Episode 13 : Trust Me

      Days were going and life was streaming at its own speed. I was become busy with my study and assignments given by teachers. I was not so intelligent. But, I was hard working person during those days. I had started spending my time in libraries. during school time, I was in school library and on holidays I was always in city library. Anna was in my memories and each moment spent with her was alive in my mind. But, I had made myself busy with my own world. I had a good friend in school. She was Eleena my classmate. She was having all the characteristics of the best student. Even she was better than Anna in few subjects. I was not so connected with her, so I haven't marked her present around me. One day suddenly, she came to me when I was about to cry due to not having any article related with my new assignments. I was so worried about my work that time. I was finding few words regarding that. She sit down on floor with me.
      "James, What happned??? You seem so worried???"
      "I am finding some words regarding our new assignment. I feel so much stress since last three days."
      "Oh God ! James, had you really listened teacher's last words???"
      "Last words???  No!!! I can't remember."
      " It is the assignment, which will be written after the new lesson and practicals will be done. Oh James!!! you are so naive." She smiled.
      "Really??? Eleena, you have made me so happy. Let's have lunch together, if you don't mind." I looked at floor.
      "My pleasure, James."
      I was feeling so much weird with her at that time. Because she was the most intelligent girl of our school. She was champion in athletics and badminton too. She had won so many gold medals for our school. She was very beautiful. But, she was always found alone at lonely places. I felt strange when found her talking with me, because she was behaving opposite her nature. We reached at school canteen. People were staring to us. Eleena was not feeling anything, but I was feeling that people were staring to us with strange eyes. Eleena was reading the menu and chosen her meals for her.
      "I would like to have Hamburger for me. What would you like to eat, James???"
      "Same as you, Ellie ......naa....!!!" My feelings came on my lips.
      "hey James !!! what happened again. There is sweat on your head, dear!!!"
      "Nothing !!! I am ok. Relax please."
      "Ok!!! sit here. I will bring from stall."
      "Eleena, take my money."
      "Come on !!! it's treat from me."
      "Treat??? for what???"
       "We will talk later about it. ok???"
      "Ok!!!"
      I was watching her going to stall. She was so happy as per her mood was seeming. Some unknown happiness had brought smile on me. She returned from stall with two coke tins and hamburgers. She was looking so beautiful in our school uniform. I was silent with her, but she was talking with non-stop mouth. We completed lunch and returned went to play ground. It was the time to leave the school, because it was half day whatever we both had forgotten. We were talking with each other.
       "Eleena!!! now tell me the reason of the treat."
       "James, today is my birthday."
       "What??? Happy Birthday, Eleena. What about evening party???"
       "Today is my Birthday and the deathday of my father too." She became sad.
       "Oh Eleena !!! I am so sorry, please."
       "It's all right, James. Today, I have got a new good friend. So, I am happy and given treat."
       "I will arrange a nice small party for you tonight. What do you say???"
       "No, James. I will not come for any party, because I will be with my mother tonight and will give her some smiles by talks."
       "Ok Eleena!!! I will not disturb you."
       "If you don't mind James, I want to invite you for dinner at my home tonight." She looked at me with hopes.
       "Where do you live???"
       "Near Vegetable market, near your home."
       "Have you ever seen my home, Eleena???"
       "I came at your home with your cousin Anna."
       "She is not my cousin. Anna is just my neighbor's daughter."
       "Actually, she had called me last Sunday and told me to take care about you. So, I was finding you."
       "Eleena, Anna is my best friend and she is having a special place in my life."
        "I know that all James. Don't worry!!! I will never let you feel lonely."
        We were walking on road and forgotten to get bus from bus stand. We had reached near our home.
        "Ok, Eleena!!! I will come to your home tonight for dinner. Give me your number, I will call you before leaving home. She wrote her address and phone number on paper and given it to me. She was taller than me, but having an extra ordinary charming personality. She smiled to me and started going in direction of her home with big long steps. I turned to the way of my home. Lot of thoughts had started covering my mind. I was thinking about Eleena. She was very calm and have always talked in few words. But, today she was talking like downpour with big drops. I had no choice than being wet. She had made me happy by her talks. So much time was remaining for evening. I was waiting for night with impatient feelings.
     

