Anatomy Dissection Hall. It was written in bold letters over a scary looking room. This room was in the basement adding more fright to people like Waafi. He never watched any horror movies because of his intense fear of darkness. Also he didn't like blood or something related to it. Irony was that he had to see it now almost everyday.
He kept walking in front of the room but couldn't enter. Many students were already inside and they were watching by themselves. Teacher was yet to come. He didn't know what he would do when the teacher came. He literally jumped backwards when two excited girls came running towards the dissection hall.

They muttered 'Sorry!' in unison and entered the hall. Rayna was one of them, he saw. It meant they both were in the same group. Amidst this nerve wrecking situation, he smiled. He found a new kind of enthusiasm and he entered. Just after he had set foot in the room a choking and almost throat grabbing smell entered his nostrills. He started coughing. He looked around.
Some students were watching the corpses from afar with hands over the nose and some were almost diving into the corpses.

Unfortunately, Rayna was one of the second groups. Her eyes were sparkling and she was touching the body! She was moving her hands in the air and talking with others animatedly. Waafi didn't know how someone could be so unaffected by the smell, by the rigid corpses which looked like mummies. He continued coughing.
A pale looking boy came to stood beside him. With him another boy came who was quite tall but still came to Waafi's shoulder. He looked like he was going to cry.

"Man, it is said that girls are heartless but now I can literally see why. All the girls are surrounding the dead bodies! Dude they are even touching them!"

Another boy barely opened his mouth from the handkerchief he was using and said,"Really man. I can't even look at those!"

Waafi nodded in agreement.
"Well, somebody has to be surgeons someday you know."

The pale guy laughed.
"You are right dude. I am Hayder. What's your name, mate? I think we will click." He pushed his fist in front of him.
Waafi fist pumped with him, one hand still over the nose.

"Waafi. Hmm I also think so. We have common fears first of all."

The tall guy meddled his fist in between.
"Hey you are leaving me behind! I am Ismail."

Waafi fist pumped with him also.
"Hello Ismail."
Hayder jumped to put his hands over Ismail's shoulder.

"I think I need to carry a ladder with me from now. Both of you are so taller than me!"
Waafi almost forgot where were they. But then an elderly person, maybe in his 70s came inside the hall and gathered everyone's attention by his ear-piercing voice.

"Attention everyone. Gather together in front of the body number 4. Today will be your first day of dissection. I am Professor Usamah. You all will call me professor. Don't use 'Sir' with me. It's really classless I think."

Everyone gathered in front of bed no. 4. Waafi with his two new friends stood furthest from the bed. Professor frowned at them.

"And I want to make one thing very clear to you all. After you have entered this dissection hall, you will have to respect the corpses or as we call Cadavers. So no nose covering. You will have to get used to this smell."

Everyone uncovered their faces except Waafi. He hid behind Ismail. But that also didn't go unnoticed by professor. He threw a chalk towards Waafi.

"And no hiding behind another." Waafi sheepishly smiled and moved forward. Everyone including Rayna looked at him. Rayna's eyes grew wider as this was the first time she noticed him. She was so engrossed in the dissection that she hardly even noticed anything. But her stomach now did a little leap seeing him here. They were in the same group that means.

"Who is this handsy!" Naz whisper yelled to Rayna. "Ugh he has smiles to kill for. Those dimples!"

Some other girls also commented on his looks. Rayna didn't know why but this comments made her irritated. She didn't even know his name, she suddenly remembered! She mentally face-palmed. After helping her so much, he at least deserved a proper introduction! She would do it after this class, she thought.

"Look students. You all are here to learn. So don't hide or don't depend upon anyone to learn anything. Here you have to learn for yourselves. Understand?"

"Yes professor!" They chided in unison.

"Okay so now we will start with thorax. The general term is chest. But in medical we have termed it thorax. So any volunteer who wants to help me?"

Rayna's hand was the first to be up.

"Good. Young lady, come."

Waafi stared in awe how easily Rayna clutched the scalpel and cut the thorax open as professor instructed her to. Maybe he was very noticeable at expressing his surprise. Professor was quick to notice that.

"That boy there is really enthusiastic I must say. My boy! Come here!"

A cold sweat passed through Waafi's spine. He couldn't do that he knew. But how would he refuse a teacher's order! As he approached the cadaver, Rayna moved back giving space to him. Her presence was giving him soothing peace, he didn't know why. But seeing the corpse's open chest with muscles bulging out, he sensed a vomiting sensation coming out. When Rayna gave him the scalpel, he extended his fingers to take it. But when he saw Rayna's blood clad hands, he couldn't take it anymore. He fainted.

________________________________

There was lots of noises. Many people were talking together. Waafi tried to open his eyes. But they were too heavy. He shifted on his bed trying to remember what happened. He extended his hand towards his bed side table for his phone. But its wasn't there. There was a pole beside him. He opened his eyes with great difficulties. Four heads were hovering over him. He could see Hayder, Ismail and professor Usamah and a nurse probably.
Professor Usamah! Then he remembered everything. He closed his eyes once again. He was deeply embarrassed. How could it happen to him! Now everyone would make fun of him.

"Look, my boy you don't have to be ashamed. It was only your first day. I bet you will be a famous surgeon one day." Professor said from beside him.
Waafi laughed internally. Surgeon and him! Impossible.

Hayder and Ismail whispered in his ears.
"Dude wake up asap. We have already missed one lecture. Now there is another tutorial starting in 15 minutes. You can wake up, right?"

Waafi sat up as quickly as possible. He couldn't miss his lectures on his first day! But the hasty movement made him dizzy again but Hayder held him.
"Waafi, you can go? Otherwise rest for a while."

Professor Usamah groaned.
"He is perfectly okay boys. Take him to his classes. Right my boy?"

Waafi nodded and got up with the help of the boys. They muttered quiet salams and rushed to the class.

When they reached near the tutorial class, Hayder and Usamah cried.
"Dude we are hungry as we skipped the meal period. I think you are too Waf. We will go and fetch some foods for us okay? You go to classroom."
Waafi nodded and entered the tutorial room. He didn't look at anyone as he was feeling very humiliated. He grabbed a chair from backseats and settled himself. When he was fidgeting with his books, a chocolate appeared before him. He looked up to see and there she was, smiling at him with no glint of mocking or sympathy. They were caring and concerned eyes. He took the chocolate and smiled at her,
"Thank you Rayna."

Rayna was shocked. He knew her name! And how good it sounded on his lips! And here she didn't know his name yet. But she needed to know now. She wanted to know this boy with a killing dimple smile.

"You're welcome.....?"

He smiled again shaking her composure.
"Waafi. I am Waafi."

Her inside was taking a rollercoaster on their own but she smiled like nothing happened. In that very time, teacher entered the class and Rayna hurriedly rushed back to her seat. Naz questioningly looked at her and waggled the eyebrows. Rayna laughed it off with her hands and concentrated on the lecture.

But her mind was stuck in one place. Waafi.