"Anna"
Hearing someone call her name, the girl abruptly turned around.
To her surprise, she saw someone she hadn't seen in half a decade standing there.
"Sam... is it you?"
"Yes, Anna, it's me."
Tears began to form in Anna's eyes.
Only she knew how much she had endured over the past five years.
She had been just an ordinary girl with ordinary pursuits, but Sam had given her the opportunity to reach heights she could never have imagined.
Even though she was scared and wanted to give up multiple times, Sam persuaded and encouraged her.
But one day, he suddenly vanished, completely out of contact. She had no idea if he was alive or dead.
He was her support system, and now it was lost. She almost broke down, though this was something she wanted to do. She knew she wasn't capable enough for the position.
Initially, Sam had helped her brave through it, but when he disappeared, her courage to face difficulties went with him. She was almost about to give up, but then something happened that made her decide not to.
Khalpur Village
One day before the first school was to be built, Anna visited Khalpur with the intention of backing out from the project. However, something happened that day which strengthened her resolve.
As she entered the village, she encountered a little girl, no older than four or five.
When the girl saw Anna, she ran up to her and greeted her warmly, offering her a cup of water.
"Hi Anna, are you here for the school?" the girl asked with bright eyes. "Here, have some water."
As Anna drank the water, she looked around at the scenery. She saw people struggling every day to earn a meager living, and children younger than four helping their families in an attempt to feed themselves.
"Anna, when will the school start? I want to study and grow up to become rich."
"I want to help my Mama and Papa."
While she was talking with Anna, many other children saw them and ran up to join them.
Many of these children were covered in soil and some were holding freshly plucked weeds in their hands, signifying that they had been working right before coming here.
When they heard what the little girl said, they all immediately chimed in and said that they also wanted to become rich.
All of them had different reasons for wanting to become rich.
Some even wanted to become government officers and take charge of the village.
"Anna, I want to earn to make my parents happy and provide them with a comfortable life."
"Anna, I want to achieve great success so that my family can be proud of me."
"Anna, I want to work hard and ensure that my loved ones never have to worry about anything."
"Anna, I dream of building a future where my parents can relax and enjoy their golden years."
"Anna, I aspire to reach heights where I can give back to my community and make a positive impact on the world."
"Anna, I want to create a legacy that will make my family name shine for generations."
"Anna, my goal is to be able to support my siblings in their dreams and aspirations."
"Anna, I envision a life where financial stability allows us to explore new opportunities and experiences."
"Anna, I am determined to break barriers and overcome challenges to provide a better life for those I love."
"Anna, I want to make sure that my parents can see the world and experience all the wonders it has to offer."
These little ones had various ambitions and dreams. Some of them had small dreams like making their families live a comfortable life, while others had grand dreams of making huge changes to the world's landscape.
However, no matter the scale of their dreams, all these eyes were sparkling with hope.
Hope for the school that was going to be established here, and she had been about to drop that plan just because she was afraid of something going wrong in the absence of Sam.
At this moment, something changed in her. All her previous passion, which had been extinguished by the loss of contact with Sam, was once again ignited.
She stood up, and with the biggest, most positive smile she could offer, she said to the little ones, "Little ones, don't worry. I will build the best school in the world here."
After saying that, she turned back and left the village.
And now we stand here today, Umeed School Khalpur Branch, a world-renowned school with achievements enough to be ranked among the world's best.
She fulfilled her promise.
___
Anna's tears flowed freely as she looked at Sam, the memories of their journey flooding back. She felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, the weight of the past five years suddenly making her knees weak.
Sam stepped forward, his eyes filled with empathy and admiration. "Anna, you've done it. You made it happen."
Unable to hold back any longer, Anna rushed to Sam, throwing her arms around him. She sobbed into his shoulder, feeling the tension and fatigue drain away.
"I thought I'd lost you forever," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't know if I could do it without you."
Sam held her tightly, his own eyes misting over. "I knew you could. You were always stronger than you believed. I'm so proud of you, Anna."
With Sam's reassuring presence, Anna felt a profound sense of relief and comfort. The burdens she had carried alone for so long seemed lighter now. She pulled back slightly to look at him, her smile radiant despite the tears.
"Thank you, Sam. For everything. For believing in me."
Sam smiled back, wiping a tear from her cheek. "You don't have to thank me. You did this. You made a difference."
Together, they stood there, two friends reunited, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they could face them together.