Me against the world

We never know

     Days past. On the day of school President election, while we were standing near the booth, a boy came across and said to Alisa, "Please sit down. It may take a while coz there are some problems with the vote machine". I could make out from the same observation that it was him, she blabberd about the entire day, previously. His name was Seiser, he had a good countanence and all qualities Alisa ever liked. He was also an elected member for the school President that year. Sitting there, Alisa and I had the conversation about the then, upcoming century celebration of our school. We had great time the next week fully, using my father's credit card to purchase all that we needed for the party - from head to toe.

My father was and is my all time hero. He was a good friend, than a father. Moreover, he brought me up in the way that I never wanted any person as mother in all my life, accepting the fact that I had Alisa. I learnt to solve any problem, anytime and that I must think a lot before trusting anyone and if I'm going to trust, then that must be until eternity ends. I don't know who and how my mother was. I don't even know what happened to her. All I know is that my father loves and trusts her to infinity and back. My dad always calls Alisa as his second daughter, from the day she slapped a boy's face for making me cry in our 3rd grade. I knew the best people in the whole of world - my father, grams, Alisa and lately my first love Zen. It was like paradise to love good people, but it takes fortune to live with them.

On 2nd November - was the century celebration of our school. I tryed playing match-maker for Alisa and Seiser that day. I even included​ Zen in it. I left Alisa alone and went on searching Seiser to send him to her. It was cold and dark outside and I was scared as it was 'all souls day' too. To make matters worse, our school was situated near an old cemetery, covered with thick trees. I was standing near the walls that looked​ like a maze, often considered the school's kissing spot. All of a sudden, I felt someone grabbing my waist, kissing my cheek and pushing me towards the wall that hid us from all of the other students. It obviously was Zen, but that actually scared the hell out of me. He looked different with new hair style and updated clothes. That change looked good, any girl falling for face, definitely would. Zen's lips were advancing down from my neck. I sensed something odd and lifted his chin up. His bloodshot eyes made me ask him if he was drunk. He looked into my eyes, gazed for a second or two. He looked cute. Once again he came closer to my ears and asked, "Do you like me?". When I answered yes, he held the collar of my shirt tightly and kissed. Just kissed and moved. That was the first day of all times, I found passion in it.

He said he was leaving and I didn't want him to. He got in the car and fastened his seat belt. So did I. He said, "No. Don't come. Stay here". I asked him, "Why? Why would I stay here while you're leaving?". He said, "Because......I'm". His eye contact was missing and I found something fishy with it and asked, "You're what?". He answered, "I'm losing control and I don't want to. It's​ not correct. Right?". "Right. It's not correct. Not now" I said. He brought out a curve in his lips and kissed me, just kissed me.

In all these​ issues, I failed in my first duty of playing match-maker for Alisa and totally forgot about Seiser. The next day, Alisa came rushing to me and asked, "It was your plan right? You​ sent Seiser to me, didn't you?". I exclaimed hearing what she said and retorted​, "So you spent time with Seiser. Tell me inch by inch. What exactly happened?". She said, "I was you right. So it was you, who sent Seiser to me". I continued, "Not exactly. I planned on it, but did not find seconds to execute it. How sweet. Wow! So it actually was a coincidence. Tell me, what happened? Anything....nice....to hear? Uh. Tell me fast". She replied, "Nope. Nothing of your thought. We just talked. Nothing more". I asked, "Is that all". She answered, "Yes". I said, "How boring" and we left to the park nearby​.

