If YOU and I

Chapter 6 <Short haired girl>

[8:15 am]

Annie was walking to school as usual. On the way she saw Neel. She stopped the moment she saw him . She kept looking at him. She was about to walk towards him ...but she took a step back. Maybe she felt insecure about something.
She walked while keeping her head low. She started walking faster.She walked past Neel without looking at him even for once.

Neel saw her walking . He looked at her carefully. He looked at her hair and said to himself recalling his past ,"It was shorter back then".

[2 years ago]

Me and my friend used to work as electricians so that we can pay our own school fees ,not burdening our families. One day I was summoned to someone's house to fix some issues with their electricity. I took my bicycle and got there. When I reached the door step , I rang the door bell and a man in his 40s opened the door for me .
"You're the electrician?", the man asked me.

"Yes , sir "- Neel

"Oh ,come in ". I put my shoes outside and went inside.

"Where is the issue,sir?" , I asked him .

" The lights in my office won't turn on and the washing machine in the bathroom neart the room stopped working as well ", the man pointed towards his office room . I checked the lights first. Then I went to check the washing machine. I bent down to check the wires connected to it . I was doing my work and then....I felt as if someone is watching me from behind. I turned my head around and saw a cat looking at me . I was wondering where it came from but then I heard a girl's voice.

"Snow?"

I could hear footsteps coming towards me .I looked forward continuing my work . Then I heard "there you are" . This time the voice was too close . I look behind me again. Suddenly I saw two legs . I got a bit surprised and I looked up to see who it is .

It was a young girl . She had short hair,small nose and bright eyes. She was wearing a cute dress and I kept looking at her. It seems like the cat belongs to her. She held the white cat in hands .I thought it was a stray cat that got in somehow earlier.

She hugged the cat and stroked its head. She never looked at me. Maybe she didn't notice me. Or maybe she didn't want to.
And that wouldn't be surprising. After all I was just a electrician.

"What are you doing here?" , a cold voice made her smile disappeare . I looked away and started fixing the wires again. I wanted to get my world done quickly and leave.

"Stop playing with that cat and get into your room . Finish your homework". I could hear him talking to her . Maybe it was her father. Soon my work was done .
I received the payment and left the house.

I was about to take out my bicycle. Suddenly, I heard some sounds. I looked on my right out of curiosity. To my surprise what I said at the moment wasn't something I could forget. My eyes got wide when I saw the girl jumping from her balcony to her lawn.  I could hear her fall.

*Dhhaam*

"She fell hard for sure" , I said to myself . I ran towards the wall covering the lawn . I tiptoed to see if she is fine. She was on the ground, sitting on her knees . One of her shoes came off and fell to the other side .She hurt one of her knees which turned red . Most likely the skin came off but it seemed like she didn't noticed it. She got up. Wore her shoe and ran towards two other kids who seemed to be the age same as her. She held the arm of the girl who was telling her something and started walking. The boy with them followed them . She seemed happy with them .

"Fun" , I murmured as I looked at them . I looked down at money in my hands and realised that I can't be like them.

"If I had friends like her ....maybe ...I could have fun too".

Neel snapped back to present time and started walking towards the school gate.

Back then I used to think that she is arrogant for growing up in a rich family. But she seems different now . Or maybe I am thinking too much .

"If you and I were friends back then would you still walk past me like this?"