Where Are You?

The day was as normal as ever, and I remember standing there with her. A beauty she was with those glossy pink lips and dark black hair. A snow-white on Earth, I wondered. Her blue frock was dancing around her knees. Her eyes, her nose, those little teeth which showed up when she smiled, Oh! She was an angel for sure. I stood there perplexed and still, staring at her perfectly carved face. 

"Why do you look at me like that?" she asked.

"Uh, nothing," I replied.

"What is your name?" 

"Sameen," said I.

"Huh, interesting. I am Saneem," she offered her hand. My nails were as dirty as hell. 

"Oh c'mon," said she, and we shook hands. 

"How old are you?" she asked

"21. What about you?" like an idiot, I asked that to a girl.

"Who, me? 19 today."

"Oh, Happy Birthday," I said in surprise.

"Thanks. You are the first to wish," she smiled.

"Oh really? Where are you from?" I asked to find out more about her.

"Why? Are you going to visit my home?" she asked with a lot of curiosity.

"No, I just asked. Where is it?" I asked plucking up my courage.

"I am sorry, I can't say that."

"Okay fine. No issues," and I turned away.

"Why are you standing here alone? You don't have friends?"

"Yeah, I do," I said sullenly.

"Then why did you come here alone?"

"Well...," I thought I was in trouble.

"Don't drag," she insisted.

"Well, I saw you. So, I thought I could make a conversation," I blabbered.

"What? You wanted to talk to me?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied plainly.

"Do you know who I am?" I could feel that her tone was suspicious.

"Saneem. I knew it just now."

"Come to the point. You came here to talk to me?" Her voice was stern.

"Yeah, I swear."

"But why?"

"Because..."

"Because?" Now she grew more suspicious.

"Because you are beautiful and I uh, I think..., "my heart beat faster.

"You think what?"

"I think I am in love with you," I said quickly.

There was dead silence. And then she burst out laughing. She was so cute when she laughed. 

"You know nothing about me."

"I will get to know, sooner or later."

"I am not the only beautiful girl in the world."

"Maybe you are not, but you are different."

"In what ways?"

"I don't know. I am not a guy easily attracted to girls, but you, you made something; you made me feel something; you made some magic through your eyes."

"I did?"

"Believe it or not, but I love you".

She spoke after a few minutes. I saw her face turn pale.

"I had never been loved by anyone in my life, never."

"What? Your parents?"

"I don't have a father. My mother, she is a witch."

"Oh sorry."

"No, it's okay. What is the time?"

"Five minutes to six."

"Gosh, I am late. I have to go."

"Will you come here tomorrow evening? I am ready to wait."

She turned back, smiled, and went. The next day, I waited for her, believing that she would show up. But she never did. It has been three years now and yet it seems like it all happened yesterday. I still wait for her every evening, hoping that she would show up.

AFTER A FEW YEARS

I was standing amidst the wheat-field as I always did. 

"Sameen?" I heard a voice. I turned back at once.

"Saneem...you have finally come or am I just dreaming?"

"Sameen, you waited for me all these years?"

"Yeah, I did, and hey what happened to your left eyebrow? What's that scar?"

"It was a fight. A little one. I was in Burma."

"A fight? Burma? Why? What happened?"

"Sameen, uh...how can I say that to you?...hmm...okay, just listen...I am not lying, just listen. I belong to a group of robbers. To tell you the truth, I am a bandit. We fight to feed us. We fight for our village in an unknown forest. That's me. That's what I do. Yes, as you said I may be different, but not that girl you thought I am. I had never cared for my beauty. I had never thought of a boy in my life. Yet, when I talked to you, it was strange. I had never felt like that in my life. I saw my hand, which had played all these years with knives and guns, play with my hair! I started to stare at my face in the pond when I went to fetch some water for my people. It was all strange, yet I liked it. I knew that my mother, who leads us, will kill me if she gets to know of this. But still, after all these years, I believed you will come for me and you did. Thank you Sameen. Thank you so much. Thanks a lot, but...," she was in tears, "but I can't do this. I was born a warrior. I was born to fight. And you will be in danger if you join me. I am sorry. Take care."

She hugged me. I was spellbound. I couldn't reach my voice. I saw her turn back to leave. I clutched her hand. With tears in her eyes, she kissed me and whispered, "I love you". I saw her go. And never again did she come back. Never again in my life.