CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

"CHILDHOOD FRIENDS"

BY AMNA BIBI

 

    Amir and Anaya were faithful friends. They had lots in common. They were neighbors, had the same aspirations, studied together and almost all their hobbies were similar. They were friends from when they learned to walk and talk gibberish. They trusted each other to the core and swore not to leave the other’s side. While kids, they spent most of their time with each other, and while in their teens, they did have other friends but still refused to budge from each other… They were often subjected to ridicule from their other friends about talking too much with the other gender and as it happens often in schools, rumors spread like wildfire that they were in a relationship. But still, they cared not about anything their classmates said about them, and their parents too trusted them because they have known each other for so much a long time.

    Once, while studying in class 9, they were playing cricket. It was only the two of them because the others were playing basketball and these two deplored the game. Amir was bowling while Anaya stood ready with the bat… A ball was bowled and Anaya hit it with a dang force that it went straight for the principal’s window and shattered it into fragments. They immediately went to his office to apologize. The principal asked them who was the culprit.

    Before Anaya could say anything, Amir prompted “sir, it was my fault. I didn’t bowl the ball correctly. I’m sorry Anaya wasn’t going to give her buddy up so she said, “No sir, Amir bowled it correctly. I wasn’t attentive enough.” They kept backing each other and finally, the principal himself calmed down and said “you two are so much a good pair of friends that you refuse to put the blame on the other. How can I punish such a pair of good monkeys?? Go on, enjoy playing.” They shuffled gladly out of the office and Anaya thanked Amir profusely. Time passed by, and the duo finished schooling. right from their childhood, the journalists appearing on TV have been a fascination. They decided to opt for an English course to gear up for an appointment.

    In this span of two years, Amir got a girlfriend. Anaya was so happy for him but their happiness was short-lived as Amir's girlfriend got frustrated seeing him always with Anaya and finally, one day asked him to choose between her and Anaya. Amir said, “Anaya has been my best friend for more than a decade now and I cannot leave her friends for an unsteady relationship”. They broke up. After two years, the course completed and they decided to opt to work as partners in criminal dealings. As their parents were dead by now, they always vowed to be together. They submitted their applications to a reputed news channel and stated their line of interest.

    The chairman requested Amir to wait outside and ask Anaya “Can you leave your friend and join here?? I’ll pay you to double.” But Anaya refused and said that she wouldn’t leave her friend at a cost… When Anaya went outside, he called Amir in and asked the same question and got a similar answer. Then he called both of them inside and said “to become partners in something so trivial needs harmony between the duo. I see it in you. You are appointed”. The duo was happy beyond words.

    Time raced by, and they became accomplished senior journalists. They were present in every crime scene ranging from normal murders to terrorist attacks. They had become quite famous in their field. And neither thought anything about getting married. Once, the media was bustling with news about a drug-dealing gang. They did have the photos of the gang members, but nobody knew of their whereabouts.

    Then one Sunday, the duo decided to go for a luncheon. They went zooming down the lane in Amir’s bike. On the way, they had a near-miss accident with a man in a hoodie… The man was also in a bike and they nearly crashed into each other at a sharp turning and in the tuft of air, the hoodie came off… Anaya remembered seeing the guy somewhere and then in a flash, she recollected that this guy was a member of the drug-dealing gang… She asked Amir to pursue the man.

    They drove for quite a while and reached a warehouse, not very far from the city. The man descended the steps down the warehouse and the duo, ensuring they were unseen, followed suit. They decided to separate and videography anything they saw as evidence of the dealings. Amir moved right while Anaya moved left. Amir stealthily walked down and he did see the entire gang there. He took his phone and began gathering evidence. In the frenzy of it, he didn’t notice a metal rod in his path and tumbled on it. The gang, alerted by the sound, started searching for him. He wanted to hide but he couldn’t move an inch. As he lay there, squirming in pain, the gang caught hold of him. They dragged him to their chief.

    Amir knew he was doomed but he prayed that Anaya went out safely…. He was dragged and thrown in front of the leader. The leader asked him who he was but Amir refused to answer hoping to buy time for Anaya to escape. They started kicking him and even banged his head on the wall. And finally, when he couldn’t take the trashing anymore, he confessed his identity. The gang decided amongst themselves that Amir must be killed. They propped him up against the wall and the leader cocked his gun. Amir closed his eyes, waiting for the impact. He did hear a shot, but before it hit him, he felt a brush of hair on his face and a familiar smell of jasmine. And after that, he heard many gunshots and angry voices. He opened his eyes expecting to be in heaven. Instead, he saw a sight that froze his blood. Anaya was falling in front of him. She had jumped in front of him and had taken the bullets on herself and the police were everywhere.

    Amir immediately lifted Anaya up and carried her to a nearby healthcare center… She was immediately taken into the operation theatre and he was given first aid. After a while the doctor came out and said, “She has received two bullets in her body her condition is critical… She needs at least two hours of treatment”. Amir was devastated… He sat in the waiting room and thought about every moment he had spent with her. He remembered how she had risked her life to save him and instantly started crying.

    After nearly two hours, the doctor came out and said, “She is fine now, there is no danger to her life. You can leave now and come tomorrow morning”. but Amir refused to budge from her side. The doctor asked again “Are you the patient’s husband??” Amir said, “no sir, we are best friends”. Amir stayed with Anaya the whole night and in the morning, she woke up… Amir asked her “Why did you do this Anaya?? I could have died rather than watching you like this”. Anaya replied “I’m sorry Amir… I just couldn’t let you die. I have to confess something. Right from class 9, I’ve had a crush on you… I thought that you wanted to be nothing more than a friend so I kept it a secret. but I thought you should know.”

    Amir, mystified, replied “I did… But yesterday, I thought about everything you have done for me and I felt it is only fair of me to ask you this. Will you be my wife??” Anaya has moved to tears “Omg.. I had to take two bullets to make you ask this. Yes. Yes, I will”.

    The very next day Anaya got discharged, they said their vows. And the evidence about the gang was so strong that they were sentenced to life… And the duo, now the couple, got titled the best reporter partners. And they lived happily ever after.