Chapter 11: The unexpected or so called, ‘life’

With unwavering resolute of wooing and then of loving her, the first year of engineering went like a speeding bullet. Eventful year had come to an end.

Studying had never really been my forte, yet I was an engineer in the making.

To be honest, I had taken up engineering, just for one reason, that it sounded cool.

It all changed in a matter of days when exams drew close.

Making it pretty clear that not trying wasn’t an option, I started following in the footsteps of my buddy Tej, and well of course, Lia. Different colleges, different streams, different approach to life… yet she was an inspiration in every aspect of it. And a hot topic in my college’s staff room, as about all the teachers had caught me texting her during ongoing lectures, taking my ‘number of time cell phone being confiscated’ tally to a record breaking thirteen in a single semester.

They kept shooting knowledge drawn straight from the quiver of hell, and I kept getting shot at. This went on for some time, and then more. Only escapade was…

Time for my life’s first ever “FIELD TRIP”…

••

Bags were packed, and so were the buses. With the concerned faculties zipping up and down the vehicles to make some final arrangements, and adjustments, we were now all set.

If college life is not about making some friends for life, then what is it about?

Our field trip was setup in a hydro power station on the edge of a beautiful waterfall.

First time did I ever witness a beauty so pure, untouched. I lost myself in the scenic view of the water splashing down on the rocks and giving a fog and mist like appearance. No trees, no flowers, just water splashing everywhere, and every splash seeming like a pearl dropped straight out of heavens.

The cool and misty surroundings formed the backdrop of the power plant we were to visit.

The students were divided in teams, Tej and I were grouped with another friend Roshan, and a new student Mazin.

Roshan was a part of our trio since about a year now. An average student, just as I was, and just as fun to be with.

Mazin on the other hand, was a shy bloke, under the wraps. Sooner or later, he had to come out as one of us.  

This trip forms an important story for more reasons than just one.

Well, meeting and making up new friends was the good part, but everything that has good in it, has an element of bad as well.

The visit to station was over soon. The real reason of the trip was always the fun and frolic that had to follow.

But all wasn’t fun… not for me.

With the currents high enough to slice a stone, a classmate, standing waist deep in water, felt something pulling him in. trying to get back his balance firmly, he grappled with a stone nearest to him.

Matters of luck are beyond are beliefs. As I stood there, on the same stone, basking in the glory of mighty nature, I felt a hand grabbing the bottom of my leg, and in a flash of a second, I was down.

After not being able to get up for a good few moments, everyone rushed towards the man in spotlight, only to find that I was unconscious, as I lay over my back. That classmate was, however, fine.

Although back in a conscious state after a few minutes, something felt wrong. An extraordinary pain made me feel paralyzed waist down.

I could only tell everyone I was fine. We were way out of the city limits. Nothing could be done anyway.

However, Tej had noticed that something had gone terribly wrong. Few moments after reaching back to the rendezvous point, I was rushed to a hospital in a half unconscious state now.

I don’t remember anything after that, except the pain, and the treatment, that lasted ages.

••

Third semester had just gotten over, and I was confined to bed.

My fate had been decided. One year at home, join back in the batch of the people you ragged just a few months back.

The world doesn’t stop even if you do. College started after a month of semester breaks. But that was for everyone else.

Very quiet and empty on most of the days, my home used to be flocking with visitors at least once in a fortnight when all friends and classmates would come down to meet and greet me, and to tell me that ‘whatever happens, happens for a reason.’

Not a firm believer of it back then, I saw a bit later how that holds true.

On any normal day, home seemed too quiet, as all I did was sleep, eat, take medicines and sleep again.

All the while I was awake, the days were spent, thinking of being with Lia, and waiting for her to come home, as she made it a near daily and later on twice every week, ritual for herself to see me.

All the while that I was awake, all I did was to go back in time, and think of the marital bliss I had gotten being with her.
All the time spent sleeping, it went on dreaming of the girls of my dreams.