CHAPTER 07 - The Two Friends

It was a cold day of November, almost the end of a busy year. The sun was going to hide among the spongy clouds while the birds were flying to their nests to laze after a tiresome day. The Sesbania tree had folded her leaves already to go to sleep.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...

Ouch..... screamed Raisha while chasing away the greedy mosquito who bit her skinny thigh. She knew that it's the time to go inside the house. So Raisha closed her book and walked through the garden to enter the house. Naisha was watching her favorite cartoon while Raisha's mom preparing dinner. Father has not yet arrived. Raisha went to her room and wanted to snooze a while.

As soon as she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes she was disturbed by her own mind.

Hey... Raisha Aren't you interested in any boy in your school van ?

In her mind Raisha tried to find an answer to the question once Sheekha had asked. is that me he always looking at ? Yes, I can remember now. He was trying to smile with me. Last friday he was keeping his palm on the van shutter as to say good bye. Yes, he looks really handsome and so ad...??//

Raisha kept on surfing in her dream world, while turning to either sides on the bed when suddenly Naisha jumped slamming her spine and crumbled Raisha's dream world.

You idiot.....You almost break my spine said Raisha rubbing her spine with her hand.

Oh so sorry sis.... but you were not sleeping I think... you were just rolling this side to that side. I wanted to have a small fun.... heeee said Naisha while laughing merrily. Seeing this Raisha had forgotten her pain and joined with Naisha, burst into a big laugh. They both started running and jumping on the bed while pushing and pulling themselves to each other.

Who is this? Who are shouting and going to break the bed?

suddenly a voice broke up to stop the two sister's fun making. They both surely knew that is their mother. Raisha who's afraid to make her mother angry, immediately got down of the bed and slowly went out of the room. Naisha followed her timidly and went straight into the living room in search of her father. Their papa had arrived and watching the television. Naisha went to him and sat on his lap and joined to watch the television. Raisha went to the kitchen and started peeling onions.

Although Raisha's parents love them and care for them, they never touched them, cuddled them or hugged them. They never let their girls to feel the love towards their chidren. Although they fulfilled their children's necessities up to the highest level they could, they never shared their love towards their children physically, one of the most essential factors in the personality development of a child. As a result the two girls Raisha and Naisha never discussed the daily experiences they had at school or anywhere with their parents.

Instead the two sisters shared most of the daily stuff among them and had a nice time enjoying each one's experiences as bosom friends.

Their papa owned a stationary shop and the family was carried out by the small income earned by it. Their papa had an old car. Most of the time they travelled by bus and occasionally they drove by the car. So everything they had up to a limited extend. The two girls had limited number of dresses and they always have to share them with each other. But most of the time Raisha willingly gave her things to Naisha, but Naisha reluctantly shared her things with Raisha. But Raisha having a golden heart never complained about her sister on anything. She believed that "if we do something good, only good things will return to us". Raisha's character showed tolerance, silence and sharing beyond the level of a child in her age.

****************************************

Raisha, dear can you give me your Science book for a minute ? said Milee in a soft notion.

Sure... Take it Milee..... said Raisha handing it to her friend without a hesitation.

Taking the book Milee copied all the answers of the last done exercise which was given for them, as a homework. Raisha happened to see this and waited Milee to take down the whole exercise.

forgot to do the homework ha? asked Raisha with a smile on her face.

Hmmm... Ya I couldn't do it coz there were a lot of other homework to do. So I forgot that we are given this Science work too. Milee slipped away by giving a sly answer. Understanding that Milee wants to escape from the guilt, Raisha remained silent as usual without a furthermore argument on the topic.

Thank you Raisha... said Milee with a bright smile on her face.

Ok... replied Raisha without any expression on her face to show that this is not a good thing to practice. But milee took no notice on that.

Milee was fairer than Rasisha in complexion. Milee had a thick, long, black and staight hair. Milee's lips were red colour and had a sharp long nose. Both Raisha and Milee had broad foreheads. Milee was shorter than Raisha and her palms were so tender and so delicate when compared to Raisha's palms. Raisha's palms were bit rough. These features which Milee possessed made Raisha to think inferiorly about her own appearance. It gradually grew up in her mind day by day. Although they were good friends, Raisha started to be jealous of Milee's appearance while Milee became envious on the wisdom Raisha possessed. However the two friends needed one another, as they cherished their company so much.

Milee was talkative and always willing to make friends. She was not smart at her studies as Raisha but when Milee did most of the term test papers, even if she answer a question blindly, she got it all correct and scored marks. In case of Raisha, she never got correct if she did a question blindly.

There was an odd quality that Milee possessed. Whenever she has to make a choice or to take a decision, she made it according to Raisha's choice on that. When Milly asked her favorite colour she told the same colour mentioned by Raisha. When she have to choose the aesthetic subjects she chose 'Art' because Raisha chose the same. This sometimes confused Raisha, but sometimes she felt happy about it. They discussed about many things except of boys. They both were interested about boys, but their friendship had not yet grown up enough to talk on the topic. The best thing about the two girls was that if one of them gets absent for school next day, the other one too plans for getting absent.

*******************************************

Now the incident of the "Love letter" was forgotten gradually by everyone and now all the girls in Raisha's class sit where ever they like. So now Sheekha, Milee and Raisha all sit together in the same row of desks and chairs. Raisha has introduced Sheekha to Milee. Eventually Sheekha and Milee too became good friends. So now the three girls, the prettiest of all the girls of the class have became bosom friends.

However Sheekha continued her affair with Susan and she gradually was able to revel the truth to her two friends somehow. Sometimes she showed her letters to both her friends, then all three enjoyed, laughed and had a really great time together.

Then when time passed by Milee's behavior had changed a bit. Milee started to criticize Sheekha with Raisha, for having a boy friend . Milee made Raisha to think that Sheekha is doing something wrong. But Milee never showed any difference to Sheekha and continued the friendship with her as usual. But whenever Sheekha was not around Milee bashed Sheekha's character with Raisha. But Raisha loved Sheekha so she remained silent letting Milee to exhibit her own ideas on Sheekha. Raisha was not good at any arguments, so she chose the "being silent" solution for this criticism.

One day Raisha fell ill and couldn't go to school for two weeks. When she returned back to the school she happened to face something totally unexpected.

Sheekha and Milee had become so close to each other and they even didn't notice that Raisha is around them. Before Raisha fell ill, Raisha had seated in the middle of Sheekha and Milee. But now Milee sat in the middle. Moreover when Milee spoke with Sheekha she totally covered Sheekha's view to Raisha by keeping her arm and bending part of her to her desk. Raisha couldn't even clearly hear the stuff they were discussing. Even Sheekha being the best friend of Raisha didn't notice how painful Raisha was. Raisha felt totally left over. Raisha was so miserable and an anger slowly spread in her heart about Milee. But it's not her habit to argue and win her side. Raisha tolerated this without showing Milee how she feels about her actions.

However, when it is the time to end up the year "The friendship between Raisha and Sheekha" was sadly replaced by "The friendship between Milee and Sheekha".