There I was only six at that time. It was a warm day and there was bright sunshine on my head. The grass was lush green and the blossoms were hanging a little low due to heat. Yet their colours were imparting life to the scenario. I was sitting under a shady tree with my toys scattered around. I was thinking and literally revering the joy I would have when she will come. And suddenly I heard a few giggles and then a soft voce whisper in my ear:

"I am sorry for being a little late"

"No, no…!!! There is no problem!! This is what you expect me to say! Don’t you?"

"Oh! You are angry. I said ‘sorry’. I mean it. Baba didn’t let me out earlier. He said it was too hot."

"As if my father never says anything! Why don’t you just go back to your Baba! I am sorry for making you come out. Besides, I am going too..."

She knelt on the grass right next to me and came very close. I turned my face away. She closed her eyes as if in more than a minute. Actually to me it was eternity. Her soft lips kissed my plump cheek. Suddenly I felt something warm skid on my face. It was her tear. From deep throat her voce came out:

"I am sorry"

And as if in split second she got up and moved away from me. "Wait" my voice stopped her

"I am sorry too. I was a little hard on you"

"That’s okay" was followed by a giggle. I pushed my favourite toy towards her and she knelt again. Picking up the toy she accosted me.

"We shall play together!"

We always played together. The whole neighbourhood passed strange looks at us when they saw us growing together. I heard my Aunt say to my mother the other day:

"Bhabhee jee, this is how they trap good boys. She has let her daughter near your son purposefully. She definitely has an axe to grind!"

Though my mother argued with Aunt yet there was something she kept in her mind from that discussion. She also became a believer that our pure companionship would bear but a rotten fruit. Years passed and then it was her birthday again. This was her sixteenth birthday.

"What are you taking all that time in?"

"Mother, I am getting dressed!"

"For the last two hours you have been getting dressed son. May I ask where you are to go?"

I came out in a bright white shirt. My navy blue trousers added to the glow of the shirt. I avoided neck ties in casual get-togethers. The shoes blossomed black and my hair reached the neck.

"Party, a birthday party!" I exclaimed.

"Not that shameless girl’s party, is it?"

"Who are you trying to call shameless. She is my best friend!"

"You just listen to me son: She is not our type of girl. You should avoid her congregations, and if you are committed this day, make sure you are home on time!"

I would be home on time – my time! I left the house in great anger. There was no doubt in the fact that I had seen her nude, not once but many a times. She had also seen my sacral parts. But where this was true, there was another truth associated. We merely saw each other to know how things were in nature. There was not once that I thought of making love to her. What stopped me was the thought of her getting pregnant and brining shame to herself and family. Had I been given a free choice, I would have picked her as my bride. But I knew that it was not happening. Firstly my parents were not to let me marry out of family and secondly her father would not allow her to marry someone she had seen before. But we were friends. We were this close friends that we helped each other at school, in games and even in learning about adultery and sex.

She was looking very pretty that day. Her eyes had a great shine. Her bosoms stood firm and proud. Her lips were a thin pink lace. Her nose was sharp. Her complexion was fair. She was a demi-god. I could hardly take my eyes off her.

After the birthday party I accompanied her to her room. We started opening the presents together.

"Oh! You shouldn’t have!" Her emotions betrayed her as she opened the necklace I had to offer. "Why don’t you put it on yourself?"

I went closer to her, close enough to smell the scent of her hair. She let her hair to the front and motioned her head to guide me. I opened the necklace and put it on that fair skin. She closed her eyes. I moved closer. My breath kissed her skin gently. My arms were dying to grip her. I wanted to be her man. I closed my eyes. Felt her heart throb under her chest. Felt her pulse kissing my chin. Felt her sweat moist my skin. And then I placed my lips on her ear.

"You are the most wonderful girl I have ever known. I love you" My voice was husky with truth in it.

"I love you too!"

She turned her face and our lips met. I was as if in frenzy. The whole world was more beautiful. I was in heaven.

"Khalid!!! What in the world are you doing to my daughter??" Uncle was more than just angry.

We pared. Those lips were never to meet again. Next day I saw her in the college. She was quiet. With an emotionless face, she asked me to follow her. When we reached the girls’ room I deliberately stopped. But she would not let me. "Come, I want to show you something"

Those were the worst scars I had ever witnessed. The whole body was black and blue. I cried. For the first time as an adult, I cried. She told me in tears that her father was moving to U.S. The family was to go along. That evening they had a flight to catch for Karachi. I cried with her for a long time. She kissed me when I was five. We were pure then. We were pure today. So was it our love that was impure or was it the polluted mind of our parents?

She never did go to Karachi. After breaking her bedroom door when her father entered with his leather belt, he had to witness the blood covered body of his daughter. She had nothing on but a necklace round her neck.

"I entered the world naked and companionless. I want to leave with only one possession… my true love!" read her last few words.

I am still unmarried and would die a virgin.