Chapter 1. Junior A082

1

"What’s your name"?

"It’s Conrad... Conrad Jagger. Faculty of Mechanical".

"Okay Conrad. Here is your name tag. Your id A082". The senior on the front desk handed him a name tag that he was required to put in his neck.

He moved ahead waiting for his friends to join him. He was a freshman to join the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. He was intelligent and a bright student. And was ready to face all the challenges in study.

Soon his friends Eric Roger and Benjamin Brian joined him. They were told to join the orientation session in the main auditorium that they were heading to. And later they had to go to the admin for their dorm allocation.

The orientation hall was filled with thousands of students. Girls and boys all excitingly waiting to start their new life as university students.

They were also having a little chit chat, sitting near the front row of the stage that was quite high and huge.

The hall suddenly fell silent as the door to the east corner opened. They stood up too to see who was coming.

It was their Faculty head in the center, with their professors. And then Conrad, Eric and Benjamin saw five boys in Blue Jackets entering the door. They stood behind them hands at their backs.

The faculty head welcomed all the students asking them to sit while introducing them with the professors who would be teaching them. Then their professors came to take the microphone. Briefing them about their majors, their credit hours. They didnt take much time before wishing them good luck and leaving the stage..

"Students"..... They all snapped their heads up listening to a cold and stern voice.

A boy in blue jacket came forward to stand by the microphone. It was pin drop silence in the hall filled with thousands of the students.

"I am Max Peter, your senior from second year Mechanical engineer. And we are the hazers. You will be directly assisted by us, will be guided through your schedules. You can come up to us in case you need any help any assistance". He stepped back only to let the other boy come up who introduced himself as Harry. There were two more boys Finn and Park.

They more or less repeated the same things that Max told them. About a brief history of their faculty. And schedules. And then the freshmen were announced about their Hazing sessions. SOTUS. A month starting from the very first day this Monday since it was Friday and the students were given the weekend off to settle in their dorms.

There were murmurs around the hall. Some had heard about the barbaric SOTUS. Some respected the traditions. Some were new to the word and were looking forward to it.

Conrad and his friends were just looking at the stage. Luckily or unluckily they had heard about the drill. From their cousins and family who were engineers.

"SOTUS. Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, and Spirit. These five words makes us who we are. This is the introduction of an Engineer.

Seniority. That you have to respect your Seniors. You have to obey them.

Order. That you have to follow the rules assigned to you in the specified format given.

Tradition. To keep the legacy being passed to all of you by the end of the trainings.

Unity. To stand with each other as one family and not individuals. Once you are united, your hearts will bound with each other as a brotherhood. We as engineers’ don’t leave our seniors and juniors alone in their struggles ever.

Spirit. The courage to lead. The stamina to face all challenges in life. Inside and outside this institute.

I am Noah Vaughn. Your head hazer for this year. You will be added in our main chat group. You can discuss anything if you face any issue. You are required to be in the field by 6am on Monday till 6pm in the evening. No absence. No questions. You have to follow the orders.

Starting with the introductions. Changing the rules a bit, I need you all to memorize each other. Names and IDs. You have 2 days to fill up your books. You will be punished with the numbers missing by the end of each day. May be laps. May be push-ups. So think and choose your time wisely.

Also..* Noah looked around to scan the students sitting in the hall.* "Who is A082 among you? Stand up". He said. Everyone looked around and then Conrad stood up.

Noah looked at him with intent gaze before jumping off the good 5 feet high stage. He parted his way standing in front of Conrad. Tugging his name tag.

"Conrad Jagger huh"? He said in a cold tone. Conrad didn’t like the rude behavior at all. But he endured. 

"Morning, Sir". He greeted as polite as he could. He was getting conscious of Noah circling around him. Not that he was nervous but he didnt like to be the center of attraction.

"I am A082 too. That makes you direct in line junior to me. That means you are supposed to report direct to me. You have to listen to me as soon as i call you. Clear"? He said in a commanding tone..

Conrad clenched his jaw. He never liked to be ordered around. But he was trying to supress his anger.

"Clear"? This time Noah shouted. Everyone was holding his breath as Conrad flinched. He breathed in. Breathed out.

"Yes, sir".

"Yes what? I didnt hear you".

"Yes Sir. I understand". This time Conrad said out loud. Noah smirked. He turned around to go to the stage.

Conrad relaxed his fists about to sit, but Noah turned around.

"And let me tell you one more thing Conrad, I hate disrespect". Conrad gritted his teeth but it wasn’t hidden from Noah. He had a bad level of tolerance and it was evident on his face.

"I fucking said I hate disrespect". He was fuming with anger as he walked up to Conrad again pulling the collar of his perfectly ironed shirt. Conrad looked down at the wrist fisting his collar suffocating him. He looked up to meet those angry eyes.

"And I hate someone ordering me around. I don’t and I won’t listen to anything if you are going to behave like this. Seniority and respect right? Treat me like how you are supposed to treat a junior, and i will kiss your feet. Otherwise these words will lose the meaning". Conrad pulled out his collar from Noah's fist, looking straight into his eyes before clasping his hands again as a greeting.

But it was a trigger for Noah. He wasn’t expecting his direct line junior to retort in front of thousand students. He was hot headed. He was short tempered. But Conrad had underestimated him. And for that he needed a lesson.

The next moment Conrad fell down with a heavy thump sound as Noah punched his face square. The students gasped but no one dare to come near. Noah bend down and held his collar again smacking him back on the floor. His eyes were blood shedding. A vein on his temple was throbbing, indicating how angry he was.

"Listen you. If you have to survive here, try to be respectful. Or else I am going to make your life a living hell. Got it"? He yelled.

