Mine Forever

WHY LIFE IS SO HARD

 Noah’s P.O.V.

It was been a week. Stephany was absent. I asked her best friend Jenny about her and she told me that his father is sick and she is taking care of him as no one else is in their family.

I sighed while closing my books. I was sitting in the library and was completing my assignment. I had noticed that every 2-3 months, she absent for a few days. Even she was absent for a whole month in the first year. After that she came, I was looking too weak and sick. She had bruises and injuries that she tried to hide very cautiously. I wanted to ask her about her injuries but never got that courage. We were not so close.

“Hey, buddy…. Why are you so low today”, James came beside me and asked me.

I looked at him blankly and then lowered my gaze back to the closed book. I really didn’t want to talk to him this time.

He sighed and then sat on a chair. “It’s again about Steph… right?”, he looked at me and I didn’t answer him.

He sighed and stick his elbow on the table.

“Look man… I know that you are worried about her and you should be. I have investigated her”, he said and I looked at him surprisingly. What the hell he was thinking.

“Her father is a martial art teacher who runs a school. So, it gives a logical reason for her bruises and injuries as she is also a trainee there”, he told me and now it made sense of her bruises. She must be in combat with other trainees there for practice.

“So, stop worrying and thinking too much about her bruises now. Her father loves her so much. Her neighbors told that he is very caring and loving to her. He can’t bear a single tear in her eyes. So, a big no for abusive behavior or anything like that crap”, he said again and it somehow relieved me.

I was glad that she had a caring father and also the thought of her being strong to protect herself made me proud of her.

“let’s go now. I am hungry”, James exclaimed suddenly shaking me vigorously that pulled me out from my trance. I sighed and then packed my books again into my bag pack and then ushered him to go out.

Stephany’s P.O.V.

My chest was still hurting like hell. I am not fully healed yet as the broken bones in the chest punctured my lungs too.

My father hospitalized me right after we ran from there to the battle clinic where I fainted. I came out of the hospital after 8 days but still on strict rest. Whenever I tried to move normal, I coughed blood which panicked my father more.

Yesterday, he scolded me badly. It was first after so many years. He was really worried for me and he had every right to scolding me. I was his only family left. As I was not able to speak loudly, I just listened to him silently.  

“Steph… Steph…”, I heard Jenny all shouting and heading towards my room while running on the stairs.

Jenny Mills was my only close friend who knew everything about me and my family. I could say that she was the only human close to me after my father. She loved me a lot like a sister. She is a nerd but also a social butterfly. She had so many online and offline friends.  She is also an active member of so many extra-curricular activities club of the college.

“Oh my Gosh… Steph.. what r u doing”, she shouted in a shrilled voice at me as I was about to stand up from my bed. I was having difficulty standing up and making any big move.

Jenny immediately ran towards her and held her from her shoulder and supported her. “Why are you so stubborn”, Jenny said in an irritating tone.  

“I am fine Jen…. It’s better now. I can stand by myself”, Steph rolled her eyes at her friend’s protectiveness.

“Yeah… yeah…. You say and I listen…why you can’t ask for help. You are still a human, not a superwoman”, Jenny rolled her eyes and then helped me.

After helping in my business in the washroom she helped me settled at the bed.

“Here is your missing classwork”, she handed me notes of all my work I missed during my hospitalization.

“Thanks, hun… you truly a savior”, I put my hand on my heart and blinked my lashes with a fake smile of gratitude.

“I know sweetheart….”, she chuckled, “you can’t survive college without me”, she winked and we smiled on her.

She settled herself beside me on the bed and started telling me every gossip going around in college these days. She was such a gossip queen.

“Oh….BTW…Noah was asking about you. He was really worried for you”, she said in between her blabbering.

I looked at her in amusement.

“What”, I shrugged my shoulder at her.

“What do you mean by WHAT. I mean….. come on girl… he is the hottest guy of the college who was asking for you and you just gave a cold shoulder”, she shrieked on her last words.

“So…..”, I looked at her in duhh tone.

Her eyes widened in shock. “So?????? R u serious”, she almost yelled at me while straightening her back and sat like she was about to pounce on me.

I sighed and stopped writing. “Jenny… you know I am not interested in these kinds of craps”, I said and she hit her forehead and said with a thud.

“What do I do with you Steph….. you are smart… intelligent… beautiful… not so beautiful like me…(I smile a little on her ranting) but still beautiful and also you have a damn sexy body… of course (she shrugged her shoulders again)… less sexy than me….you can wrap any boy on your finger just like this (she moved her finger in a circle around my eyes and I gave her a blank look)… and you are.not.interested.???.... What the hell is wrong with your brain”, she was really a drama queen. She yelled aloud on the last words.

“Stop being drama queen Jenny”, I yelled back at her and coughed a little. I felt a little pain in the chest.

“I am so sorry…. Please… drink this”, she immediately calmed down and handed me a glass of water.

I drank a few sips and then gave back the glass to her. She put the glass on the side table and then helped me again in laying back.

“You should rest.”, she said in a lower voice. I exhaled a little. I couldn’t see her sad.

“Jenny….. don’t worry… I will be back on my feet soon”, I squeezed her hands a little a passed an assuring smile.

There were tears in her eyes. “I can't’ see you like this. Why is your life so hard”, she was almost verge of crying.

“Hey…. Hey… relax… okay.. I am alright…. It’s not that I am going to dying any soon… I am happy… I have you… right???”, I took her hands in my hand and tried to comfort her. She was my bff since 5th grade. Since then, we were together like shadows. She always covered me whenever I needed and I always protect her from being bully or being used by anyone.

“Oh…. I forgot to tell you...,” she instantly stood up and pulled out some papers from the bag.

“Here…. You need to sign this form for the annual sports meet. You are going to represent our college this year. Also, you are leading our athletic and handball team this year”, she informed me and I sighed.

The meet was going to held in another 6 months and this was enough time for me to heal and back in shape.

Suddenly, there was a ping sound coming from my phone. I was surprised. Except Jenny, no one had my number. So who texted me???