The Brightest

"I wish you well and hope you will achieve everything you want in your life, my sweet Pooh," she said with a wide smile that made her cheerful as always. I like to listen to her. The way she says anything sounds like a fortune. She is one of my favourite people. "Thanks, Emma," I replied with the same energy. She kept smiling and admiring me like she would never see me again. I have been meeting Emma since I moved to this place as she comes to this park often for her daily walk. We chat about everything here. She is sixty, but the age difference has never been a barrier for me to make new friends. She is precious to me as a family member. I hope we will keep meeting each other in the future. Just when I was about to leave, she cupped my face and kissed me on the forehead like I was her daughter. These gestures of hers make my heart feel fearless always. I feel like I will never find another human being like her. She said numerous things to me, especially about food. She warned me to have proper meals. As always, I was listening to her carefully whatever she was saying. After having a never-ending conversation, we bid goodbye to each other with smiles on our faces. I had a family just like others. But my fate had something else for me. I lost my mom and dad in the accident. The love a child seeks is taken away in minutes. I could barely remember them like how much a three-year-old can fit into her mind. It was the God who snatched everything. I was blaming him for all like who else I can blame? After living in the orphanage for years, I never laughed and played like other kids. I used to sit under the tree near the playground and read story books. After a few years, I got to know that there was someone who knew my parents. My uncle and aunt started to visit me there as they were in another country, and it was hard for them to come there frequently. So, they started supporting me financially. After a long time, they visited me in the orphanage where I was staying and saw me struggling with my studies. They decided to help me move to a new place with them, hoping it would motivate me to do something useful with my life. I am forever grateful to them for giving me something I never imagined I could have - a family and warmth that I needed the most. I never thought I could have a family as beautiful as this. I was so used to the activities that I was doing there without a single complaint. Studying and completing our assigned tasks were the usual things that I didn't realize there was something else in this world too, just like others who were in the orphanage with me. But my uncle and aunt changed all that and gave me a new life. They were the ones who wrote the end of those days for me. I have been with them for the last eight years. These years passed like a blink of an eye. During this time, I failed, I learned, and I met many people. Some of them were the worst memories and only a few golden ones. The life lessons I taught myself here, made me more mature than my age. I am in my last year of university now. So, I thought of moving out because my guardians already did many things for me that I can't repay to them in this life. They always appreciated me for everything. They made me believe in myself so I can achieve my goal. I need to do different things, and staying in one place for this is not a good idea, I guess. Especially, when opportunities are waiting for you in the outside world. Being a student in this country was a bit challenging. Still, I am a bright student who knows how to score good marks because this is the only thing I am good at, always studying. Today, I am one more step closer to my goal. I am eager to finish this final year because being an author has been my dream from the beginning. It always fascinates me how writers make their readers visit different places just through imagination, even if a place doesn't exist in reality. Just at least once, I want to make someone feel this way. One more year, and I will be somewhere I think I should be. A publication house may be. I am hoping for the best. At least, I can do this much for myself. "Did you finish packing?" "Oh yes, Mrs. Benjamin," I replied. She glared at me and said "How many times do I have to ask you to be serious? I am not being annoying or anything. Every time, you address me as Mrs. Benjamin just to mock me because I worry about you." "It's not like this mom. You know that we already finished my packing yesterday. We both did right ?" I answered back and saw her facepalmed. "Ah, we did. I was just asking." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "You know you don't have to worry this much. I know you are tense about me being alone there, but I hate seeing Mr. Benjamin's wife like this. I'll be a good kid there." "I never doubted you, my Pooh. I was just asking if you want to move out. I mean, you can stay here and finish your studies. We won't disturb you." "Mom, we talked about this. I haven't left yet, and you all are making me sad already. And I know how much you all adore me. it's not like I would be staying there forever. I am going there just because this university is fabulous and they do not accept every student who has done the first two years at another university. Just one year and I bet, I'll be one of the best. I worked hard for this Mom." I added. I took a deep breath and looked at her. She is just staring at me with a bored look. "What?" I questioned. "You are still to be a writer. Stop boring me with your lectures. Please, I beg. Pheww." She laughed a bit making me smile too. "Okay, leave everything for now. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you. hmm?" "But we just had pancakes.I feel like you want me to look like a baked potato. You know what Mom, you should call me by my real name sometimes." "Never. You are my Pooh and now it's permanent. Now, you have to deal with it for the rest of your life" She replied with a playful smile.