Crazy ME.

"Good afternoon, beautiful," a tall, dark skinned, handsome man said, from afar. "Yeah, good afternoon," Bella said, completely uninterested in whatever he had to say. She had to fill the house up with water, before her mother got back from work. Not doing that, meant her ears will bleed from all the curses and insults, going to be hurled at her. "Can I help you with that?" The man said, pointing to the container that had water in it on Bella's head. "No, thank you." Why wasn't he giving up, eh? The last thing, that should happen was her mother seeing her with a man, close to the house. She had to make him stop following her, somehow. "Do you need something?" Bella asked with a straight face. He smiled and said, "no, can't I just help you?" Sensing her being reluctant, he continued talking. "My name is Elias, we live on the same street, I have seen you around a couple of times." "Oh, I'm Bella. I don't think I have seen your face around." "That's because I'm in the University, in a different state. I came back home, because of holidays." "I see. It was nice talking to you but, I have to go." "Hey, I'm serious about helping you with that. Why are you not saying anything about that?" "Honestly speaking, I don't think I need your help. I'll get into trouble, if my mom sees you." "Alright, I'll wait for you around that bend. Are you still coming out, to get more water?" "Yes." Bella said in a flat tone. He was definitely jobless. Ah, he said he was in school. What kind of undergraduate, spends time waiting for a girl like her to fetch water? It just did not add up. Anyways, it was his time and he can definitely spend it, on anything he wants. After she turned the water in the bigger drum she had to fill, the sound of her mom's car got to her ears. "Why is she back so soon? Dear lord! I'm not halfway through with this." Bella started panicking, but had to go out to greet her mother. "Welcome back, how was work?" Bella said with a smile. "It was okay, why are you still with that?" Her mom asked, looking at the container she was using to fetch the water. "I haven't filled the drum yet, so I'm still going out to get more water." "What have you been up to, since I left the house in the morning? All you do is sleep and eat, but it barely shows on your body. Finish that fast, so you can start making food for your father. Stupid thing!" "Okay ma." Hmm, she did not quarrel for long today. Did something happen? Bella was used to ten or fifteen minutes of disgrace, whenever she did anything wrong but today felt off. She rushed out of the house to get water, before something else happened. "I can't wait to leave that house," she muttered under her breath. "Will you live in my house, when you leave yours?" Elias asked. "My goodness! You startled me, where did you pop out from?" Bella was visibly shaken. "I didn't mean to scare you, but I thought I'll follow you to know where you live. When you entered this house, I waited by the gate for you. The car that drove in, was that your mother?" "Yes, why?" "She's beautiful, I see who you take after." Bella smiled, without thinking. "You're wrong, I look exactly like my father." "Then, I'll like to meet the whole family to be sure about that." "Stop playing with me," she said laughing out loud. They got to where she was getting water and Elias helped, to pump the water for her. She watched him quietly while he was doing that. God! He looks so good, perfect height, nice body proportions and a sweet smile too, not to mention how he was good at holding a conversation. A boyfriend like him, will definitely be nice but no, she couldn't afford to get pregnant. Not after, that damn seer said she will be unable to do an abortion if she got pregnant. Funny how, her mother listened to crazy people like that. She will prove that seer and her mother wrong, because deep inside Bella knew a part of her mother believed that prophecy. "Hey, Bella! What are you thinking about?" Elias snapped his fingers at her. "Nothing, I'm sorry about that. I tend to space out sometimes." "That's new." He said with a puzzled look on his face. "You barely know me, El." "El?" "Yes, isn't that your name?" "Okay, smarty-pants. I see what you did there." Bella looked up, while he was getting her container ready for her. "When I see you passing by, can I just call you big brother?" "Why?" "You're like the brother, I wish I had around." "What if I want to be more than that?" "There's nothing you can do about it now, big brother," She said laughing. The walk back to her gate, was fun for both of them. Little questions were asked, she got to know what his personality was like but, he couldn't say same for her. When she was carrying the last container of water, he looked a bit sad in her eyes. "You said you live in my street, right?" "Yes, I do." "Does that mean, I'll see you around?" His face lit up immediately, "sure thing." "Bye El, thank you for today." "It was nothing, I was more than happy to help." Phew!!! He was gone and she was back to her misery - her house. On some days, she wished she was born in a different family. Maybe, things will have been easier for her. Her father was, the very definition of perfection and her mother, the perfect nag queen. What child could possibly be normal, with that combination? At least, now there was EL for her.