📍NIGERIA

WHITE CORRECTIONAL CENTER.

Hind had just entered her new room, her eyes moved from the cracked ceiling that shows the wooden structure behind it, to the walls that have their paintings peeling off already, to the wooden wardrobes that's being attacked by termites and is at the verge of collapsing, to the ceiling fan in the center of the ceiling that moves as if it was about to fall at any point in time, to the two windows in the small room that does enough in providing some sort of ventilation, and finally to the cemented bare floor of the room that is cracked at the edges.

Hind could still remember her parents conversation before they brought her here, to the correctional center where they believe she will 'change'. Hind was a very quiet girl, too quiet for a seventeen year old girl. She would hardly speak, only if she had to, and even then she would only say a few words of afffirmation or most of the times use a physical expression. Hind was just like this, she has always been like this. Her parents, Mr and Mrs Ali believe she has some mental problem worrying her. They believe at this age of seventeen, she could atleast be more expressive and so they did what they felt will help her. They collectively made a decision to send Hind to a correctional center.

The White Correctional Center was where they had just dropped her, it was known for changing even the worst of behaviors, or to put it in a more reference way, it changes even the most quiet type of people. The cruelty and the bullyings that occurs in White is something that forces people to open up and speak for themselves.

'Dinner is in the next thirty minutes.' The loud voice of the girl that had introduced herself as Hind's roommate, Layla said to Hind. Hind snapped out of her thoughts wondering for how long she had been staring at the room. She set her luggage aside and quickly arranged her clothes into her wardrobe, just as she was done. The speaker that everyone in White has in their room's boomed with announcements

'It's time for dinner, every Whiter is expected to be at the dining hall as soon as possible. Whiters are not allowed entry into the dining hall if they are more than ten minutes late.'

Hind has sighed for real this time, she quickly arranged her scarf on her head and put on her crocs. She was glad there's a small mirror in the room where she took a short glimpse of her reflection, her dark skinned face looks unfazed, her perfectly shaped brows in set and her small nose complimented her small face really well, all in accordance to her full pink lips.

"Well…what are you waiting for let's go. Matron said I should show you around anyways." Layla had said. Hind nods and walks with Layla out of the hostel and towards the dining hall. Everyone was also walking towards the dining hall. "Unless you want us to be locked out of the dining hall, I recommend you walk faster." Layla said, not liking the way Hind was walking slowly but that was just how Hind walks.

Hind had tried keeping up with Layla's footsteps when she bummed into a large body and almost stumbled back. Brown eyes glared into her dark ones as the guy turned to face her, his facial expression enough to show how angry he was with the little accident. His thick views were furrowed into a frown and his lips set in a thin line. He had a darker skin tone compared to Hind and it had made him to stand out completely.

'Are you blind? Can't you say sorry?' He asks, standing in his talk height in front of Hind's short height. She could only raise her head and glare at him back.

'Zayd we are going to be late for dinner, let her be.' Another guy besides Zayd says as he drags Zayd away. Only that before Zayd leaves he said to Hind 'This is not over.' His finger pointing warningly at her before he leaves.

Hind felt a shiver run down her spine at his warning.

Layla stumbles back to Hind,

'Hey why have you stopped? I was just by the dining hall door when I noticed you weren't behind me.'

'Uhmm…nothing.' Hind dismisses.

Layla hid her shock really well, she had thought Hund was mute at some point. She held Hind's hand and they both walked to the huge dining hall that was just about to be closed. Hind was glad she reached in time, she followed Layla to where they collected white rice and stew before they sat down at a random table.

Hind stays down at her food, then looks up to see Layla already digging into her food. Hind mutters a prayer and begin to eat. The taste was not bad but it also was not good, just manageable. When they finished eating, Hind was surprised to see that they had to wash their plates by themselves. She followed Layla to the taps where all the Whiters were washing their used plates, some bullying some by giving them plates to wash for them.

'Hey I'll be right back.' Layla said to Hind once she had finished washing her own plates. Hind nods and trys to finish hers when out of nowhere, another plate was dropped in front of her.

'Wash this too.'

That voice.

Hind did not need to turn to know that it was the guy she mistakenly bumped into earlier,

Zayd.

She simply dismisses his presence and try's to leave after washing her plate but was stopped by his tall frame in front of her.

'Wash.this.too' He says, again.

Hind swallows her saliva down her throat, she was nervous and scared at the same time. She quietly sat and washed his own too and passes it to him. He drops it on the floor again all of a sudden and says 'oops looks like it needs another washing..'

Hind washes the plate again, only for the same incident to keep repeating itself over and over and over again.

'I'm sorry.' Hind finally apologized after having to wash the plate for almost thirty minutes.

'That was what I wanted to hear before, not anymore.' Zayd had said.

'Hind, let's go. We are meant to be at the Whiter's farm. You wouldn't want to be punished for being late.' Layla said. She pauses her gaze between Hind and Zayd then to the extra plate on Hind's hand.

'Zayd what are you making her do?' Layla asks her twin brother that's known for his wicked ways in Whiter's. He was the cause of her being here as she believes, he would always initiate fights with her at home and she would always retaliate making their parents to send them both to the correctional center.

'Teaching her a lesson.' Zayd replies with a shrug gas he turns to face Hind,

'Right Hind?' He asks sarcastically.

Layla gives her brother a glare as she drags Hind out of the place, Hind went to drop her plate as they both head towards the large center's farm where all Whiter's go to farm after dinner.

'Staying quiet won't help you here. You have to stand up for yourself.' Layla says to Hind.

'How do you know him?' Hind asks curiosly.

'It doesn't matter, just stop being too quiet, it's annoying. White will treat you really harsh if you don't learn to speak up soon.' Layla says.

Hind walks beside Layla as they both enter the school farm where most of the Whiters were already there working on the farm in rows and columns with their tools. Hind imitates what Layla does with the sickle to harvest the rice.

They did the farming activity for hours before it was announced for Whiter's to return back to their hostels. Hind felt a sharp pain in her back, she and never had to do something like this

'You'll get used to it.' Layla says as they all make their way out after submitting the tools back.

'Look who's not used to hard labour…' says a familiar voice from Hinds back. Zayd.

'Are you always this annoying? Or do you have a special talent for it?' Hind fires back this time. Layla smiles encouragingly at her, encouraging her to speak up more.

This had surprisingly made Zayd quiet, while the friends he walks with began laughing trying to prep him up to deal with Hind.

'Deal with me? I'll deal with all of you before you even realise it.' Hind was tired of their bickering that she had to talk.

'I'll see you tomorrow.' Zayd promises, a vengeance linked to his tone.

'Oh you'll see me everyday Zayd.'