Life has taken such a long drive Indu didn’t realize until she met David. It was like a flashback to Indu and somewhere she realized she had lost herself!

It was during the First year of the college and Indu was for the first time attending a night event with her parent’s permission. It was the youth festival that college hosted every year. Indu with her three other girlfriends were all excited and enjoying this moment. The inauguration ceremony was yet to begin as the chief guest hadn’t arrived yet.

 

Indu and her friends were at that tender age where they could have a boy friend but were so innocent too that the thought of it used to scare them to death. In all this excitement, Indu and her friend Rita planned to tease Sarah who was actually trying to woo a guy in the crowd. It so happened that Indu said to Sarah that the same guy is looking at Sarah and seems the feeling is mutual. This gave an encouragement to Sarah and she started looking at him again and again with a smile.

 

“Innocence plays in the backyard of ignorance”

 

In all this mischief’s, the guy – David was actually looking at these girls. He was sitting in front rows leaving couple of rows behind where Indu and friends were sitting. David used to look back and talk to his friends and the girls used to make signals to Sarah saying – he is looking at you. All this was so funny and entertaining when the program started and when it ended was a story itself.

 

In between all this, David’s friends played a prank on him. They hid his bag pack and said check with those girls. David came running to Indu and said – ‘excuse me!!! Did you see my bag pack?  Indu, with a weird expression– ‘said, sorry I am not looking after your bag pack.’ And then David just giving a smile trying to justify his inquiry with her went away.

 

Indu, looked at Sarah and said …guess what? Our buddy came in search of Sarah and couldn’t pass through the hurdles and they all had a big laugh.

 

It was very late for Indu and friends when the program got over. They all rushed home with all the giggles and fun that they had. Next morning they came to college as it was 2^nd day of the youth festival.

Everyone was dressed up nicely for it. There were different stalls and events that were going on. Everyone was looking for their classmates and those who had were looking for their boyfriends. All this was new to Indu and friends as they just came out of the high school and this was the real world where you are of your own.

Suddenly, Sarah came running to Indu and friends saying look that yesterday’s guy is starring at me!!! And the girls started laughing! The 5 days of youth festival went like a snap. Everyone was talking about it and the fun they had as these five days it was from morning till night and this was the time when all the girls and boys got a chance to be out that late.

Monday it was back to school kind of thing. Everyone was rushing from one class to the other and Indu’s classmate Edward suddenly calls out from far, Indu…Sarah…come here for a moment please!

All of a sudden everyone gathered – Indu, Sarah, Rita and the 4^th

member Radha. Edward came and said meet David, he is my friend and I thought I will introduce to you as well. Everyone with a giggle in cheeks said hello and shook their hand. Sarah was a bit shy while she was shaking her hand with David. It was a very casual introduction and hello!

 

Everyone immediately dispersed as the girls said we have a class to attend and it was a bye to the boys!

Edward used to hang around with these four girls as these girls were the ones who were attending every class and were making notes just like how they did in their high school and in the college people used to not sit for all the classes and hence these four girls were very important for everyone as one can get the notes from them. Everyone in the group teased Sarah – ‘look someone was only staring from far and here it goes an introduction already!!! Time was passing with fun but somewhere Rita felt that David is not staring at Sarah instead he is interested in Indu.

Rita was like a bombshell in the group and she slowly passed on her thoughts to Indu. Indu just shrugged the thought saying, ‘no you might have mistaken’.

 

“Innocence is always unsuspicious.” ~ Thomas C. Haliburton

 

Next day when they came to the college it was declared as holiday because some minister died in the hospital. Indu and group used to come far and going back that far straight again was tiring so the girls thought to hang around in the college. Everyone is discussing about the minister and the holiday. Another group comes who are just thinking how to celebrate this holiday – an unexpected one, so they are making plans to go to some place, or watch movie etc.

 

Edward and David come together to Indu’s group and says hello and they put a request to the girls if they can join for a movie.

