The Incomplete Tale...

From today I'm going to start writing a story that will have episodes. On every Tuesday one episode will be published and in this way the story will be completed in these upcoming episodes. Do read and enjoy this incomplete tale every week.

Chapter One- The Beginning

There is still one week for college to start and here I’m standing in front of this four storeyed hostel building which is going to be my home for next four years. It looked old but was maintained very well. The compound was dimly lit. I had arrived at the college hostel late evening but it was not dark yet. This was old and magnificent, mummy and bhaiya had come to see me off but the hostel guard and warden didn’t allow them inside the building. Mummy hugged me, she had tears in her eyes as if it was my Bidaai… ‘Mummy bas karo, you will make me cry now,’ I said hugging her back. Yes I was upset though I tried holding my tears back because I wanted to assure mummy that I will be fine away from home.

‘Take care of yourself beta…don’t get distracted and concentrate on your studies. Make good friends ha don’t involve into bad company and yes you have to call us every night,’ she said in between those silent sobs. Oh I was going to miss this melodrama that she was excellent in all thanks to those daily soaps which groomed her well in this skill.

Soon they waved me goodbye and for the first time I noticed that even bhaiya had tears but showed that he was cool. I was going to miss them badly but for now I had to be strong. I kept looking in their directions till they were out of sight. My dad was not able to come to see me off as he had some issues to attend at the workplace but had come at Allahabad station. He didn’t say anything like no rules and regulation list but his expressions were enough to understand that it is hard for him to send me away. Papa loved me a lot and trusted me that I won’t let my family down.

Well for now I was prepared for this, away from family and my childhood friends I was here to fulfil my dreams and to achieve something.

I was allocated room no 104 which meant I have to carry my luggage on 1st floor all by myself. Girls were rambling on every floor, seniors from different batches glaring at me like hunters. I felt a bit nervous, as if someone will come and grab away my bags and make me do some dumb things carrying the tradition of ragging. I had heard some dreadful stories about ragging and typical hostel life. But thankfully some strict laws had brought a full stop to these unethical behaviour.

On my way I noticed detailing of the hostel. Every floor has 20 rooms with capacity of four students in one room, it has a common washroom which contains a long row bathrooms and toilets and also a common washbasin bay. The hostel mess is on the ground floor.

The main college building was at the backside of hostel buildings. A straight pathway lead to main gate of college building, adjacent to that was staff quarters. It was a wide laid campus. But such a wide space made me feel little infant lost in some isolated place. The feeling of being alone gave goose bumps to me, it was the first time I was on my own away from family and friends.

Room no 104. Hush…I had reached to my room safely. I knocked on the door and was welcomed with a smile and casual ‘hi’, I came in and saw around. I was to share my room with three other girls but it seemed that two others were yet to arrive.

I smiled, it was a sweet room. Large, spacious, four single beds against two facing walls, four almirahs and big table at one end with four chairs which I guessed might be for us as study table.

‘Hi I’m Aisha Mathur,’ I said stretching out hand to shake to which she introduced herself. ‘I am Priya Naik, I came from Kolhapur. Where are you from?’ I told her that I had come from Allahabad and had taken admission for engineering in IT department. I was glad to know that Priya was also in first year engineering that too from same department.

Aisha settled at bed beside Priya’s bed. She opened her bags and started arranging her things like clothes and toiletries in her almirah and finally finished her work. The room looked dull so Aisha had some posters of beautiful quotes written on it, she started to stick them keeping proper distance between them. She took out a wind chime that her friend had gifted her as a farewell gift, she placed it near the window. The scenery was not that bad from there room, it faced the main road which stretched a long way but was quite. She and Priya were chitchatting since she arrived here and instantly bonded very well. But she was feeling home sick and missing her family. She had not been away from her family on her own, but for now both were excited and waiting for other roommates to arrive. She finally winded up her work and popped out a box. ‘Taste these, my mummy makes the best mutteris in Allahabad,’ Aisha said passing the box to Priya.

I felt a bit relaxed after settling down in my room where I will be spending the most precious four years of my life. I knew my goals very well and was ready for the challenges to face…ha ha… no I was not going to some deadly battlefield but studies, being homesick everything was waiting ahead for me. Oh why I’m being negative huh?

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They went to mess which was flurrying with girls and lined up for their food. Aisha was a pampered girl back in Allahabad and food in mess was the last thing she would have tasted. But soon both were gulping down the mess food without any option as both were tired and hungry but the food was not bad. From some seniors they learnt that rooms were allotted to the girls of same batch and stream so they get along easily. Now they were sure that their other roomies also would be from first year and their department only.

Soon they were heading back to their room. ‘Have you checked out the lawns near our hostel building?’ Aisha asked as she had seen them while entering the hostel campus. But Priya had not been there yet and they decided to take a look at it tomorrow as they had three whole days before college to start. Reaching the room they talked about their lives back home.

Priya was a bit traditional but sweet, she was the only child to her parents. Her father is a retired bank manager and mother is a housewife. She told Aisha how sad and worried they were to send her to Mumbai alone. But finally they sent their daughter to fulfil her dreams. She was a bright student and they had to bend anyways in front of their only daughter.

Her height was average like 5’5 and her fair complexion that featured her long black hairs, it looked like a total contrast. But she is not so proud of her hair don’t know why she thought of styling her hairs.

Well on the other hand Aisha was tall and well maintained body was like she could be easily selected as top three models for any fashion week, her dusky skin flattered her brownish hairs.

She is from Allahabad her father is a business man there and mother is teacher in a private school. She has an elder brother who helped her father in their family business after pursuing his bachelor’s degree. She was modern and very friendly had many friends and wished to make new ones. She loved music but was not a very good singer though.

‘Apni to khup jamegi Priya. Dono ko music mein interest jo hain,’ Aisha said giving a hi-fi after she saw beautiful collection of songs Priya had. They planned to go for a morning walk to the lawns that Aisha had mentioned earlier. Meanwhile both of them had got calls from their parents who were like 1000 kms away from them. Priya’s parents were a bit relaxed to know that one of her roommate had arrived and their daughter was not alone. On the other hand Aisha’s parents were relieved to know that their daughter was not alone.

Aisha was scared of living alone in the hostel room as she had heard stories about ghosts of people who had died in hostel, walking in the corridors but thankfully this one was not haunted in fact the atmosphere there was positive and bright.

They went to sleep soon but sleep didn’t come to their eyes and both kept turning sides and chatting on their phones with their friends from their home town. As it was a new place to for them some uneasiness was obvious. Aisha was already missing her cosy room where she had spent her childhood listening to bedtime stories and lullabies, fighting with her bhaiya over silly things and playing and chitchatting with her best friend, Amar.

It was only early in the morning that they dozed off…but were soon woken up by the rapid knocks on the door. Half sleepy both sat up on their beds and finally I saw Priya heading towards the door to open it for their early morning visitor, I also went to see who it was.

There she stood calm and composed in blue denims and a bright pink top wearing bright smile, ‘Hi I’m Myra your roommate,’ she said extending hand. We shook hands and welcomed her. ‘Bas bas bhaiya ji yahi rakh do,’ she said to a man who looked like a taxi driver. We both were astonished on how she managed to get a man in girl hostel. I was more than annoyed because when my mummy and bhaiya had come to drop me here the gatekeeper and warden didn’t allow my brother inside.

But Priya and Aisha were happy to welcome their new roomie and they were sure but still enquired, ‘You are also admitted to first year IT right?’ and Myra was surprised how they were so sure. Later they told that they had got this piece of information from their seniors.

                                                                                                               to be continued...