Episode 12 : Trust Me

       So many days had gone, but Anna had not sent any mail to us. Her mother was so anxious about her. It was the era when mobile phones and internet were only for military. Only mail, telegraph and land line telephones were used for communication. We were all waiting for Anna's letter. The winter was going to start. Cold winds were making the environment more cold. It was quite hard to move anywhere in nights. Our homes were not so far from each other, but some distance was there between them. Her mother was lonely in her home. Sometimes my mother sent me to bring her for night sleeps whenever my father was not at home. I was so sad without her letters. But, my study and project had made me so busy that I haven't tried to write any letter to her.
        It was the Saturday, I came earlier from school due to snowfall forecasting. I was missing my her when remembered the previous year's snowfalls. I have started to find her address or telephone number in my father's diary. My father was very strict man and never liked that anybody touched his things. But, my patience had crossed the limits. I found the packet of papers related with Anna's new College. I have found the telephone numbers on envelopes. I was become so happy and jumping from in inside. I ran to telephone and started dialing numbers.
        "Are you calling to Anna???"
        "yes, Mom"
        "We have not her direct contact numbers."
        "Mom! I have found it on her college's envelopes."
        "They are of administrative office numbers and useless for us."
        "Let me try, mom!"
        "Ok Son ! Go ahead!"
      I have completed dialing. I had found it was ringing there. Somebody had picked up the phone.
        "Hello, I am Rachel jones. May I help you???"
        "Hello, Mam I am James sanderson from Texas. I want to talk with  Ms. Anna wilson please."
        "Mr. Sanderson! this is admin office. If I can help you in that way please???"
        " I have her registration number. Can you please give me her accommodation or contact details, please???"
        "What is your relation with her???
        "She is my neighbour's daughter. Her mother is anxious about her because of not talked with her for a long time. Please help me."
        "Sure, I will help you. Please give me some moments."
         "Thank you, mam."
        I had hold the receiver for few minutes. After sometimes, I heard her voice again.
        "Anna Wilson is living in ladies' hostel. I can give hostel's number."
        "Please, give it to me. I will write it."
        "Ok, please write down the number. 42522789."
        "Thank you, mam."
       I was so happy when got the telephone number. I dialed the number. But, she was not in the hostel. As per the matron's words, she was doing a job somewhere and return late night. I was so anxious about her. Negative thoughts were started covering my mind. But, it was not the permanent gloom. After few minutes, I got her call.
       "Hello,James??? I am Anna. How are you???"
       "I am good. But, so much worried about you. Where was you???"
       "I have got a new job here. I am teaching to little students in part-time. The place is so far. So, I come in late night."
       "Oh Anna!!! you are my best friend.Give me your address please"
       She had given me her address. She was almost crying while talking with me. I was also so much missing her. That night, I could not sleep until late night. I didn't know what was I feeling during that moments. I could not realize that it was my happiness of sadness.
      

Episode 11 : Trust Me

     Anna was so happy on that day. I was also so happy, but few sad feelings were annoying me. I was sad because of my best friend was going far from me. During a long chat with our parents, we had known that her mother was not my father's sister. She was just our neighbor's wife, but due to my father had helped her in development of her business she had believed my father as her brother. We were shocked when they had open the curtains from the truth.
     My father had decided to give a nice small party as she had got an admission in very popular medical college. She was going to meet new people at new place. I was not getting myself. I was smiling, but was sad by heart. Suddenly, she came to me and lead me out of our area in her car. There was nobody else then us. She looked at me with strange feelings. Before I could say anything, she came near me.
       "I know, you are sad.Because you are going to loss your best friend."
        "Anna, I can't tell you anything about my current feelings. We are going to be far from each other. One more thing has made me more confused that you are not my cousin. You are only my friend and we are not relatives.Strange!!!"
        "Leave all those matters right now. Just look at me. You are going to complete your school studies too. I will help you to be prepared for Medical college. I know, you are more genius than me."
        "Thank you, Anna. I will work hard with your guide lines."
      I was watching to her face and tried to understand her talks. She was so happy that she could not stopped her smile for a moment. Finally, the day of party had come and so many relatives and other people came to our home. We were in party and dancing with each other. It was the first day, when we both had tasted the wine. Her blue eyes were dipper than sea. I did not understand which kind of feelings were in my heart. But, I had found myself more and more gripped in thoughts. It was so lovely night and our parents were signing songs with us. My father was playing guitar and our mothers were singing loudly. Other ladies were dancing with their husbands and partners. Anna forced me to dance with her and I could not neglect her. We danced and hugged by happy hearts. She pulled me out from the crowd and lead me outside. It was the full moon night. She turned to me and started talking with me.
         "What do you think about me???"
         " You are good girl. Intelligent and bold too."
         "Am I beautiful???"
         "Yes, you are"
         "Are you feeling same as I feel about you???"
         "what do you feel about me???"
      Before she could say anything, tears came in her eyes. I pulled her in my arms and tried to make her calm. Anna was a small town's naive girl. Her heart was full of happiness. She was feeling sadness because of her farewell from home and from us. I brought her in home again. People was preparing to go back to their homes. The party was over and her mother was busy in talks with my mother.
       I awakened early in the morning next day. It was the day of her farewell from home. My father was ready with his car. I ran top her home and helped her in preparations. She was staring at me with big blue eyes. It was the saddest moment when she suddenly hugged me very tightly. Her tears were touching my shoulder. I could not stop her. She was crying without saying a single word. My father came to us and given her sympathy. I lifted her begs to the car. She was coming to car with slow steps. The atmosphere was hot and became so sad with her tears. I was feeling broken from inside. I opened the door and invited to seat in car. She again hugged me and kissed on my forehead.
       "I will miss you a lot. You are my best friend. I will never forget you. Trust Me!!!"
       "Me too"
         She got her place in car and her mother set from other door. My father started the car and the car started to run with slow speed. I was watching her from the rear glass. She was also watching me.