" Zac, will you get back here? Where are you going?," Taylor exclaimed.
" Probably that store right over there. That's what people do when they go to the mall," Zac said, rolling his eyes.
" That store sells womens clothing," Isaac said.
" Well, I thought Terry might want to go in there," Zac grinned.
He looked over at Terry who had nearly fallen asleep on the mall bench. She didn't look much different from Taylor and Isaac, who were as exhausted as Terry. Zac felt just fine, so he had obviously disagreed to sitting down to rest, but he had been outnumbered. So they had to sit down and rest. He had gotten bored after only a minute and had tried to think of some excuse to get away, even if it meant going into a girls clothing store. He had hoped that Terry would agree to go to that store, but no such luck. He sighed and sat down.
" I've gotta get home. Not only have we been here all day, but my mom is gonna start worrying," Terry said, looking at her watch.
" We can give you a ride home if you want," Taylor offered.
" We could just walk home," Zac said mischeviously.
" No!," everyone yelled.
" Hey!," Zac held up his hands in defense, " If that's the way you feel about it, I'll call mom and let her know we're ready to be picked up."
" Man, where does he get all that energy from?," Taylor said, watching his little brother walk off.
" Who knows? But I know I could use that energy," Terry smiled.
" Kay, mom will be here in about five minutes," Zac said when he returned.
They all trudged towards the pre-aranged meeting place at the entrance. But they were in such a hurry and Isaac and Taylor were so engrossed in discussing Zacs seemingly constant sugar high, that they didn't see the girl until after they bumped right into her.
" Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going, MMMBop girls!," a voice sneered nastily.
" What? Sorry!," Taylor exclaimed, startled.
" MMMBop girls?," Zac frowned.
" You heard me!"
They all studdied the girl closely. Though she appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, they doubted she was too concerned with something like college or even finishing high school. She looked like a member of a gang, at the mall for the joy of causing trouble. She had a hard look on her face and in her eyes. She was wearing black, baggy jeans that had a long chain hanging from the belt loop, a black Marilyn Manson t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Complete with white face paint, black hair, eyes, lips and nails. She reeked of smoke and Terry noticed a package of cigarettes hanging half way out of her pocket. Their observation was quickly broken by another outburst.
" What are you staring at? Get out of my way!," She exclaimed, roughly shoving them aside before walking by.
" Bitch!," Taylor muttered.
" Yeah, so much for your autograph!," Terry added.
" Let's just get out of here," Zac said.
" Oh shit! Mom's probably already waiting!," Isaac cried, breaking into a run.
" Hey, what took you so long?," Diana asked as they hurriedly climbed in the car.
" We had a little run in with a Marilyn Manson fan," Taylor replied.
" Anti-Hanson, huh?," She said, starting the car.
" Called us MMMBop girls," Isaac replied.
Terry was silent. She wasn't really looking forward to going home. She had been living with her mother for six monthes now and things had been fine at first, at least for a mother and daughter who hadn't seen each other in ten years. But lately, it seemed that all she and her mother did was fight. She always seemed to find something about Terry to complain about. Terry knew she was just trying to be a good mom, but she was trying too hard. She knew she'd be hearing it form her mother for being late coming home from the mall.
***************************************************
" Thanks Diana! Bye guys. See you later!," Terry said, then walked into the house. Sure enough, her mom was waiting for her, arms crossed and glaring.
" Where have you been? You were supposed to be home twenty minutes ago!," her mother snapped, the instant Terry stepped through the door.
" At the mall with Ike, Tay, and Zac. You know that."
" But you're twenty minutes late!"
" I know mom. I'm sorry."
" But why didn't you call?"
" I said I'm sorry. We lost track of time and then on the way out we had a run in with some freak."
" What! Are you telling me you got in a fight?! I can not believe you young lady!"
" Don't put words in my mouth! Did I say anything about a fight? No! We bumped into her, she called the guys a couple of names and she left!"
" Then you walk home with punks in the neighborhood?"
" No! Then Diana gave me a ride home!" Disgusted, Terry turned and started to leave the room.
" Get your butt back in here! I'm not done yet," Her mother yelled.
" Why don't you just shut the fuck up and leave me alone! I'm sick of you always on my case all the time!," Terry screamed right back.
" That's it! Go to your room! You are grounded for a week!"
" Fine! I was just headed up there before you stopped me anyway!" Terry ran up to her room and slammed the door.
