"I still don't understand why you are thanking him." Melina groaned to her twin.
"I just did what was right. I could have been taken to prison and mum would probably be worried sick over us both." Melissa said then patted her school bag where the goods was.
"Atleast, he was kind enough to rescue me." Melissa added.
"He didn't believe that you weren't the thief." Melina spat out irritated by the whole scene.
"Still I'm grateful." Melissa grinned.
"I wish you didn't. He was only showing off." Melina rolled her eyes.
"Somehow he reminded me of dad." Melissa smiled.
"Dad?" Melina gawked. "How does he remind you of dad?"
"Look at him, tall and handsome. He looks like dad."
Melina started walking away while Melissa followed behind her. "Don't dream of it. Someone like him would only be showing off but would scarcely put us first." Melina said.
"I don't think so." Melissa stopped to look at her sister.
"Let's go, Melissa. Don't even think about it. That man is a nobody to me." Melina said then turned to face her sister. "Next time, don't follow those girls. They are not your friends." Melina grabbed her sister's hand.