A Loan Of Five Rupees | Part 1 ✓

• part one | interlude •

Not a chapter but I think you'll love to know some things about this story!!

Let me start by explaining how it all came about. Initially, I never believed in the idea of reconnecting with someone after a long time and falling in love, like in those cheesy novels or movies. (Emphasis on never). But then, a friend told me a true story about her sister's friend, which had a full-on Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge vibe, and it amused me. After that, a small part of me started to think that maybe the world wasn't as big as I once thought. That's where I drew my inspiration from. (And no, I didn't write their story-trust me, it's a whole different tale I won't get into!)

Besides that, the story is partly drawn from my own experience during a train journey. (And no, Krishna isn't real-my trip wasn't romantic and definitely didn't feature a hero!). The opening chapter is based on a true incident, and to my horror, no one did anything to stop the couple from their over-the-top PDA. I don't mind it now, but at 15, it really traumatized me. To make matters worse, our reserved seats were in a coach packed with hormonal boys and crazy men. It was an unforgettable journey but for all the wrong reasons!

Choosing the names of my characters wasn't too difficult. The day I came up with the plot, I happened to be watching a Tamil debate show discussing 'modern and fancy names for kids vs. old and classic ones.' I've got so many names jotted down in my notebook that I could write ten more stories with stylish yet timeless names. As for Krishna, it's not new, but I chose it simply because I love the name. I'm a devotee of Lord Krishna-not in the traditional sense, but in my own quirky way, where I consider him a friend and casually chat with his idol like the nut-case I am.

While creating the character of Samiksha, I infused most of my other characters into her (you'll see her impulsive side more in Part 2). However, I also blended parts of my friends' personalities with my own, so she wasn't too difficult to figure out. But Krishna? That was a challenge! I'm terrible at romance in real life, which my best friend constantly teases me about. For me, all the lovey-dovey stuff only happens in books and movies, and yes, I'm totally in love with fictional men. (Yes, I'm a huge Bruce Wayne fan-say anything bad about Batman, and I'll kick you!). [EDIT AFTER 9 YEARS: I ended up marrying the love of my life after 7 years of drama, and funnily enough, he calls himself Batman! Oh, and we met on Wattpad-don't freak out, don't scream now!]

Once I had sketched out the characters, I dove into the details of the plot. This was the hardest part, taking nearly three weeks to gather all the information about the trains and locations. With three trains conflicting with my storyline, I had to research their entire history-timing, stations, and even their debut dates. Ultimately, I chose the 'Chhattisgarh Express' as the best fit.

The descriptions of the train coach and Nagpur station are based on my own experiences. Since most Indians who travel by train have passed through Nagpur Junction, it was the easiest choice for authenticity.

And regarding 'Ajni Railway Colony'... I owe a big thanks to my best friend, Apoorva. I recall all those WhatsApp exchanges where I pestered her for details about the area since Google Maps and images weren't giving me a clear picture. Despite her frustration and playful curses (she hates curses, but I use them a lot), she sent me a voice message with a ton of, 'Yaaaaaar, tere dimag mein itni chotti si baat ghusti nahi hai kya!' (Translation: Buddy, why can't you grasp such small things?). Eventually, she provided a full description when we met at a friend's birthday. So, I'm not thanking her here, or she'll get mad if she sees this on Wattpad. (Edit: She did read the story and said there was no need for thanks, plus she helped with the Marathi dialogues in 'Not A Simple Engineer Boy!')

Once I had all the details about the main characters and plot, I began designing the other characters without much difficulty. Even though I don't have siblings, I feel a special bond with my friends' brothers and sisters, which made creating siblings for my characters easier. Alisha, for instance, is based on one of my best friends-though I'll keep her name private (she's an important part of my life).

Then I started writing!

Crafting a romantic story was quite challenging, especially since I had no real experience with romance. Despite this, I gave it my all and continue to read intense romance novels to better capture emotions in my next book. This was my first attempt at writing romance, and perfecting my craft brings me great satisfaction. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it!