Goosebumps

I always wondered why only I seemed to notice Ritika. She was obviously different from other girls. She was so very special. She was always unspectacular in her appearance; she dressed simply, wore glasses and tied her hair in a single plait. Call me old fashioned but I always found her pretty, much prettier than all those other girls around flaunting their bodies in an unpleasant display of pubescent sexuality. She had something about her which was so understated, so feminine; A potential which seemed to elude every one apart from me. I sometimes thanked God no one else noticed her. What chance would I have if Ryan or Aditya or any other pretty boy knew her like I did.

We met in an encounter fit to be in any Bollywood movie. I was walking down to the field to play football when I ran into Ritika coming across from the other side of the road. Our eyes met for the first time and we both froze. It seemed as if look into her soul through those hazel brown eyes. She stared back with an intense ferocity which made me feel as if I were transparent. I felt like fleeing, but I wanted to be there.

Pee Peee PEEEEEE!!

A car moving at high speed lost control and skidded of the road and hurtled towards Ritika.

“WATCH OUT!!” , I screamed at the top of my lungs as she jumped for cover.

The car screeched to a grinding halt on the pavement.

I ran to the other side. I gasped with horror as driver in the car lay unconscious with blood oozing off his head. Oh God, let Ritika be safe. My heart thudded with anxiety as the seconds lengthened into hours.

She was safe. Completely unhurt. Unscathed. Hoof! I breathed a sigh of relief and silently thanked God for this miracle of sorts.

My head took over as soon as I got to her. “Are you alright, Did you get hurt, I’m Adnan I study in your school, are you okay? I did not mean to startle you. I’m sorry are you okay?”

It all started that day. She had later confessed to spying on me earlier too. She thought I was different too. She had been startled by my attentions on that fateful day. She had never in her dreams thought that I would harbor feelings for her. We talked and talked everyday and spent hours on the phone. We were meant to be. She loved me and so did I.

Today I was going to make it official. We were going out on our first date. I spent hours getting ready in my room. My elder brother Tahir did not seem to care though as I ran around trying on clothes. The new Bai kept rearranging the cupboards. Everything was messed up. I rummaged through the cupboard frantically and finally decided on a neat pair of blue jeans and my favorite red shirt. I checked my wallet, fixed my hair and brushed twice before I eventually ran out of the house.

We were going to follow trails and hike on Patel Hill till Samson point, the top of the hill. I reached the venue early and doubled checked all the arrangements. It was late evening and no one was around. Ritika came out of the distance. She was glowing with a radiant aura. She ran towards me and opened her arms to embrace me.

No… No…. This can’t be……

She went straight through me

This is not happening…. She must have died in the car crash… No that’s insane… I must be hallucinating. I have to be hallucinating

Ritika screamed in horror.

I turned around to catch her as she fell on the ground. My hands reached hers….

Thud!!

Dear readers, this short story was written for my cousin's holiday homework. He wanted a horror story.