Finding True Love

Childhood

Alex POV

I woke up in a jolt. I had a nightmare. But for some moments, I thought there was someone with me. Who slowly caressed my head. It must be my illusion. Mum-mum isn’t home and Risha not a chance. I couldn’t think Risha did that. She didn’t change all these years.

My head was throbbing with pain. My temperature was a bit high. I must have a fever; an allergic reaction to mushrooms. When I sat up, the first thing I noticed was a bowl of water and a towel. Did Risha really come?

I got out of bed, went to the bathroom and flushed some water on my face. After getting fresh, I went to the balcony to get some air. Yesterday was hell for me. First the dean’s proposal to become Risha’s supervisor. Next, that argument with her. After that busy day, when I came back to my cabin, I couldn’t find my car’s keys. Then I called Risha. She didn’t receive my call. What’s wrong with this girl? Then I went to the parking lot, I saw my car was missing.

I didn’t have to guess because I knew who did it. I came back to my cabin and guess what! I couldn’t find my wallet also. Really!! ‘What should I do with this girl!’ I wanted to scream in frustration. Now I had to walk home.

After 2 long hours, I reached home and my leg was hurting like hell. When I entered the drawing room, I saw she was lying on the couch. I asked her why she had taken my car and she told me she wanted to come home early. She could text, but no, she did it intentionally. I hadn’t any energy to reply, so I went to my room and took a long shower.

When I went downstairs, I found Risha in the kitchen. What was she up to? I took a sip of the soup. First I thought it was vegetable soup, but then I realized there were mushrooms in it. I didn't say anything to her, she might not know about my allergic reaction. But when I took one bite from the pancake, I was sure she did it intensionally.

After the argument with her, I went back to the room. I hadn’t any appetite after that. Well, I wasn't even in the situation. It was hard for me to even breathe. I took medicine and went to bed. When I laid down, I saw a spider on the ceiling. A SPIDER!! I screamed as loudly as I could. I was hell afraid of spiders. That’s a nightmare for me. And I can’t believe Risha did that. After her confession, I was shocked and disgusted. I told her go. I couldn’t face her at that moment. It felt like years later I fell asleep.

Sitting on the balcony, I was remembering the day I met her.

17 years ago, when I was 9, mum-mum brought me her home. There was a sweet little, 8-year-old girl sitting on the floor, playing with her toys.

“Risha, meet your new friend, Alex,” mum-mum told her. Risha didn’t say anything, just stared at me with a strange look. “Alex, she is Risha. From now on, you can play with her. You two can go to school together. You both will be good friends,” mum-mum told us smilingly. I thought I was lucky I met mum-mum and a new friend in one day.

But suddenly Risha stood up. “No. I don’t need a friend,” saying that she left from there.

“Alex, don’t worry, she will come around. You just have to keep patience with her,” mum-mum reassured me.

“Ok mum-mum. I will.” Then mum-mum took me to my room. The room was perfect for a 9-year-old kid. I instantly loved this room. I thanked mum-mum for all of that.

That day at night, mum-mum called me for dinner. She introduced me to Akash uncle. Risha was also there. I tried to start a conversation with her but she didn’t talk to me. She just ignored me like I didn’t even exist.

“Sweetheart, be prepared. Starting from tomorrow, you will go to school with Risha. She will help you. You don’t have to worry about it. You will make a lot of friends there,” mum-mum encouraged me, but Risha looked at mum-mum with a blank face.

After dinner, we went to our respected room. Mum-mum came with me because that was my first day at this house, so mum-mum stayed with me until I fell asleep.

The next day, my first day at school. The class teacher introduced me to all the students. Risha was also in that class. The teacher told me to take my seat. Risha was sitting alone. I went towards her.

“Can I sit here?” I asked her softly. She put her bag on that seat and said “NO.” firmly. I looked around the classroom. It seemed I wasn’t welcome. So I went to the back bench and sat there alone.

During the lunch break, I went to the washroom and someone locked the door from outside. I tried to call someone but maybe there wasn’t no one around. I tried to push that door but it didn’t open. I hadn’t any other option so I just sat there and waited for help. I was there nearly 4 hours. The room was dark and I started to get afraid.

At that moment, I heard a sound. Someone unlocked the door. And I saw it was Rish, my nickname for her. I was happy to see her. But maybe she wasn’t. She held my shirt's collar and pushed me to the wall.

“So, someone locked you here?” she asked me, raising her brow. I just nodded. “Looks like you are not welcome here. Why don’t you tell mum-mum to transfer you to another school? In that way, I also don’t have to see you anymore,” she told me while smirking.

“No. I can’t do that. I can’t let down mum-mum. She has faith in me. She knows I can do that.” I told her softly.

“Bullshit. Then don’t complain later that I didn’t warn you. And listen, stay at least 12 feet away from me. I don’t want you anywhere near me, neither here nor at home,” after saying that she left.

An awesome first day of school. My class was over long ago, so I went home. Risha left before me. I didn’t want to bunk classes on my first day but… I didn’t know how I would tell mum-mum all this. When I reached home she didn’t ask me anything. Instead, she gave me some snacks. How did she know I missed my lunch?

My school was horrible. My every classmate used to bully me. Maybe Rish was right but couldn’t do that to mum-mum. The last few weeks were hell.

I was sitting in the canteen with my lunch and some of my classmates came again to disturb me. They were touching my hair, pulling shirts and, at the last stage of torture they poured water on my food. Risha was there watching that show. She didn’t say anything to them. She watched them torturing me every day. She suddenly stood up from her table and came towards us.

When she approached, she poured the whole contents of the bottle which she was holding onto one of my classmates who bullied me.

“Why did you do that?” that boy screamed.

“You deserved that. You are blocking my way. Now get the hell out of here!” Risha told that boy, coldly. And then she pointed towards me. “And you, follow me,” saying that she had left the canteen, and I silently followed her. When we were outside of the school building, she faced me with a blank expression.

“I told you to stay away from me. What were you doing in the canteen? Listen, from tomorrow don’t step inside the canteen. You will just take your food and go wherever you want to go and finish that food. You won’t come in front of my eyes except for class hours. Do you understand?” she shouted at me. Why was she shouting at me? I was the victim here. I didn’t say anything, just nodded.

My school life has been going as usual for the past months. The bullies, the class and Risha, she didn’t even bother to talk to me.

It was lunch time, I was sitting under a tree behind the school building, my usual place. Suddenly, I felt someone was behind the tree. I was about to look back when someone grabbed my hand and I saw my bully classmates. They tied me to that tree and I was struggling but failed. They only laughed at my miserable condition and left me all alone.

I screamed as loudly as I could, cried for help, but there was no one. I was there for hours. Then I saw Risha coming towards me. I felt a glimpse of hope. But then she left. I cried for help but she didn’t look back. She ran towards the school building. I lost that hope when I saw she left. And it started raining heavily. My eyelids started to drop. After that, I didn’t remember anything.