MEETING AT THE SEA-SHORE

Sitting on one the large rocks at the sea-shore, Humayun is enjoying the view of the full moon and the beauty of the scene bathing in the silver moonlight while waiting for Sara. The cold breeze touching his face is making him more peaceful and he feels entirely refreshed every time he takes up a deep breath. The sounds of the sea waves crashing at the sea-shore, skyful stars and the glowing pearls are markedly enhancing the beauty of the scene. He looks at his wrist watch apprehensive, which is striking 2:00.a.m, with a trepidation of losing her. He brings out his phone from the pocket of his blue jeans, opens chat and finds that the text he sent has been seen.

"How did you get there?"

He hears a loud, childish, troubled screech and consumes less than a second to identify the voice. He turns his face with a blissful smile and finds her fallen over a rock just a few steps back.

"I am stuck, man!"

Sara cries aloud once again. After laughing mirthfully, he stands up immediately and runs to her to give her hand. They come forward by holding one another's hands and sit over two adjacent rocks. Breathing deeply, Sara breaks the ice,

"Hey, Ice-cube face! Why did you call me at the sea-shore? I was about to arrive at your shop tonight!"

Constantly staring at her with a delightful smile, he replies,

"To see the full moon with you!"

Feeling a bit amazed, she glances at him and becomes more astonished when she notices that she is being unceasingly captured and camouflaged by his eyes riveted on her.

Knocking his head with her fingers, she blares with a smile,

"Hey! Ice-cube face! What happened?"

"I was missing this cute smile!"

He replies immediately. Her smile disappears for a while. She seems astounded.

"Yes, this is true! I really felt your absence!"

He adds, still starring blissfully.

"I slept early last night!"

She replies with agitation, turning her face aside. He turns his eyes to the moon immediately when finds her discomfited. Both seem hushed up for a few minutes, letting the crashing sounds of the waves grow louder. She breaks the ice once again with a mirthful smile,

"So, … How was your day!"

"Stop faking a smile!" He says readily,

Taking in a deep breathe, she tries to reply,

"Why would I be …"

"Why didn't you slap that boy?" He interrupts.

His question leaves her mouth opened and her face staggered.

"You are a strong girl who didn't even leave the rascals unpunished!" He adds.

"How did you know about it?" She replies with a question, looking amazed.

"I went to your academy because you didn't tell me anything!"

He replies calmly, staring at the moon. Breathing deeply, she lowers her head.

"Why would I slap him? He was right!"

He glances at her face for a while.

"So this is the reason you left the job. You lost confidence and self-belief."

She loses her control as shown by her quavering voice when she lets out a wail,

"I know I have a tag of orphan on my forehead but it doesn't mean that I don't deserve an accomplished life with a respectful post! That shit eats me inside day by day! Why do people look at us disdainfully? Being an orphan is not my fault. Why don't we deserve being a doctor or an engineer or whatever else we want?" She begins breathing convulsively.

His eyes turn red and fill with water and in his chest he experiences a faster rate of heartbeat, consistently staring at her , he seems to be miserably wretched and asks softly,

"Do you have anyone or anything to lose?"

Glancing at him, she replies in a faint voice,

"No!"

"This is your strength that you have no weakness!"

He says with a prideful smile and his accent, full of emotions.

"You don't need people to believe in you. You need to have faith in yourself and you will find others regretting it later!"

He instructs him supportively, staring at her with a prideful smile.

They spend a few unsaid minutes just feeling one another's presence and enjoying the music of the waves, crashing at the shore.

"You are not supposed to call me your friend unless you stop telling lies."

Humayun says unexpectedly.

"I heard that friendship is the relation in which you share all of your problems and happiness with one another."

"You didn't hear wrong! Okay, you are requested to share yours too!"

She replies with a weak smile.

"Hope you would not mind if I ask you about the reason you don't continue your studies!"

He tries to ask in a soft tone.

"I can't afford the fees of the course I like to opt for and the course I can afford is not the one I like!"

She replies.

"And what is the one you like?"

He seems to be eager to know.

"I am passionate about being a doctor! I didn't apply in other bachelor's of science courses like my other roommates because I am not interested in those fields."

She retorts grievously.

"You have to make decisions with your mind instead of thinking with your heart. You can't get a job because you don't have a degree and you don't have a degree because you can't afford it. The case is simple! You have to break this circular chain by taking a serious step at one point and luckily, I have a fantastic idea for you, if I deserve showing that!"

Speaking with strength, he expects a positive reply from her.

"Yeah! Of course, my friend!"

She replies readily.

"Okay! So you just called me friend which means you are not going to refuse me. The solution is … You can borrow from me the amount you need to pay for your studies. You can return me after completion!"

He goes with his sentence swiftly.

"Never!"

She cries aloud, seems agitated.

"Sara, I can feel what you do because I was insisted to be an orphan too but I worked to make up my life and didn't feel ashamed in selecting the job of a mechanic because I know what I am going to do ahead. Believe me, We are going to rock the world soon, throwing away the tag of ORPHAN and showing the world what strength we possess!"

He explains with passion and pride.

"But the yearly national entrance test for MBBS and BDS is going to be held within the last days of the current month and how will I return such a big amount, approximately 120,000 per semester?"

She lisps.

"I have faith in you! Just prepare your documents and register yourself before the last date!"

Standing up with a deep sigh, he says with an excited smile.