At the University of Oklahoma, Ryan and Sarah were the couple to be. Everyone envied what they had and wanted a relationship like theirs, even if it meant ruining their relationship by trying to split them up. Ryan and Sarah were juniors at the university, but the moment they locked eyes at a frat party one Halloween night during freshman year, they were hooked. Sarah was dressed up as an angel with her homemade halo made from a white boa and Ryan was Superman in the classic red, blue, and yellow. It was love, and lust, at first sight.
Sarah was a preacher's daughter and had only had short relationships in high school while Ryan was Mr. Popular Jock and definitely made a reputation for himself as a player. They both came from very different places. Sarah was from Allen, TX, a pretty big city, while Ryan was from Norman. Let's just say, high school Sarah and Ryan probably would not have been a thought in anyone's mind. Sarah was the sweet, loyal girl who was friends with everyone and Ryan was the jock that was a part of the exclusive, "cool" crowd.
Sarah's dad, Joseph, being a preacher, was very strict and concerned about who his daughter was involved with. He requested that he get to meet Ryan and decide if he was good enough for Sarah. So during their first college Thanksgiving, Ryan accompanied Sarah home to Allen. All week Sarah's dad gave Ryan mini tests to determine his intentions in the relationship. The tests included acts that Joseph believed every man and husband should have like showing his strength by doing lawn work and showing his domestic side by cooking for the family. Finally the day before they were to head back to OU, Ryan had faced the hard test, but he had one last test. Sarah's dad wanted to talk to him...alone.
"So, Ryan, how ya doing?" asked Joe.
"I'm doing great! Just very happy to be here and learn more about Sarah. I really like you daughter, sir. I think she is incredible," exclaimed Ryan.
"I'm glad, Ryan. What exactly are your intentions with my girl?"
"I think she deserves the world and I intend on giving it to her, however I can," declared Ryan.
"I like your answer, Ryan. Just don't hurt my little girl," said Joe, giving Ryan his approval.
After the long Thanksgiving break, Ryan and Sarah returned to school. They were closer than ever and ready to define their relationship to exclusive.
Back to present day of their junior year, Ryan and Sarah had gone through countless ups and downs in their relationship. They were at a point in their relationship where they were comfortable with each other, but sometimes distant. One night Ryan got a little too drunk at his friend's party and had no way of getting home. The party scene was not really Sarah's thing so she had had a girls night with her roommates and was busy. Ryan ended up just falling asleep on the couch, but in the commotion of the dying party, another girl had snuggled on the couch with him. Pictures of the snugglers had found their way on social media platforms. The next morning Sarah awoke to thunder and lightning storms brewing outside and she checked her phone to see so many people had texted her some picture. Sarah opened her phone and as the picture had filled her screen, she thought to herself how the weather could not be more appropriate for the occurrence of events happening right now. One minute later, Ryan was knocking on her door begging to explain what happened.
Sarah, being the loyal and understanding girl she was, decided that she would give Ryan a chance to explain himself, but under no circumstances would she just welcome him back into her life easily. She gave Ryan the opportunity to prove his loyalty to her.
"Please. Sarah. Let me prove to you that I love you and am loyal to you," pleaded Ryan.
"Ryan, how could you embarrass me like this? I don't know what you can do, but you can try your best. Until you prove yourself, we should take a break and get some space from each other,"
"I will prove it to you. Let me be struck by lightning if I am guilty!"
And with that, Ryan left Sarah's doorway. The second he got on the sidewalk in front of her house, a bolt of lightning struck and barely missed Ryan. One minute later, another one struck and missed. Upon seeing this, Sarah called Ryan inside and forgave him as he was innocent and rightfully proven so by the lightning gods.
Three years later:
Ryan and Sarah graduated from OU together. Ryan proposed to Sarah the summer after graduation and they have been happily married for two years and expecting their twin boys any day now. After the picture fiasco, they were more open and honest with each other. Sarah did some deep reflection and realized that the actions and decisions she made in college led her to this place in life...to have good karma and a happy life all because she believed and trusted Ryan.
Author's Note: This is a modified adaptation of Rama and Sita's love story from the Ramayana. Rama has to prove himself to Sita's father for his daughter's hand in marriage by lifting the divine bow and stringing it. The bow was broken by Rama when he attempted to string the bow and therefore won the princess's hand in marriage. When Rama gets exiled from the palace, Sita goes with him. Sita ends up being taken by Ravana while Rama is gone hunting one day. Eventually once Sita is rescued from Ravana, Rama needs her to prove her purity since she had slept in another man's house. To do so, Sita proves herself by trial by fire. When Sita enters the fire, Agni, the fire god, attests to her purity and returns her back to Rama.
In my version, I chose to modernize it by having them be college students. I used college setting for the story as it helps audiences relate to the story. I chose to switch the roles at the end of the story and make Ryan, or Rama, the one in the relationship who had to prove his loyalty and purity to Sarah (Sita) from sleeping alongside another girl.
Bibliography: Narayan, R.K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Penguin Books, 2006.
Picture Source: Pixabay Photos