Who was she?

Who was she? 

Have you ever wondered, how beautifully you have lived your school days? You know, all those gossips, bunking classes, class picnics, punishments, assembly ground, and of course falling in love or otherwise “pain-love”. Well… here is one of those memories which I had during my school days. I often think about this incident that happened when I was in class 11.

 It was in 2007. Then I was studying in class 11 at Damphu Higher Secondary School. It all started with a simple call from an unknown number. Back then, we use one of those black and white Nokia phone. Phuntsho Wangdi, one of my best friends was the only guy in our room who owns the phone and rest of us simply carried a SIM card.

It was on one of the Saturdays after social work, Phuntsho came running to me with his phone. He said there is this girl on the phone who wants to talk me. “A girl?” I asked in disbelief, “Why would a girl call me?” He handed over me the phone and said, “She will call you within a minute.” And went away without a word. “What’s her name?” I shouted, “Ask yourself?” he ran off in emergency.   

After a while, phone rang, I instantly received a call.  “Hello, are you Nima, a guy from 11 science?” I was amazed by how soft a person can be. Her voice was music to my ears. My heart started beating faster, I could feel my palm sweating, and I was smiling without a reason. By then I pictured that she would be a beautiful girl with a charming smile. “Yes, I am. Who is this la?” I could feel my heart. I could hear my heart beat, and my blood rushing through my veins. I could feel sweats in my palm and even my voice tremble.

A girl calling me! That had never happened before. I was literally hypnotize by her voice, and the way she talked to me.   On our first call, we talked for an hour, and I don’t remember what we talked about but she did not revealed her name. However, before she hung up the call she said, “I like you, and I have been waiting to talk to you for months, I have been noticing you in school.” I asked, “Why?” “Because I am shy and nervous, not confident like you.” “Which class are you in, what is your name?”  She said she will tell me when the time is right. I was very happy, everything around me seems nice and wonderful. I had a good night sleep and morning was even better.

Next day, Phuntsho came to me again, “Who is it?” I asked, “The same girl!”, “Ohh………………………………” my roommates teased me in chorus.  After a while phone rang, “Hello”  “Hello, are you Nima?” damn how I missed her voice. We talked for an hour on our likes, dislikes, our favorite music, families, but she would never tell me her name nor her class. “I will tell you who I am when the time is right, just know that I like you.” and with a smile (as I felt it) she would say bye.

That evening, after the night study, I shared about her to my close friends. “I think we should go and find your gf” Dhan Kumar said, “No, common yaar, she isn’t my gf yet” I instantly denied wishing it to be true, “she just like me”. “I think she is from class 9” Phuntsho interrupted, “let’s go to class 9 block tomorrow during interval and I may be able to find her” “I think it is not a good idea” Nar Bdr. Interfered, “give her some time, she would show herself one day anyway”. “But she don’t know us” Dhan Kumar yelled with a snapped of his fingers, “she knows all my friends” I immediately interrupted. I said, “More than anyone, I really want to know who she is but I feel it’s better to give her some time”. “Oi…boys…. Sleep sleep….” Penjor shouted (house captain),”this room members never go to bed on time! Go to bed fast!” “OK, let’s talk about it tomorrow, good night all” Phuntsho said. We were on our bed, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her voice, the way she talk to me, and her laugh. I would visualize her in my mind and fall asleep.

Next day, during interval Phuntsho, Dhan, and Om, came to my class and asked come along with them and check class 9 block. I begged them not to but they were more excited than I was. Of course I have bunch of stubborn friends. Lead by Phuntsho, we were touring class 9 block for a while, however, he couldn’t figure out the girl.

That evening, after the study was over, Phuntsho handed me the Phone. “The same girl, I guess she is tensed” he said, “I couldn’t hear well what she said. She will call you in a while.” The phone rang, but it was a different girl. She sounded worried. “I saw your gang/ friends coming to our class 9 blocks find out the girl who called you” she continued in tensed voice, “this is my phone and one of my friends have used my phone to call you, she is innocent please forgive her” “But wait… I am not mad… ” I interrupted, but she did not listen to me at all. She apologized time and again, without a pause. “I am in so much mess because of her, I will not give her my phone to anyone from now, I am sorry and please delete my number” she yelled in tensed, and asked me not to come to class 9 block anymore. She said she even broke her friendship with that girl.

“OK, Please tell me what is her name? At least tell me her name. I will not bother you anymore” I begged her, but she was suspicious and said,” No…. please forgive her” and she hung up the phone. I called her several time that night but in vain. She never responded.

Later, we joked and laughed that I was a victim of a prank call, but deep inside I know the moment I shared with her was real. The feeling that I felt was real. I smile that I had was real. I know she was real, I know she is somewhere out there who misses me when she think about her school days.