Rayna had always been a homely girl. She only had travelled to her close relative's houses and if anywhere outside, it had always been with her parents. Not that she hadn't complained or whined about this to her mother, but at the end of the day she was an obedient girl. She never ever rebelled. So for her, moving into a hostel all by herself was a major and drastic change. Amongst everything, she did feel a little sense of freedom after almost two decades of her life.
Due to this college's reputation and strict environment, her father had agreed for this. And of course, she was being lectured for the last one month about how she should behave, live and abide by all the rules here. Her mother also took phone numbers of her hostel supers and also guards. Talk about being extreme.
And now she was entering into this completely new world finally. She was thinking about these while signing on the entry book at the entrance of her hostel. Her luggages and books were already delivered to her room, so no worries about this now. Naz was by her side and was happily chatting away that their rooms were close by and to her dismay not the same. Rayna was just nodding her head, still affected by the previous incident at the mortuary. The feeling of anger and disgust towards the future doctors were still there. She couldn't just shake off it like others.

A bulky and angry looking woman came outside the hostel entrance with a paper on her hand. Three more woman followed her suit. Everyone's attention diverted towards them.

"Hello girls. I'm Miss Dorothy, Chief hostel super of this hostel. And they are Miss Shaila, Yasmin and Rukaiya. They are my assistants. " The woman stated firmly and the others just nodded.

Everyone acknowledged them giving salams and hellos.

"Today is the first day of your hostel life here. So I'm just briefly stating the rules of this hostel. And of course the rulebooks will be given to you all individually so that there is no room left for any doubt." Miss Dorothy continued.

As she continued explaining the rules and regulations which according to her was running for more than thirty years just as the age of this medical college, Rayna kept glancing around the premises of this beautiful and somewhat mysterious college. The girl's hostel was attached to the academic building which was separated by a fancy looking entrance in front of them. The boy's hostel was in the basement. Rayna learnt that from Miss Dorothy just now. And she couldn't but wonder what one particular boy was doing now. Maybe he was going through this same procedure as them, or maybe more. She brushed off the feeling of uneasiness that came with this. Why was she so much bothered for him, she didn't understand. Well, he did help her whenever she needed one. But still. She came out of her own thought bubble as Miss Shaila came forward and handed her the rule book.

"Remember, the last time to enter the hostel premises was, is and always will be 8.30pm. The college library also closes around this time. So no lame excuses for library session and whatnot. Our hostel has multiple reading rooms also so it's not even an issue."Miss Shaila spoke fixing her golden round glasses on her nose. She also had a stern voice.

Just having been almost ragged, now these lectures felt a little too much to all the first years. They were hungry, irritated and extremely exhausted. They didn't even respond to anything. The tall, lean woman standing behind everyone had relatively calm composure. She came forward and ushered them to go inside.

"Now let them go, Shaila apa*.
It's only their first day. They will learn about all these gradually. Shoo shoo girls, now. Off to dining hall, everyone!"

No sooner had they listened this, they rushed towards the entrance.  Naz linked her arms around Rayna and followed them.

~~~~~

"Waafi, mate! Why aren't you eating anything?" Ismail muttered between his bites.
It was almost 4pm now. And the whole dining hall had echoes of everyone's munching, cutleries clattering and low voices speaking. Every boy had jumped in their shares of food after getting entry through some lectures just like girls had. Though, boys had some additional instructions like 'Stay 60feet away from the girls', 'Don't even look at the girl's hostel', 'No sneaking out at night to smoke or anything more explicit' etc etc.

"I just have no appetite, Ismail." Waafi replied playing with his food.

"Why dude? Are you still feeling sick or something?" Haider worriedly asked.

"No. I'm alright." Waafi said nonchalantly. Though he didn't admit, but he was still shaken up by everything. First by the cadaver, then the ragging incident and Rayna's outburst.
He was really overwhelmed and the cold food wasn't going down his throat.

"Well, truthfully speaking, this is by far, the most horrible food I've ever tasted in my life. And on top of that, they are cold as ice. Hunger is forcing me to eat this." Ismail said making a face.

Waafi and Haider guffawed, nodding their heads. Though, it was expected of hostel foods as they had heard all these years on social medias, from senior family members, still facing it by their own is on a whole new level.

They were given only three items.
A bowl of cold, hard, stone like rice, one piece of meat possibly of chicken(It was cut in such small piece and the consistency was so hard that they were actually confused about its origin!) & a yellowish water probably having a little bit of lentil in it. A perfect example of hostel menu.

Waafi wondered if Rayna was also having a hard time swallowing these foods. She was already so tired and tense arguing with them. He hoped she wouldn't go to bed in an empty stomach.
Waafi was actually used to skipping meals now and then. His father was never around to notice these tiny things. And as his siblings were all younger than him, he was the guardian of them. Suddenly, he thought about them. They were probably in school still now. He'd call them after sometime, he thought. A tiny smile appeared on his lips at the mere thought. His brothers were his life. They were all he had now. And to take care of them independently, he had to go through this struggling life anyhow. With this thought, he drank the lentil water in a go. At least, it would keep him full.