Shravan's life in Oxford is still a mystery to us. Here's a small excerpt which will take you down the path where you will witness how the 18yr old boy , estranged in a foreign land struggled to embrace the new life.

There I was , all by myself in a quaint little cafe by the corner. Months of being hunched over hurtful memories had taken it's toll on me , and perhaps this was my first step towards embracing the new beginning.

The coffee tasted bitter , a bit more than I usually preferred yet the fresh air and unknown faces provided me with a much-needed change of pace. Half way through my coffee, I realised that a storm was brewing. Within moments it started drizzling and before I knew I found myself lost in an endless stream.

Oxford , The City of Dreaming Spires finally got a boy with his dreams scattered , his heart broken and his demeanor screaming weakness.

With every step I took towards the dorm , the memories of my cosy room back in Delhi came back with more vigour. The bed felt cold like my heart. The endless shower turned my days darker. I feared night-time. Sleep never knocked my door but cruel memories did.

I walked into the University with measured steps , the fear of being ridiculed lurking behind. Everyone was full of life. Once again I couldn't merge into the crowd with my dull life. Each period made my want of running back home stronger. How would I survive here ? Without........

I couldn't bring myself to utter her name , the very name which was like a prayer to me. She ruined that little amount of self-confidence I had developed. Our friendship never mattered to her. Didn't I see it coming ? Wasn't I a fool to fall in love with her ? Why did she want to stop me when she herself had pushed me away ?

Maa , even you didn't look back once. Am I that bad that you couldn't accept me as your son ? No reasons , no explanations ! You just walked away. How would your Shravan sleep without your magical touch ? I know your relationship with Papa was strained but wasn't I a reason enough to hold you back ?

Tears are funny , aren't they ? In most situations , you can brush them away with an awkward yet lame excuse. But what do you do when you end up crying a literal river ? What do you do when your heart trembles with each tear that falls inevitably from your muddled eyes ? How do you hide such tears ? Or better even , how do you stop such tears ?

It took me more than a month to accept my new reality. The university wasn't bad. The students didn't bully me , they accepted me as I was !

Spent nights all by myself putting effort into picking up the broken pieces and struggled to assemble them. I forced myself to beleive that I've forgotten it all. I veiled myself behind the mist of ignorance. After days I could bring a stop to the stream of heart-wrenching memories. Finally managed to tame the tears and embarked on a new journey.

It was time to live for myself. Create a new Shravan , stronger than ever. Nobody here knew about the fragile Shravan back home and I wouldn't let them know.

I had never chained my brain. My thoughts flew out in form of writing which I couldn't make anyone hear or read. The opportunity never came my way.
Oxford looked for good brains. During the auditions for the debate I was a stuttering mess but my content stood out. The professors trained me until I was confident on stage. Another trophy came my way ! Another title got added , ' The best Speaker.'

Studies and assignments kept piling up. Books never scared me. I found solace in them and in ..... when my parents fought over silly matters. Lack of human friends made me befriend my books.

Exams began and I performed quiet well. My assignments were praised by the professors. This time I just didn't drown myself into studies , I participated in different extracurricular activities. From debating to writing to playing chess , I aced in all.

Another few months , I realised it was just brain work which I was doing. I was envious of those tall well built guys playing basketball. Always wanted to dribble around and score but was never accepted to the court back in Delhi.
My confidence faltered once again.
Books , studies , writing everything was in my comfort zone but I wanted to move out of it.

After hours of prep talk I walked towards the wet court. Picked up a ball and bounced it around , reached the basket and shot it up. The ball rolled around the ring and fell into the basket.

' Wow mate ! You've got a good aim !'
I was greeted by a typical British accent. Eric , the captain of our basketball team. A small conversation led to rounds of strenuous practices and loads of match and finally another title came my way ! ' The Vice-captain of the basketball team'

Eric became my ideal guide and friend. From spending hours formulating the attack and defence before a match to lazing by the Thames we became inseperable.

Even after entry of new aspects in my life I did feel a void. Months rolled by , I lost myself in the cobblestone streets of Oxford.

The rains no more felt useless ! It helped me to rejuvenate after a tiresome day. The chily winds when played gamble with my hair , I didn't crave for my mother's warmth instead went out for a run to feel the warmth of my own blood.

The first vacation began today but I didn't want to go back to the city which held the memories of the old me. Sipping the dark coffee I realised this was my first step away from Delhi and first step towards wholeheartedly embracing the new beginnings.

The rain mellowed down and as I walked towards my dorm , I lost myself in the petrichor emanating from the grass.

The lock clicked open and I was welcomed by the room which saw my transition , which held my countless struggles throughout these months.
The bed felt warm and welcoming.
This room had finally turned into my home.

Hello everyone , here's my new work on our beloved Shraman. Since the title of the book says 'Tiny Tales Ft Shraman ' you won't find loooonnggg updates here. I can assure you that all of them will be worth reading.
All suggestions and ideas regarding os or ts are welcomed. Please text me your ideas and it will be a great pleasure writing on them.

Thank you ❤️

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