On 21st that month, my sixteenth​ birthday, I  woke up, opened my eyes and saw a gift, a card and a peach coloured candle with a purple ribbon on the table in front of the mirror. It was the first present of the day. The card contained the words, 'Happy Birthday' as usual with a 'Z' beneath it, but I have to tell, the handwriting was awesome and for sure it wasn't Zen. I opened the box and found a so called amulet with the words, 'Wear it. It saves you'. I had no idea who it was. I confirmed it was not Zen when he came up with a heart shaped pendent, that played one of his best violin compositions on opening and had a picture of me on one side and Alisa on the other, later that day. He knew how important Alisa was to me. He kissed me and said, "Happy birthday Merdona". In turn I said, "Zen, I can't believe you put Alisa's picture instead of yours​ , that too in a birthday gift. That is so sweet. I also need your picture too" with a smile. He replied, "Why would you want my picture? My beauty is evergreen and I'm damn sure you'll never have to look at pics". I said, "Mr. Zen Flemming, if you take pride over something, then it'll fade away soon". "Oh that was harsh, granny" he said. He used to call me that when I happen to speak philosophy sort of things​.

My father gave me a red scarf and said that it was my mother's​. It was the first time I realised having a mother. But I didn't really want to know anything more about her and just accepted the gift with a thankyou dad. Grams was so sweet. She gave me the bracelet that had been passing down in my family, generations after generation. I thought that they were all stories, she'd say, but each bit of it was real and cherished in her memories.

According to the promise we carried every year, Alisa did not buy me any gift. Instead, she took me to the rooftop​ of St.James cathedral, the tallest building in the city, free of cost and anytime allowed. I asked her, "How did you know I like to go to tall places on my birthdays? I never told you". "You never have to. You call me your sister, second mother and what not, after all this if I don't know what you like, then I'm not worthy of it, am I?. Happy birthday Mer. Live long" she replied hugging me. I just thanked her, hugged her back and wished to live long hapily with my family ever after.

The next day, I saw three terrible accidents on the way to Alisa's house from mine. First, two cars hit eachother and it was exact that no one would have survived. Second, Jumbo, the guide dog of a blind lady, ran into a milk van and died on spot. Lastly​, a narcoleptic man fell asleep on the road and a bus ran, over him. All of them were crucial and occurred without any break. I finally reached her house, sobed hard about the incidents I saw. She consoled me saying, "You know, the people who die are actually gifted. If a person leaves this world, it means that they've​ gone to a better place. And logically speaking, when someone passes away, they just leave without any problem, but people who live are the ones who suffer thinking of them each day. So never feel for the person who leaves, they'll definitely be fine. Okay? If at case you really feel, then let it be for the blind lady or anyone who has lost their love. So don't pour spate of droplets down your cheek for the dead. If you really feel, it can be for those who get to live without ​the person they love". I was ok with her view of death. She also added asking, "Why do you cry for people whom you don't even know? Just trust God and everything else will be fine". I never imagined that a speach of hers would console me that very easily. But it actually did work. I stopped crying and carried on with my projects​ and homeworks and assignments and all of them.

A week after, I had to interview  differently abled children for one of my assignments​. Interview and all, not my type. So I asked Alisa to help me with it and called her to Caffeine - the coffee shop. She said she wasn't coming, but I needed her so much, that I pestered her saying that I'd talk to Seiser about her. She said that she was on her way already and I was happy. It took her and the children so long, that I came out of the shop in search of them. I saw something terrible right then. A car ran straight into me with no one around, it was like a setup script. I did not notice the person driving and there was only seconds left for the car to crash on me.

From nowhere came another car and stopped right in front of me. In a fractions​ of second, the car before me was crushed into pieces, when I felt someone pulling me back. I was pushed to one corner - but safe. A minute later, I came back stable to consciousness and rewinded my memory of the scene again after which I realised Alisa in the car before me, saving my life. I ran back to the car, she was struggling to get out of it. Half of her body was smashed inside and her head was drooping. I held her head high and caught her hand. "Pro....promise me,..... no matter what,.....you.....you'll trust God and....and be safe" she asked in a low cracked voice with lots of inhalation and continued saying, " They are dangerous". That moment I remember, not having any options to do but promise. When I shut my mouth after saying, "I promise" all I could sense was a body without a soul, lying in my arms. I shouted my heart out with no one around to listen....no one......