PROLOGUE
It will always be a memorable day in my life. The whole day was a disaster but the end was prodigious. There were three reasons behind that. One, usually no one prefers a bicycle race on a horror road, especially at night time. Two, usually no one walk twelve kilometers from such a horror way, especially barefooted . And the most important, usually, no one hears a story in such a dreadful situation, especially from a 'not so good' type friend. But I did all of these things.
That day was also as always, boring and horrible with all the same stuff at college. Notes, assignments and projects were all the gifts we could receive from our beloved teachers.
Notes and assignments were okay but what made me irritating was the project work. I used to think that no one in the world would like the project work until I met Ahana. She loved doing projects no matter what the subject was. We became friends. Then best friends and soon we became closest friends of each other.
That day I had planned to go to her place after college. She had promised that she would help me in doing my project.
I looked at my watch, I was on time. I parked my bicycle. I saw him. A newcomer at our college. It had been three months since his arrival but we had never interacted. I acted as I hadn't seen him and went upstairs.
I knocked on the door and she opened it. She was wearing a beautiful yellow dress. The traditional Indian outfit made her look more gorgeous.
'Waiting for both of you from last half an hour. Please come in.' She said.
The words both of you made me confused. I turned behind. He was standing in front of me.
'Hi. Ved Sansare.' He introduced himself extending his hand for a handshake.
'Afaan Dalvi.' I kindly responded my name in return.
We entered in and sat on the sofa. Her parents were not at home so we could behave freely.
'Haven't you talked with each other ever in these three months?' She asked us surprisingly.
'No.' I replied. I was not interested to talk with him at that time either.
'Actually, we also didn't know each other until he asked me for a help, yesterday.' She said.
'What the…' I stopped myself.
'What?' She asked.
'Nothing.' I replied.
'She didn't know him till yesterday and today she had let him come to her home when there was no one in...How can she be so irresponsible?' I was talking to myself. Of course, I was feeling jealous. Anyone could be, if your friend is getting more friendly with some other person.
'Where have your book reached? Completed writing?' Ved asked.
I was taken aback. I had never told it to anyone except Ahana. I looked at her.
'Sorry.' She apologised making a sad face in which the girls are expert.
Before she could disclose any other secrets I started talking about the project.
we finished and I stood up to leave.
'I think I should also leave now.' Ved said.
'You are home for the first time, have something. At least tea or coffee?' Ahana asked.
'Maybe on some other day.' He said.
We came downstairs. He challenged me for a bicycle race. I agreed. He chose the road which I was scared to travel from, even in the daylight and so it was nearly impossible for me to be fearless in just a little moonlight.
'Ready?' He asked.
I nodded and the race began. We had a tough competition for the first four kilometers but the next twelve were going to decide the winner. The road seemed to be deadly dangerous.
On our way so far I hadn't seen anyone on the road and hence I boosted up the speed to left him far behind.
But suddenly a truck appeared outta nowhere. I was totally confused. The driver too might have thought that there would be no one on the road. I tried the brakes but they didn't work.
'Just leave it and jump!' Ved shouted from behind.
I left the bicycle and dived. Fortunately, I saved my life. Ved too left his bicycle and came running towards me.
'Are you all right?' He asked.
'Yeah.' I replied in pain.
'Can you remember your name?'
'I can remember your name also, ved' I said sarcastically.
'It seems that you are all right.' He laughed.
'How can someone be able to laugh at such a horrible situation?' I thought.
I stood up. 'Now forget about the race. We should go back.' I said cleaning the dust on my clothes.
'We can still continue by walking if you want.'
'No I don't want to continue.' I said.
'I thought that you are not a coward but now I must admit that I was wrong.'
I knew that this guy would not stop and it was getting too much dark. I wanted to go home earlier as possible. Without saying anything I started to walk further. He smiled and followed me.
He saw that my sandal was broken in the accident and I was troubled to walk. He offered me his expensive Nike shoes but I denied. I preferred to walk barefooted rather than to take 'his' shoes.
He caught me grumbling.
'Uhh?' He said in a complaining voice.
'Sorry.' I replied.
'Ahana told me about your interest in writing. She even told me about your book and it's theme.' He said.
'Did you like it?'
'Want an honest answer or just a praising phrase?'
Now that was a different reply. I thought that my story was fabulous and wasn't expecting this kind of answer from anyone.
'No. Please answer honestly.' I said.
'Actually, I didn't like it too much.'
'Why?'
'I have no reason for that.' He said. 'Besides I have a better story than that.'
'Then why don't you write?'
'What? A book? Come on I can't even write an essay of four pages, how can I imagine of writing a book of hundreds of pages?' He replied. Finally, he had talked about his negative point.
'And what is the story about?' I asked.
'Wanna know?'
'Oh yes.'
'It is based on the life of my cousin brother and his six other stupid MITian friends.'
I saw the road, it was very dark, exactly the one we see in ghost movies. We needed something to keep us alive. No conversation would last for twelve kilometers but then this guy got a story to tell. I didn't waste any other second.
'I want to hear the story.' I said.
'The whole story?'
'Yes.' I said 'Tell me from where the story got the start?' I asked.
In response to my question, I received a reply which I selected as the title of this story. 'It all started at MIT…' He said.
