Back when I was a kid, I used to go to boarding school. Those were the days when the only books I read were my textbooks, and even that wasn’t something I did of my own volition. Honestly, I never subscribed to the idea of reading. I didn’t even like children’s books. This dislike would later extend to novels. Growing up, I was totally convinced that I would never read any novels because they were so boring.
One summer evening, I came across this book in a dark cover. It was Harry Potter. At the time, I didn’t even know that J.K. Rowling was a female author!
Anyways, the book belonged to my friend. She asked me if I wanted to give it a shot. Well, I obviously turned down the offer. Coincidentally, I had a sprain, so I was all by myself on the stairs while everyone else played to their heart’s content. With nothing else to do, I decided to take a closer look at the book, and I’m so glad I did. I read through the first chapter. By the point playtime was over, I had read just about enough to be hooked on the story. I just couldn’t help reading any further. It felt so magical and addictive that the more I read, the more I wanted to read.
Soon, I was carrying the book everywhere I went. You see, we were not supposed to read non-curriculum books during our classes or take them to the dormitory, yet I did. I finished it in a day, and eagerly looked forward to the second part. This longing lasted for a year. I was dying to know what came next. The wait was excruciating! I would talk about it with anyone who was willing to listen to the amazing story I had just read. I also felt guilty for having judged the book without reading it first.
The next year, we heard about a girl who had the second and third installments. My friend knew that I desperately wanted to get my hands on the second part, so she offered to borrow it for me. As expected, I couldn’t help reading it at school.
Around the same time, our school announced the COVID vacation. Come September, I got the whole set as a gift from a friend. I was on cloud nine. However, my parents being as strict as they were, I couldn’t bring myself to tell them it was a gift from a friend. I told them that she had sent me the wrong parcel. Over the next few days, I learned to read silently, even if my mind was buzzing with a thousand questions. I also made the most of every opportunity I got to read. For instance, winters would see me sleep in the same room as where the book set was. I would slowly pull out the third part and continue reading it late into the night.
But all good things come to an end. My mother soon learned that I wasn’t studying my school books but rather random novels. She was incensed. It was embarrassing, but I just couldn’t help it. Reading had felt so liberating! I cautiously proceeded with the last two parts, sometimes reading in the bathroom while on other instances making the most of their absence. Well, I have read them thrice so far!
All in all, I’m really happy I started reading, for books have made my life so much more interesting.
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
If you too are an Indian reader with a story to tell, we are all ears. Getting your story published on Ameya is pretty straightforward, actually. Just click on the button below, fill in the applicable fields and start typing. Once you are done, hit ‘submit’. If you don’t quite fancy the idea of filling random contact forms on the Internet, relax – we’ve got all bases covered! You can simply email your story to us at support@booksameya.in. Once we’ve received your story, our team will get in touch with you and apprise you of its publishing status. Yes, it’s that simple!