"A Leap of Faith"

Chapter 1: The Crossroads

In the campus library, Riya, a twenty-year-old college student with a lot of zeal, was sitting with her notebook. There was noise around her where students were talking to each other and books were being shuffled but her thought was different. It wasn’t about the economics assignment that was due in three hours or the semester examinations that were around the corner. No, Riya’s mind was occupied with something else, something she dreamed of and never told anyone.

Riya, who had been searching for the source of a story in her mind for ages, did not need to think for long. She has never lacked inspiration for stories, whether it was in the form of writing, filming, or drawing as she has always desired to do so. Yet she often found herself out of the picture because she lived in a society where the primary goal was to achieve educational accomplishments.

Despite their love and support, her parents had a plan for her: get a business degree, land a steady job, and prepare for a mediocre life. However, that was not the life for Riya. There had to be more, excitement, imagination, and an opportunity to create something and make a difference in the world.

Chapter 2: The Spark

Riya decided to participate in a competition advertised on her mobile phone, which she received in the lecture. She was at a microeconomics semester lecture when one of her phone notifications about a short story competition came in. She picked it without hesitation. The title read: “Jumping the gun.”

Those words spoke to her on many levels. It was as though the universe had sent her a message—now was the time to shake things up. When Riya went back to her dorm room that day, her imagination was already at work. The story Riya was going to write was not just meant to win the contest; it had personal significance – it was going to be a manifestation of several feelings Riya had kept within her.

Chapter 3: Crafting the Dream

Throughout the week Riya lived with her story. She told about Aisha girl from one of the villages who wants to go across the borders to pursue her education. Riya could reflect on Aisha’s brave tale of fear that held her down - of letting her family down, the ability to actually believe in oneself and fight for what’s rightfully theirs, and lastly of gaining the understanding life works in mysterious ways and the rewards are achieved from risk taking.

Through the processes of working throughout the night and waking up early, Riya found herself editing her draft. She went to the extreme of sending it to Meera, her childhood best friend whom she trusts with her vision and fantasies.

“Riya this is remarkable,” Meera said with excitement in her voice because of how the chapter ended. “You should get this in and submit. No Vaanaprasthas.”

Riya’s anticipation was a feeling she had never experienced before in her life. He heart was glowing and proud of Riya, and for the first time in her life everything that looked so wild and unheard of once, now finally seemed to come together.

Chapter 4: The Outcome

Two weeks later, Riya received an email from the competition organizers. Her hands shook as she opened it. She had won first place. Along with the prize money, her story would be featured in a national magazine.

The news spread like wildfire across campus, and Riya quickly became a celebrity among her peers. More importantly, it gave her the courage to share her passion with her parents. She gathered them together and spoke from her heart.

“I know you want me to have a secure future,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears welling in her eyes. “But writing is what makes me feel alive. I want to pursue it, even if it means taking risks.”

Her parents listened closely, their expressions softening with each word. In the end, her father said, “We may not fully understand your path, but we trust you to make the right choices.”

Chapter 5: The Beginning

With her parents’ support and a boost of confidence, Riya set out to write her first book—a collection of short stories drawn from the people and places she met in her daily life. It was her way of honoring the everyday and discovering the extraordinary in the simple.

One crisp morning, as she strolled across campus with her notebook in hand, Riya felt a sense of fearlessness about the future. She had made her leap of faith, and this was just the start of her journey.