Sarah is all excited as she thinks this is the moment and she turns to Indu. Indu and Sarah look into each other’s eyes and Sarah is like please let’s go for this one as we never get a chance like this. Indu was more conscious if people from her town will see them they will spread the rumor that girls are not attending classes but fooling around and watching movies.

 

The thought was legitimate as the people around there were like that. Anyway with lots of if’s and don’ts Indu felt she is becoming the villain for Sarah and she agreed to watch the movie. David was very happy and they started walking out of the college. Through out David was walking beside Indu and asking about her and trying to know more about her. Indu was a bit nervous and so she pulled Rita along with her.

 

“Innocence is like polished armor; it adorns and defends” ~ Robert South

They all went for the movie and enjoyed the time. After the movie it was time to go home and the boys came till the Bus stop to see off the girls. Similar meetings became frequent during lunch times as when they had practical’s they have a long day starting early morning till evening. David and Edward used to bring their lunch boxes and used to share with Indu, Rita, Sarah and Radha. One day, Edward proposed to the girls that we should form our group and name it.

Everyone felt addition of David is fine as everyone felt comfortable with the new member and they trusted him. Indu thought if Sarah and David will have an affair in the group then the chances of group getting split in two is more….but she didn’t share her thoughts and they all agreed upon the name for the group as RIDERS (Rita, Indu, David, Edward, Radha, and Sarah). They also had a band which they all wore in their hands – it was the sign of the group RIDERS and everyone had to wear it religiously.

 

It was fun with group thing and its rules. Everyone as a family was enjoying life. Everyone supported each other during exams and even during the result times, when someone is getting less marks or has failed in some. The group extended their reach to each other’s family. Everyone went to each one’s house during weekend. This was a good introduction to parents as well as they know who their kids’ friends are and vice versa.

 

It was the mid term results time when Rita, Radha and Sarah were out of town on vacation with family. Indu’s parents didn’t go that year anywhere. Indu as usual came to college to collect her mark list. She met Edward and David too. They seemed to be early for it as they had to wait to for the officials to come and distribute the mark list. In this entire wait, Edward came up with a proposal for David to Indu. Indu was already a bit worried on the result part as she had this misconception that she didn’t do well on one of the question papers.

 

Edward tried to make things relax by saying to Indu that you have been always doing good, you just worry unnecessarily. Mean while I would like to drag your attention somewhere else and that is about David.

 

Indu: what about David? Is he also worried about his results?

Edward: No! Actually this has nothing to do with the results. This has to do with you!

Indu: Me?!! Like what…?

Edward: David likes you and he wanted me to convey this with you so that he can further talk to you on this.

Indu: My goodness! I am worried here with my mark list and you are coming up with this…are you playing? You didn’t get anything else in the whole world to discuss than this?

 

Indu just ignored and got up from the bench and started moving towards the hall where the students were lining up.

 

Probably Edward understood that it is a wrong timing and so he left it there.

 

After being in the line for half an hour Indu got her mark list and she was happy as she got almost 90% in all. She knew this is mid-term only and she has the remaining time to improve upon.

 

Indu waited to for her group members Edward and David as she wanted to know how well they did.

 

David and Edward came walking slowly and Indu asked them so how is it?

 

Edward quickly exchanged his mark list with Indu’s and Edward said, I want to see how much did you get as you were the one who was so tensed as if….and when he looked at it he kind of started pulling Indu’s ears!

 

Indu started justifying her case and David looking at Indu with a sad expression, kept a far distance and took a seat.

 

Edward came back to the topic with Indu while David was there and Edward started asking Indu as to why not? As David is such a nice guy, his parents love you and that entire possible thing which will make Indu say ‘yes’ for David.

 

Indu was kind of in the middle as she can’t say No because she doesn’t want to break her friend’s heart but at the same time she didn’t love David as to accept the proposal either.

 

But because she was getting late, she said okay and she ran to catch her bus. The clouds were rushing and all of a sudden it started raining heavy. By the time Indu reached her place she was soaked in water but she was soaked from inside too.

 

“The silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails.” ~ William Shakespeare 

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