(Suddenly at my apartment)

I woke up...maybe in a few minutes, finding myself at my apartment. I felt someone was caressing my head...who else could it be, other than Anna. She was looking at me with her utmost attention, with a very innocent smile in her face. Seeing my eyes opening, she said, "There you are! Are you okay now?"

I couldn't move my numb body under that heavy blanket. I could feel.... I was in my boxers only. Anna said, with a cunning smile, "Don't worry...You puked !!! So I changed your....Believe me, I saw nothing... I think so". I laughed at her. I said nothing. I just raised my hand a little and made a gesture of trying to reach her. She opened her coat slowly...then, her tee, her skirt...and simply slipped inside the blanket in her lingerie.

Saying " Wow! Its warm in here... with you...You don't drink, right? Neither do I !!! ", she hugged me tightly. I could feel all her warmth. She pushed her pillow aside, and rested her head up on my chest. Yes, I was sure she could hear that...the heart-beats... but I hope she didn't forget those beats were for Grace only.

So I kissed her at the forehead, and went on to sleep. It was already midnight. But she wouldn't let me sleep so early. She danced her little fingers over my abs...as if she was playing a piano. I chuckled...I said her to stop.... 'cause it really tickled. And yes, that deadly, naughty virgin!!! She did it more. So, without being able to withstand it anymore, I  jumped out of the bed at once...but since it was cold outside, and since I was almost naked... I jumped inside the blanket again.

"It is like the best day of my life. I'll never forget this evening....I'll never forget this night, that I spent with you....in fun, in wilderness", she paused a bit, and then asked me, "Hey! What's your most memorable day ?... What's that day, that you'll never forget in your whole life?"

As I went on to answer her question, the smile on her face faded, very slowly. Not that she was not interested in knowing my answer... but that she didn't expect Grace in my answer...not again.

I started, slipping into old memories, "Well ....hmmm ....Grace never talked to me at that great extent, when I used to avail her bus". I paused, as I got reminded of something...merry. "Can you believe in my insanity?...See, our routes were completely different. Still, I used to board her bus, and get down at a place, 9 blocks away from my home... Can you imagine?", I started in a jovial mood but that didn't last long. "You know, why I did all these things? Just to see her, and talk to her for even, at least 15 minutes of my whole damn day! And after all that, I regret...just because she said she wants me as her frien...".

The truth was just about to slip outta my mouth. Thank god!! I stopped. She wrinkled her lip a little, frowned a bit.... I did not want her to know the truth. Before she could say something, I started again, "There was one day... it was raining heavily. Our bus was not working...was standing at one side of the road...maybe a flattened tyre.

I asked her, 'Do you like to get wet in the rain?'. She replied with an innocent smile (confused), 'Well...ummm... I don't know... I'd like to....I hope so...but I don't remember getting wet in rain, ever in my life. Well, what about you?' She asked looking at, but didn't find me in the bus. I was already out...in the rain. She saw me from her window, and chuckled...and shouted from the bus, 'JUSTIN...YOU'RE TOTALLY CRAZY !!!!' I smiled at her and got inside the bus. As I and Nick was talking among ourselves, she decided to splash some rainwater at Nick....and then to me. Nick ran away from her, chuckling, with an 'OH SHIT' expression. But I stood there staring at her...she was smiling. I said, 'I'm already totally wet. But the only one who will be affected by water is...'

She knew I was talking about her. And she jumped up and started to find a place to hide in the bus, as I put my hand out of the window, to collect some rainwater.... to throw at her'. Anna giggled at our actions...I continued.

'When I looked around, I couldn't see Grace. But, how could she hide in a school bus. I looked for her at the vacant last seats of the bus. And there she was, squatting to hide herself. As she raised her head slowly, on hearing footsteps, she saw me with my two hands full of water. She screamed, in a joyous terror, 'Don't!! Don't!! Don't!!'. But I wouldn't listen to her.

I splashed all I had in my hand, and put my hands out for more. She started gathering water too. And we threw water and played the whole time, until I reached my stop, far away from my home.

She gave me a high-5 and wished me bye. I wished her a good bye, too. I was happy that day. I was more than happy". But suddenly I got reminded of something...an old memory, perhaps... which took away all my smiles, and kept Anna confused for a while. It was my departure from town, and from Anna....For my studies.

I said, "Anna...you know...I am a boat. I am made of a thing...don't what is it. People call it "Friends and Acquaintances". I love what I'm made up of. I don't want to lose myself.
The river is not always restless. But at times, it's not even still. As I move on through the course, the whips of this river's water make my body wear away, slowly. I don't move on my own, u got a ferryman. They...are my "Parents". They are the one who try their level best, so that I don't tumble when this river gets its current.
My maker, the God actually said me some important things, while he was making me, but I was very small then, that I could remember or understand any of it, but I do realise now. He said, "If you don't have a ferryman, you can't move in this river. If you move in this river, you have to lose what you are made up of, gradually. Without the river, you have no purpose, you are useless.

Now I understand...

Now I do.

Funny part, I'm an atheist now!!"

Anna got it all...whatever I said...she just kissed me again on my cheek, and rested her head on chest.

She said me to forget old memories, because they only give pain. And then she went on to sleep.

But I couldn't do whatever she said me to do....

Because old memories are the only reason that my heart's still beating...

That my mind's still sane...

They are the reason I'm still alive...