[3rd person POV ]
Immersed in his studies, Shray didn't focus on anything other than the work on his hand. He read the notes made during class, watched some lectures available on online platforms like Yutube of the topic, comprehended and completed his assement of the topic and then wrote down the final assessed data in separate non rulered notebook.
After some time, he stretched his sore body and looked at his left, through room window. Outside the daylight has dimmed reasonably but it still looked like morning instead of evening. Checking the time on the tab, which turned out to be exactly 5:37. He decided to exercise and practice a bit of combat arts before dinner time.
Since his early two preceeding high school years, he had to study hard to participate in a highly competitive exam to get enrolled in one of the top colleges in engineering branch. The exam, GEE, had a high difficulty bar and required meticulous preparation to get a chance to succeed to the top ranks.
The young man, Shray, had many hobbies and interest, he liked practicing martial arts, singing, dancing (even though he sucked at it), playing music, reading and writing stories and novels even though he never wrote one). But during the preparation period, he had relentlessly studied, abandoning any interest and hobbies. His health detoriated and he lost his social touch and presence.
But now that he had enrolled in the one of the top colleges, he can pursue the same passion with his studies to make himself better, both academically and physically.
He decided to join singing or dancing club in later days. He then devised a plan to regain his best and optimal physic.
He took out a pair of t-shirt and short which he had bought exclusively for workout. He started by doing arm stretches, followed with leg, ankle, shoulder, hip, neck and finally back stretches. After doing warmup, he started doing jumping Jacks, high knees, butterfly, push ups, squats and finally abs exercises.
Remembering to limit himself as he was already to thin and not to exhaust all fats, he did these in specified reps.
After training set, he rested himself on floor and felt the surface chill. He thought to buy a yoga mat in the back of his mind but then decided against it. Thinking about the gym he felt stupid realizing that he can just go to gym or even borrow their mat.
Then drinking some water, he rested for 3 mins, while folding his legs and regulating his breaths in pattern to expand and control the air flow through lungs. After a while, he decided to start his combat workout.
[ Shray's POV ]
*Huff* ' Never felt better, it's been long hasn't it!? The pain in muscles is the proof that I need to maintain regularity and punctuality. Now then, time to start the martial set training.' Thinking to himself, he stood up with a wide and refreshing smile. He started to feel the young blood coursing through him and the heat rising in his body.
" I should start by conditioning my foot and toes." Saying that, he started to jump on the toes, doin mid air twists, 360 jumps, leg retracts and one leg landing. After that he started doing posture training, feints and short dashes.
"Now time for main course"
He got into a semi aggressive stance and started practicing his punches and kicks.
' Left jab, cross with left up guard, duck, right straight followed up with a jab, duck, backstep, feint, jab, hook, jab, cross, mid block, sidestep, jab with right up-guard, feint, cross, uppercut... '
' sijag! Haa! Short dash followed up with a front kick, side step, roundhouse followed with a jumping back kick, backstep, mid feint, shuffle, back kick, innercrescent kick, 37 degree pivot, full 180, extension double jumping slap kicks.... '
Practicing for a while, he started to notice his body's weakness. Halting the rhythm overall and taking some deep breaths, bowed down in respect, ending the session, he prepared to bath but soon realized something.
" No!! I don't have more spare underwear. What do I do!?"
Searching around in his back pack, he found one last piece, much to his relief and then went to bath.
Coming out of bathroom, one can see his face looking efreshed, energized and glowing. His shoulders straight and arms looking slightly more refined. His overall posture excluded the presence of confidence.
Grabbing his clothes which he had worn before exercise, he put them on and drank 1 glass worth water while sitting on his bed.
Checking the time, almost turning 8:30, he grabbed his waterbottle and another spare bottle and went downstairs. The campus will provide him supplies like A bag, water bottle of a choice from their selection and stationary supplies upto a certain weekly limit. One can even get huge discounts on things available in campus under authorities.
Heading out from the Building no.2's gate and walking down courtyard, he could see many boys walking here and there. Some were alone and some were in groups. He even found some girls walking hand in hand with boys inside the boy's dormitory area.
He wasn't feeling any jealousy or any envy. He just wanted to feel what they felt and try to understand their reasons for getting in relationship. But after getting his mind out of the thought, he walked two the 2nd entry/exit gate of boy's dormitory area which was directly infront of 2nd dormitory building.
Exiting outside the gate, he walked down the straight path leading towards dormitory Mess which was just far in sight. There were street lighting along the paved street along with bushes and lining of tress.
Arriving at the dormitory mess's outer gate, he nodded to a nearby security guard who sat in his chair while grading the door with what looked like a rifle and a pistol strapped at the waist. One of the two gates swung by, allowing his entry. He thanked the guard, who smiled politely at him and let the door open for more students to come.
'Maybe many if the students followed the main path, which I came from.' Assuming this he started walking down the grey paved park surrounded by greenery similar to everywhere in campus. He halted when he saw he arrived at the giant dormitory Mess.
