Ahmad? I’m leaving for Mariam Aunty’s house, close the door please,” I heard mom yell from downstairs.

Closing my science book, I ran quickly towards the main entrance downstairs. “Alright mama, take care, but umm… when would you be coming back?” I questioned trying to hide the desperation in my tone.

“Well I guess about two hour maybe?”

“That long!” I exclaimed a bit surprised!

“I’m sorry, but you see she only just came from England yesterday so there is much we will have to talk about; your lunch is cooked so you can have it anytime you want.”

“Okay mom, thanks. Take your time there, no hurry,” I smiled. She patted my head and left the house. With a wicked smile, I locked the door as she left, and went towards the living room. Just as I was walking towards my precious PS3, my brother called from upstairs,“Ahmad come up! I need your help!”

Taking two steps at one, I hurried upstairs to his room.

“Yeah bro?” I asked.

“It’s urgent. You’re not studying right now, are you?”

Oh boy. He said it. This was the question that had been sending chills up my back for the past two weeks now, ever since we got the date sheet for the final exams. “Uh, I’m on a study break because…,”

“Great! Take these clothes to the neighbour’s for me. Mom told me to take these yesterday but you know, busy me.”

“But bro., I only just…”

“You really rock man! And close the door behind you,” saying this he smiled, pushing me towards the door.

Rolling my eyes, I started for the stairs again. I ran outsides and towards Mr Khan’s house on the right. I rang the bell and Taimur opened the door.

“Hey, yaar! Um… listen these are the clothes that mom sent for aunty,” I said as I handed him the clothes. But his mom’s voice came from the back, “Hey! These are not mine, they must be for Mrs Qiani, I remember your mom said something about them the other day.”

“I am so sorry for the confusion, I will go to her place right away,” I answered quickly as I turned.

Then I went towards Mrs Qiani’s house and rang the bell. Luckily, Mrs Qiani was the one who came to the door and I gave her the clothes with a smile on my face. “Beta, thank your mom for me,” she said.

“Yeah, aunty I will!” I replied and while leaving her entrance, she caught my arm.

“Where are you running off to, hmm?” aunty Qiani winked at me, her bulky hands had a strong grip on my wrist.

“Uh, I have my exam so…”

“Now, now beta. Tell me, does Ayesha feed you well?” Aunty chuckled.

Oh God no, not the ‘you’re too skinny’ conversation again. I always had those with Mrs Qiani. Every single time. “Uh yes, mom does feed megood food and I do eat well. Actually, I’m perfectly fit for a 14-year-old.”

“Don’t lie! Have you seen Ahsan and Jamal? And how healthy they are?” she kept on inquiring me.

I could actually hear my PS3 call out to me… “Yes aunty, your nephews are my class fellows,” I replied in a dull tone.

“Haha I’m just kidding son. Go on, go study,” she smiled and finally let go off my arm. I felt so grateful that she had let me go that I skipped the way to my house.

Great, now it was time for my PS3. So I happily started off for my PS3 and entered the living room. Just as I turned on the PS3, I heard glass shattering in the kitchen. I decided to ignore the sound and turned my head towards the television screen, but then I heard moaning coming from the kitchen. “Ahmed, son! Help please!” Quickly, I got up and raced towards the kitchen.

“Manzoor chacha are you alright?” There, on the kitchen floor, I saw pieces of glass, and on it set our servant, his eyes squeezed in as he whimpered in a low tone; his hand was crimson with his own blood.

“I was trying to take something out of the top cabinet, but the stool fell and I kind of tripped over the glass cutlery on the bottom cabinet and they fell… and hit my hand,”

I kept staring at the old man with the blood oozing hand.

“Help me!” he yelled this time.

“Oh, yeah sorry! And with that I called out to my 18-year-old brother who took Manzoor chacha to the nearby hospital.

Now it was just me and my beautiful PS3 on this Sunday evening. I stretched my arms in the hallway and started for the kitchen to get myself some cold drink. Then I thought that a chilled soft drink without popcorns would not do, so I took a packet of microwave popcorn and placed them inside the microwave. Just two more minutes was all it took. So I got my popcorns and drink and moved towards my beloved PS3. I still had an hour and a half before mum returned. So I finally got the console in my hand, and waited for Tekken, old but my favourite video game, to start. Flick and the lights went off, the television switched off and I sat there — with a blank face.

“Is this a joke?” I asked myself. I waited another five minutes for the electricity to come, but sadly it didn’t. I decided that instead of wasting my time on my science book, I should go and play football outside.

I took my football outside and started playing by myself. It wasn’t really fun, but it was okay, at least way better than studying. After about an hour of playing, I felt really thirsty and went inside to get a glass of water.

As I drank the glass of water, I happened to glance at the wall clock; an hour and a half had passed! That meant mom would be home any second, and I’d be dead meat!

I raced to my bedroom as fast as I could. The electricity was also back by now. I opened my science book, grabbed a few highlighters and my notebook, and put on a great display of studying. A few minutes passed, and then I really did start studying. Half an hour passed.

Then, a complete hour had passed and mom still hadn’t come back. What was taking her so long? About four hours had passed since she left.

I decided to continue studying for a few minutes more. I realised she must be busy chatting, so she would stay there longer.

So I raced downstairs and towards the living room where my sweet PS3 was. I once more got the cold drink with me, sat in front of the television and grabbed the console in my hand. The video game was in and loading. I couldn’t stop smiling to myself, ‘Finally, finally!’

After weeks of waiting, now the game was loading, and I grinned as I leaned closer towards the screen. Closer, closer still and then suddenly, I felt like I was being jerked back.

It was mom! She had come back! Oh man, I didn’t hear she enter but she was here!

“You liar! You said you would study and you were on your PS3 all this time huh? No videogames for you in the summer vacation! You are grounded!”