Email From Amit! #ShortStory

It was the month of April. Assignments and Project submissions were in full swing in NIT College of Engineering. Anjali too had to submit her project work before the end of the month. Anjali and 3 other of her college mates had dedicatedly worked on their project for the last 2 months and had managed to complete it on time. They had only the final documentation pending and since Anjali was very good with MS Word, she took up the task on herself.

One Saturday, Anjali was sitting on her laptop and working on her project. She decided to take a break since she was working on the documentation for 2 hours continuously. Anjali plugged in her data card and decided to browse the internet.

Anjali hadn’t checked her personal email since a long time. So she decided login to her inbox. There were mails from her friends, promotional stuff and a lot of spam. While browsing through, she found a mail that caught her attention…

Subject: “Hello Anjali” Sender: Amit Tandon

She could not recollect knowing anyone by that name. Nor in college nor back in school. She had received the mail almost a week back. Out of curiosity, she decided to open the mail since the subject line had her name. She guessed it might be from someone she knew but just did not remember at that point of time.

“Hello Anjali!

How are you? Hope you are doing well.

You might be wondering who I am? I know you very well, but you don’t know me. You are a very beautiful and intelligent girl. I see you every day in college. I would like to be friends with you?

Lot of Love,

Amit”

Anjali had eyebrows raised as she read the mail. “Weirdo! Some guts this guy has!” she thought to herself. She ignored the mail and closed it. Without her knowledge, a read receipt (when the recipient reads the mail, the sender receives a notification) was sent to the sender. She did not really care. She continued with browsing.

In like 15 minutes, she received another pop up. Since her inbox was still open she got the notification.

“Subject: Hello Again Anjali! Amit here” Sender: Amit Tandon

“What the hell! Another email! Who is this idiot!!” Anjali spoke to herself.

“Hi Anjali!

I know you have read my mail. But you did not reply. I seriously want to be your friend. Why don’t you reply and we can know more about each other. I will be a very nice friend to you! I am waiting for your reply. Please reply.

Lot of Love,

Amit”

Now Anjali was irritated. She wanted a break from her assignment and some idiot was bugging her. She decided to give him a piece of her mind.

“Amit or whoever you are,

I do not know you nor do I want to know you. You send me one more mail. I will report you to the Cyber Police. Don’t you dare send me another email?

Anjali”

SENT.

The email had irritated her. She closed her browser and removed her data card. “Now only a good cup of tea is going to relax me.” She thought to herself as she walked out of the room.

Her parents were not at home. They had gone off to visit a family relative. It was only Anjali and her younger brother Arjun in the house. And since it was already 5pm, she assumed he would be outside playing with his friends. So it was just her.

There were a few unwashed dishes in the kitchen. She decided to quickly clean that up before her mom came home. Humming to herself, she began preparing her tea.

Suddenly, she heard a loud thud like noise. That continued with loud stomping noise from the staircase as well as a loud screaming noise from within the house.

“Didi! Didi! Don’t do it… Don’t do it” she heard her brother yelling. This frightened Anjali to no extent. She turned off the stove and rushed towards her brother Arjun.

“What happened? Why are you screaming? And… don’t do what?” a worried Anjali questioned Arjun holding his arms in her hands. Arjun was panting for breathe.

“Don’t call the police! Please… don’t call the police” said a frightened Arjun. “Call the police!!?? For what?? What is happening Arjun!?” a totally confused Anjali responded.

“It was me! Please don’t call the police!” Arjun uttered the words in nervousness. Anjali was not able to gauge anything. “What are you saying Arjun?” she asked him again.

“A…. A… “Stammered Arjun. Anjali’s heart still pounding wondering what was wrong with her brother.

“A… Amit Tandon… that email… was me!” and he instantaneously covered his face with his hands.

Anjali let out a sigh of relief. “Oh my God! You scared the hell out of me!” and she turned to walk back to the kitchen. In few seconds, she turned back again and said “Wait a minute! That anonymous ‘I want to be a friend email’ was you!!???”

A nervous Arjun stood still and just looked on at his sister. “You were always inside your room this month!! I just thought I will prank you. How did I know you would call the police!!?”

Anjali stormed towards him and twisted his ears and dragged him with her to the kitchen… “Wait till I tell Dad… You prankster!!!!”