Four Letters and a Phone Call - IV

It is more than a week. I still have not responded to Rachel’s letter. Sarah has not responded to mine. A stalemate situation I would say. How do I break this deadlock? Do I capitulate and write back to that friend of hers? Well, I can’t even if I want to. I have torn up that letter that had her address. So what do I do? Should I try writing to Sarah again? Will she respond if I write to her after I have chosen to ignore that letter from her friend?

My life feels so hollow. Nowadays nothing really interests me. I used to be so excited about Physics. Nowadays I can hardly get myself to read any Physics. I have completely lost interest in studies. My grades have been dipping continuously. But what can I do? My mind refuses to focus on anything other than her. Whenever I open my books, her lovely face comes before my eyes and I lose myself in its ethereal beauty. I still vividly remember seeing that face around three years back at the coaching center. It had been love at first sight. That slight petite frame, the oval face, and those large innocent eyes: I had been totally bowled over. She had looked like an angel descended on earth.

I have lost interest in talking to most of my friends also. I do not feel like talking about any topic other than Sarah. I have confided about Sarah to only two of my friends. So that restricts my entire society to just these two guys. But I am glad at least these two guys are there to talk to or I will go mad. It was one of them who helped me find Sarah in the first place. I had been completely smitten by her beauty from the moment I had seen her the first time. I could not forget her even after coming to college. That face, soft rich brown like freshly roasted coffee beans and the flowing hair dark like the night itself kept flashing before my eyes. But all I knew was she had gone to a medical college in Kerala. I did not even know which college she had gone to. I had mentioned about it casually to Joseph one day. Instead of laughing at my infatuation, he had taken things rather seriously and had offered to find her for me. He is from Kerala and has a wide network of friends in all medical and engineering colleges across the state. He had activated the network and in no time I knew where she was.

As my mind wanders through the maze of thoughts, my fingers unconsciously part the pages of my ‘Resnick and Halliday’ to unearth a very important sheet of paper buried deep within: her first letter to me. It reads, “Nice of you to take time and write to me. I am doing well. How are you doing? Of course, I remember you. Who can forget the smart boy of the class? The number of Irodov problems you solved was a legend. We were all sure you would definitely make it to IIT and you did. So how are you finding IIT? “

I remembered how that letter had taken me to the seventh heaven of joy. I had grabbed at the opening she had given me with both hands and had immediately responded to her. The letters had got longer and longer as time passed. Every letter I wrote to her seemed to me like a work of art I was crafting. I spent an entire day, sometimes two thinking over the exact words to use, the jokes that could make her laugh, drawings that could make her happy. She on her part opened up completely and poured out her heart in her letters. It was as if I was at the medical college and seeing everything through her eyes. It made me feel so special to be part of her life: her academics, her friends and her problems.

I can’t even bear the thought of life without her. I know what I will do. I will call her. That would be much better than letters. It is time we spoke directly to each other.

Beginning of the Series        :  Four Letters and a Phone Call - I

Previous Part                      :  Four Letters and a Phone Call - III

Concluding Part                  :  Four Letters and a Phone Call - V