Dedicated!!

As usual I started my day with the alarm!!! My room mate said with a remark that its just 10 minutes for 9. With my daily experience I could manage to do my routines with in 15 minutes. In between I didn't forget to enquire about the first hour, and look for my clothings. Its 10 past 9. 

I took a book from the nearby room and took my belt and mobile in my hand. As Mens Hostel gate passed, I was perfectly ready with the final works on my hair. I just noticed one of my classmate, Safdar just 10 meters ahead of me. I rushed a little to join him happily that if teacher scolds, I do have a company.. We just passed computer science department. Suddenly my mobile notified. Its a message. I told thanks to that message for making me remind that my mobile was not in silent mode. On seeing the message I stopped. 

Safdar was angry and told me to come soon. I could only say him to proceed and that I was not coming. He asked me why??? One of my schoolfriend died. It was Anukuttan. All my schoolmates were very special to me. 

Safdar went to class. I didn't know what to do? The message was sent by my schoolmate, Arif. Arif was the school leader and he keeps everyone updated about things. Anukuttan had cancer and was in treatment at Calicut Medical College for a month it seems. 

Can he fool others by this type of a message? But I didn't had the courage to know the truth. Actually I don't want to hear such a news. I was alone in that passage. I couldn't walk. My eyes were wet. Was it really true. It was perfect silence. Not even a bird could break that silence.

 But my mobile rang again. It was Shamil. Why should he call me now? Why didn't he attend his class? I pressed the green button to hear him. But he didn't spoke anything, nor me. A tear fell on my cheek and it slided down. After a long pause I murmered what happened.. I heard him weep. I didn't want him to speak and so I disconnected the phone.

I knew I was walking. My footsteps were so bold that it didn't need an eye on it. I felt like feeling headache. I only stopped when I was in my bed. The fan was already on. I switched off my mobile and kept my eyes shut. His face came in front of me. I wiped my tears. How can a person die? No I can't believe it. He never wanted to leave me. He is my best friend. Can he go anywhere without my permission? 

  I managed to collect my album from my suitcase. But I didn't find his photo anywhere, who has taken it away from me? My autograph was also in it. I reached out to see his farewell words. It said " I will make you think of me without words in here..... with love sreehari.. I looked at it for a long time. I studied in boarding school, so all that care is friends. It was quite awesome till my 10th, since we were small and not much free. Parents just know that their son or daughter is safe here in this campus. But when the result came they were anxious and they took more care of my studies. In plus1 we were 33 in our batch. We had been there for long 5 years. Plus1 classes were so sleepy and the only enjoyment was 1 hour games during the evening. I opt football the most, but didn't play upto the mark. 1 month passed in plus1. 

 One day we saw a tall boy standing outside the mess hall during the lunch. Somebody said it is the new admission in our batch and that he is the son of the new english teacher. Next day when we came to the class, there was a new bag kept on the front desk. I took it and cleaned my seat using it, knowing that it was the bag of the new student. When he came to the class, he was covered by a bunch of boys and girls. I didn't even turn to him, since he had only the 34th position in my mind. But fate made me and Sreehari friends. He had many similarities with me. We talked alot and shared lot many ideas. And thus his position became the first in my list. One night he came crying. He was beaten by his father for scoring less marks. I saw scars on his hand and leg. It was raining outside. He stayed a long time with me. I couldn't react to it, since it was more personal. He went back home and I didn't sleep that night. I even thought of questioning his father, but I was just 16 and it would lead to a big laughter. In plus2 he loved a girl, but I couldn't give him her as a present. My cousin had an eye on the same girl. At last it was all over. The schooldays have come to an end, now its time for us to move in different directions. The farewell day has arrived. Sreehari was sitting near to me. Shamil and Arif spoke a lot about the memories and made that evening fade. When the candles were lighted I was weeping. I felt a strong hold on my hand, it was Sreehari. After the final examination my parents came to pick me up. I stayed a long time with Sreehari, we had less words. When we came out phone calls made the job. Yearly get together and some rare ocassions like marriages made us meet. Eventhough we were in different colleges I had a good contact only with Sreehari. I often found my time and went to his home and even to his native place, Ernakulam. He too never missed a chance to meet me. We even didn't ever had a feeling that we are too far separated. No distance is too long for real friends. 

Till now I had never found a better friend than him. I could take the freedom to say anything to him. I am sure he and me would have more understanding than that with own girlfriends. Nobody can replace a bestfriend. He can be more trustworthy than your parents. I never said sorry to him, he knows what I had done. He never wants to miss call or message me to say that he hasn't forgotten me. I could see his face and its expressions infront of me when I talk to him in phone, because we were so close. Have you ever found your best friend? Something dropped from my autograph in to the bed. It was a photograph. I leaned to have a gaze at it. It was Sreehari. He was still smiling at me.