He then walked in through the open wooden doors leading into the building
[3rd person POV ]
The Dormitory Mess is a huge building from outside. It has a huge rectangular area along with simple white and gray mixed painted walls and a huge half cylindrical roof over it, painted blue
Upon entering, one can see a large hall filled with chairs and tables along with a counter where one can take food adjacent to the wall. With a staircase leading to upper floors, right beside the counters with railings for protection. Then the 2nd floor is half in length of ground floor, overlooking the ground floor from above. The 2nd floor is supported by pillars rooted to ground. Around the pillar were seats mounted to the pillar. Then the second floor was a floor with full length and breadth like the ground floor. Here the seats were little bit better and some cushions were also placed adjacent to wall.
Then there is attic which is just below the hollow half cylindrical roof. Here there were 4 rooms with some chairs scattered here. Big electric suffelexers and Meters, CCTV cameras.
[ Shray's POV ]
Entering the hall, he was amazed by the unique infrastructure with such simple look and complex design. Heading to food counter where food was laid out in open covered with lid (to maintain heigine), he took a steel plate along with a cuttlery and went to get his portions.
He got himself 3 chapati, stir-fried okra, Indian spicy curry, rice with aromatic dal tadka and helpful of cucumber Salad. Then he sat down In nearby seat mounted to the pillar. He was impressed with such a simple but unique innovation. Setting down the food on lap, he prayed to the gods (Namaste), thanking them for providing opportunity, food and this life. After the prayer, he started devouring his dinner hungrily. He was starving after the exercise session.
After eating his food, he took his plate and cutlery and went at end of counter where there was drinking and washing water. He washed his plate and spoon and set them aside on a stack of clean washed plates and then went to drank water, where there were countless steel glasses to drink water from and then wash it right away. Having drank to his fill. He washed down the glasses and put them back to their place.
After having dinner he just sat in a nearby empty chair and looked around the Mess.
Many students were chatting with each other much to his amazement. Being socially inactive for 2 years brought a lot of changes for him. He wasn't able to casually talk to anyone that he didn't know and felt uncomfortable when talked to by unknown people.
His known friends also gained some social distance as they were also studying hard and nobody had talked about anything till yet. He was in a good college but missed his friends and those days, which will never comeback. There was a time, when they were free, playing sports, talking on calls, going out on long strolls and spended time with each other. In 10th grade, they decided their subject Streams, promised to be in contact at the best of their abilities and stay strong together. But with time, they all started to talk less to each other and their distance grew.
He can't even remeber the last time, they had a proper conversation. He decided to go to their homes and meet them. He would take them out on stroll like before and all would be better again.
He was lost in his thoughts with a sad and melancholic smile plastered on his face but in the end he had composed himself and his eyes gained determination. He straightened his shoulders and then got up from his seat and prepared to leave. Looking around, the Mess was still busy and looked more full and occupied then when he came.
He then started to walk and making his way to the open gate on other side of dormitory. After a while, crossing the doors and arriving at the outer area of Mess, he spotted very few boys and a lot more girls. Thinking nothing of it, he began to walk to the dormitory a little far in view.
He thought he had remembered the way, Ohh! How wrong was he.
[3rd person POV ]
After a little walk, he came close to the open gates, but there were many girls. Confused and surprised, he stopped to 9bserve them and then he looked at the building. He thought the amount of girls present here was unusual. Suddenly he felt a tap on his back.
Looking back, he saw the same beautiful girl behind him with the mystical and elegant mix of white and black hair that he saw back in the lecture hall. She was gorgeous and beautiful as he remembered her. Upon closer look, she had cute pink shaded lips, thick eye brows, beautifull and slightly glittery hazel eyes and beautiful nose. She was wearing black loose Tshirt eith long baggy trousers and a black unique but old watch. She was also just a few inches shorter than him which was surprising considering his height was 5 foot 10 and a half inches.
He felt slightly awkward at this meeting and wondered if she noticed his stare.
She noticed him looking at her but didn't feel any lust or evil, just the appreciation of beauty, which was surprising as most of boy's at this age have hormones acting at all time high. Feeling amused at this, she didn't bear any hate for his past stare.
Then she asked him, " What are you doing here junior?"
Confused about the question, he replied as a matter of fact "Going back to hostel, senior."
Which she found amusing again and understanding the situation, she asked " Do you know where you are at?"
Already doubting his own judgement and memory, Shray asked the doubt revolving in his mind nervously " Am I at the area of girl's dormitory?"
"Yes, you are." Replied Senior as she found herself being amused by the confusion and dilemma evident on innocent junior's face.
" If I told you, I came here by mistake, would you allow me to go back and settle this matter here", shray asked nervously hoping that she would believe him and let him go without making this a big matter or otherwise he would have to face defamation.
"Why not? Just remeber to choose correct way or at least ask the directions from passerby or staff" came the reply, much to his relief.
He hurried thanked her, as she smiled at his politeness in her heart. Then he quickly made his way back to Mess with light jog and went to opposite end door of the mess.
Exiting which with a light jog, he finally found boys going here and there with lot less girls.
With a smal relived smile, he went back to dormitory and entered the buidling. Not forgetting to refill his water bottles, he filled them with water and went back to his room. He didn't meet anyone at his way back, which was slightly awkward as he half expected to bump in somebody.
All the while, something mysterious is taking place.