Finding True Love

Childhood

Alex POV
I woke up in a jolt. I was seeing a nightmare. But for some moment, I thought here was someone with me. Who slowly caressed my head. 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.
I get up from bed, went to the bathroom and flush 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 car’s keys. Then I called Risha, she didn’t received the 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 cause I knew who did it. I came back to my cabin and guess what! I couldn’t find my wallet also. Really. ‘What I do with this girl!’ I wanted to scream in frustration. Now I had to walk home.
After 2 long hour, I reached at home and my leg was hurting like hell. When I enter the drawing room, I saw she was lying on the couch. I asked her why she took 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 came to my room and took a long shower.
When I went downstairs, I found Risha in the kitchen. What was she up to! When I took one bite from the pan-cake then I understand what she was planning.
After the argument with her I came back to the room. I hadn’t any appetite after that. So I didn’t go back for dinner.
After mid-night I went to bed. When I laid down, I saw a spider on the ceiling. A SPIDER!! I screamed as loud as I could. I was hell afraid of spider, that’s a nightmare to 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 fall 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 years 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 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 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 with Akash uncle. Risha was also there I tried to start 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 ok! You will make a lot of friends there,” mum-mum encourage 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 fall asleep.
The next day, my first day at school. The class teacher introduced me with all the students. Risha was also in that class. 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 sit and said “NO.” firmly. I looked around the class room. It seemed I wasn’t welcomed. So I went to the back bench and sat there alone.
In 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 nick name for her. I was happy to see her. But maybe she wasn’t. She held my shirts 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 have faith in me. She know I can do that.” I told her softly.
“Bullshit. Then don’t complain later I didn’t warn you. And listen stay at least 12 feet away from me. I don’t want you anywhere near me not here not at home,” after saying that she left.
An awesome first day school. My class was over long ago so I went home. Risha left before me. I didn’t want to bunk the classes at my first day but… I didn’t know how I will tell mum-mum all these. When I reached home she didn’t asked me anything. Instead she gave me some snacks. How did she knew I missed my lunch.
My school was horrible. My every classmate used to bully me. May be Rish was right but couldn’t do that to mum-mum. The last few weeks was hell.
I was sitting in canteen with my lunch and some of my classmate came again to disturb me. They were touching my hair, pulling shirts and at 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. She suddenly stood from her table and came towards us.
When she approached, she poured pour the whole content of the bottle which she was holding on one of my classmate who bullies 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 left the canteen and I silently follow her.
When we were out 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 came in front of my eyes except class hour. 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 was 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 then some grabbed my hand and I saw my bully classmates. They tied me with that tree and I was struggling but failed. They only laughed at my miserable condition and left me all alone.   
I screamed as loud as I could, cried for help but there was no one. I was there for hours. Then I saw Risha was 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. I my eyelids started to drop after that I didn’t remember anything.