Who Is He?

"You say!" I said. "You say!" he said.

Me:"Say what?"

Him: "Anything!"

Me: Are you feeling sleepy? (At 1:30am)

Him : No! you?

Me: No.

Him : Ok say something my love.

(Again!!)

I don't know! I just don't know what to reply for such question. I should have said the truth that yes, I need to sleep. It is ofcourse the time to sleep. Next day I need to go to college. I don't want to be late again. 

The next day while going to college, I just ran into a local train which started on the very second I hoped in and the next second my phone rings. 

"Hello"

"Are you in train now? I just woke up! I missed you."

"Oh! Yes I'm on my way to college, I think I'm late again"

"Don't worry it's ok.... (He continues)

"Hmmm".. 

This continues.

My classmates and college mates enter the train in every stop. I see them and just wave them. They give me a stare and a smile and they wave as well. Even if there is a place near me, they choose to sit in a distant seats or even choose to stand.

I reach my college late most of the time. He calls me during my recess, on my way back to home. You can literally see my mobile as a part of my face almost all the time. 

We are in a long distance relationship. I got to know him through our mutual friend. We've never seen each other in person. I have not even seen his face. He did see me as his friend , our mutual friend had our group photo. We don't even have technological access to send photographs. And it's been 3 years now. 

"SInce this is my final year of college. Next week we are going for a trip organised by our department. We are going to a hill station."

"For how may days baby?" 

"For 10 days."

"Ok dear. Be safe and keep in touch. And keep updating me"

"Ok"

Next week we started our journey. 

"We will reach there in a day. Our escort teacher said."

"We reached."

"We are going to our hotel by bus. Which is somewhere in the hills"

While I was talking to him, suddenly his voice started breaking. I was worried, I was worried if he was crying! And then the call got disconnected!

I tried to call him several times but couldn't reach him. 

I looked at my mobile the charge was there. But wait.. oh that was network problem. I was relieved. I said to my self to call him once I reach the hotel. And I kept my phone in my bag. I just looked around. 

What a scenic beauty. My heart felt so happy that it showed up on my lips. I smiled, I took a deep breath and looked in around the bus. Every one were having fun, singing, talking to eachother, taking photographs. And then my eyes met a man who was already looking at me. As a saw him, he gave a short smile and turned away. 

I then looked out of the window and was enjoying my journey. In an hour or so we reached our hotel. I took my phone to call him and say that we reached. Still no network! I then put my phone back into my bag and looked up. There he was again smiling at me.

Who is he? I then ignored and went behind our girl's escort who guided us to our rooms. 

"Next day we are going for a trek" I texted him. So that if my mobile catches any network it will be sent to him. I discovered that no one got the network there in the hills. 

Next day we trekked . I was walking with a group of girls who were my classmates. They were talking among themselves. I understood non of their inside jokes but gave a fake smile whenever they looked at me. I was not comfortable there so I changed the group, I kept changing the groups. Three years not college, and I had no one to fit in with. And then I started walking behind my staffs. My head was bent down watching their steps and following them. 

As I was following those black and brown shoes of my staffs, I saw a white shoes joining my blue shoes. It was taking the same foot as that of mine. I then realised someone is walking besides me. I lifted my eyes to see him. Him again. Who is he?

He said pointing somewhere "Aren't those streams beautiful?" 

I lifted my eyes to look around. I was standing several feets above the sea level. There was only green trees and plants around and some rocks. And there, at the tip of his index finger I saw waterfalls. 

"It is amazing" I said.

He started to show me different spots and I was thrilled to see more. The clouds were passing us. We had to stop here and there to get clear vision of what lies ahead. He said he wanted to sit for a while. Oh yes, I was tired too. But I couldn't dare to stop as I was following my staffs. I suddenly realised that we walked ahead of our staffs. He guided me up here. He showed me around. Who is he?

"Who are you?" I asked

"Your classmate" He said.

I was in shock and in shame that I didn't even know my own classmate. 

He briefed about him and interests and then we were talking about general topics and views. I was comfortable with him. And throughout the trip we hung out together. Towards the end of the trip I told him about my long distance relationship. He was so understanding and also tried to find some phone so that I can contact my boyfriend. But we couldn't. 

It was such a wonderful trek. I will remember it for my life.

We reached train station and I got the network. I immediately called my boyfriend to explain everything. As soon as the ring stopped, he from the other side started shouting at me. 

"8 days! Where were you? With whom were you? Forgot me completely! Showed that city girl attitude uh....!"

I was speechless. Pearls of tears waiting on my eyelids. I was stoned by his words. Suddenly the world arround me started to fade Again! 

I bent my head down and allowed my tears to fall in to a cup of coffee. I looked up there my friend was standing. He took my phone and cut the call. He said "Don't blame me if the coffee is salty. I brought the best coffee ,but you just added salt to it."

I smiled and took that cup of coffee. And he we walked in the train. He didn't ask me anything, why I cried? What he said? Nothing! 

He just asked me to lift my head and look around, give myself one more day. Because from the next day that phone is going to be on my ears forever

Yes! he said that. I laughed and look deep breath and agreed to give myself this day. What a lovely scene there outside. How happy and funny my classmates are with each other in this train. That was a wonderful trip. 

I reached home and slept early that day. Next day I have to go to college. I got up and felt so fresh. I hopped into a local train again but this time the train started after 15 mins. I went to one of my classmates and sat with her. She was surprised and smiled. I started a conversation about the trip and within few minutes we started to share more about the trip.( I could feel my mobile phone vibrating in my bag). Meanwhile her friends joined us and we then we reached our classroom together. The whole day I was waiting for him to enter the class. But days passed. He never showed up. I then one day happen to check the attendance. The class strength was full, all were present. But he wasn't there in the class. For rest of the college days I with some of my friends started searching for that male. He wasn't found.

 Who was he?