Joan: Meeting Liza

It has been two years since I've seen her.

My Liza.

I don't know where she is. I don't know why she left. I don't even know if she's alive. I still remember the day I met her.

That day.....seven years ago...

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Joan : 13 years

"Hey Joan ", shouts Emma trying to catch up to me. "You are on your way to church right? I'll come along with you."

"Yeah, Okay". I tell her.

"How's your brother doing. Is he still at the hospital?" Emma asks me in a concerned voice.

"Yeah he's okay for now."

No Emma. I'm not okay. Nothings okay. Everything is a mess. My brother's kidneys were failing. My parents have been on the lookout for a donor. I'm currently staying at my uncles home with his wife and two girls and I miss my family. I'm scared. I don't know what to do. This is what I really wanted to tell her but prevented myself from doing so.

"Hey Joan?"

"Yeah?"

"We've reached the church. Come on lets go." Emma says patting my shoulders.

I enter the church. The mass had already commenced. I kneel down and pray. Tears began to roll down my eyes as thoughts of death crept into my mind.

"The mass has ended. Go home in peace", says the priest holding up his hands to heavens.

Peace..? I don't know what peace is anymore. All I know is chaos.My parents were struggling with my brother and me, juggling between jobs to make money for surgery. I wanted to help them somehow but I didn't know how. I felt like a failure.

I get up and slowly open my eyes.

I see her. An angel.

The moment our eyes locked, my heart began to beat like crazy as though it had been set on fire.

I see Emma waking towards her as well. She seemed to know her. The mystery girl and Emma started talking. I walk towards them as though I've been pulled by an invisible thread. I don't know why I did that. Something in my heart kept whispering to go and meet her.

"Joan, Oh hey have you met Liza? She goes to our school. You might know her." Emma says pointing to Liza.

"I've not. Hey I'm Joan by the way. Nice to meet you. " I tell her.

"Hey, I'm Liza. Funny right. We go to the same school and yet we've not seen each other before." Liza says smiling.

Later some friends of Emma joined the conversation. They seem to know Liza as well.

I spend the rest of the time observing Liza. I don't know why I did that. Maybe it was because I felt a lil bit intimidated by her presence? Or was it really because I too wanted to be friends with her? I don't know. I just couldn't stop gazing at her.

Stop acting weird Joan. I tell myself as I just stood there smiling like an idiot.

I was always the odd one out in Emma's group of friends. Emma was very popular among girls and boys of my age. As for me, I was not that popular. I was more of a loner and an introvert who was hated talking and socialising. I think the only reason she even made friends with me was because I was a nerd and the teachers of my school loved me for being studious. I assumed Liza to be another Emma, a popular girl who loves to talk a lot.

"Bye Joan. It was nice meeting you." Liza says waving her hands, smiling ever so gently.

"Bye" I wave back at her.

Something in my heart kept whispering that I was going to meet her again soon and that she was going to be part of my life in the future.