Conrad smirked, wiping the blood off his lips. He was calm, laying down on the floor.

"Is this the legacy and tradition passed on to you"? He said in his calm tone. Noah was about to punch him again but he was held back by Finn.

"Leave". He pulled Noah announcing the juniors to leave. Tae was still fuming with anger but he left the auditorium pulling himself off August's grip.

Eric and Benjamin bend down to pick Mew to stand.

"Seriously Con? Can’t you hold yourself"? Benjamin huffed pulling his hand towel to wipe the blood of his lips. Conrad just looked at the door where Noah had left and shook his head.

It’s gonna be a tough journey, he knew.

"Let’s go guys. We have to check our dorms and then lunch". He held his bag-pack and the friends left the hall. 

***********

The dorms were clean and comfortable. A clear proof that spoke comfort and lavish to the students because surely the University screamed richness. The students who studies here were the cream of the country. Not only from city, but students from all big cities and big fat families dream to study here.

Conrad had his dorm room at the first floor at the end of the hall from the right to the stairs. There were 4 rooms facing each other at the right end, and four on the left end. That made the floor spacious and the room big. And the best thing, the rooms had name plates of the residents making it easy to search.

Eric and Benjamin had their rooms on the left corner from the stairs. That means they would have to walk across the corridor to meet each other.

Conrad loved his room. It was like a studio apartment. A bedroom with  en-suite bathroom. A big closet. A small room as a study room. Comfortable lounge with LCD and he loved the size because he loved to play X-Box.

There was a kitchen too, an open kitchen. Even though the dorm had its own food court that served the best hygienic food under the strict food grades. But Conrad loved to cook. Just like Eric and Benjamin.

It took him a good three hours to arrange his luggage and just then his phone beeped. Apparently Eric and Benjamin were as hungry as he was. They all decided to meet in the lobby in ten minutes after getting freshen up.

They went to the nearby food court and dig in as soon as the dinner was served. Only then they realized they were so hungry.

"Con. Ben. Have you guys called home"? Eric said while Ben and Con were bickering about some random stuff.

"I did, Eric". Benjamin said.

"Conrad"???

"Yes Dad. I called them too. By the way hold on". Conrad quickly fished out his phone and after a while Eric and Ben's mobile dinged. They turned to see a smiling Conrad.

"Dad sent"? Ben asked lifting his head. And sighed. Eric was not different.

"Well a gift from Dad. He sent to me and informed me when I called him to transfer your share. So...". Conrad winked. This time the friends chuckled.

They were diaper buddies. And it was like the three families had three sons each. They would get their share of pocket money from each parent every month. And this time they get triple share and this money was an extra dip from Conrad's dad.

They finished off their dinner with a beer and went back to their dorms. It was good that it was a weekend.

Eric and Ben turned to the left in the lobby while Conrad turned to right.  He was really tired. Opening and closing the door shut he went straight to take shower. And then direct to bed..

He closed his eyes and sighed as a certain thought lingered in his mind before he shook his head and closed his eyes.

*************

The weekend passed in peace. And now it was Monday.

Conrad, with his friends reached the University at 5.45am. Being punctual they were. They got their tee shirts printed with SOTUS logo. And they already exchanged their details with other students who were approaching the field.

At exact 6am. The Hazers arrived at the field lead by their leader Noah Vaughn. The freshmen were all standing with their hands on their back. Everyone was looking at the head hazer who was scanning the crowd with his sharp gaze.

He signaled his generals to distribute their schedules for the whole month. Their classes. Labs. Their hazing activities. What Conrad loved most were the notes from their seniors as a gift.

"A082".

"A082".

"Conrad Jagger". This time Conrad jolted. He was so engrossed with the notes and handouts that he didnt hear his senior.

"Yes. Yes. Sorry sir. I am sorry. I was looking at.....". Conrad apologized to the head hazer quickly who was standing in front of him. Almost towering.

"Looking at what you fuck". Noah shouted on his face. Conrad felt his blood boiling again. Yes, it was his mistake but it wasn’t on purpose. And he had apologized too. But with Noah's attitude, he felt his control all waived off.

"I apologized, sir ". He said in between gritted teeth.

"Owh. Ohh thank you so much. I am honored Mr. Conrad Jagger. I am sorry for disturbing you. I didnt know an intelligent student was focusing on the notes". Noah said in a mock taunt snatching the papers from his hands and threw it in the air.

Noah didnt look at the papers flying in the air. He stood their locking his gaze with Noah. Cold and angry. Just like Noah.

His friends were helplessly watching because Eric stepped out only to be held back by Max.

"Don’t you dare interfere, Eric". He said in a cold tone.

"What. Angry? Want to punch me? Hit me? Come on. Hit me? Shout at me? What? Cat got your tongue"? Noah pushed him. Provoking him to retort back. Conrad really wanted to punch him square. But he wanted to study in the faculty that he loved. And he knew he couldn’t survive a day messing with Noah.

He took a deep breath before lowering his gaze. He bend down to collect the scattered papers.  He collected all and was about to grip the last one only to be stepped on by Noah. He looked up at Noah who was standing, hands on his hips.

He inhaled deeply.

"Please". He asked Noah to step off.

"Lift my foot if you can to get your paper back". Noah smirked.

"Sir, I am requesting you. Please lift your foot off the paper". Conrad said again in a stern yet respectful tone.

"Why, can’t lift my foot? These muscles are for display"? Noah mocked.

"I am just being considerate not to flip you back if I lift your foot, sir. Unless and until the head hazer wants to make a fun of himself". Conrad grip the edge of the paper and this time Noah stepped back.

Conrad arranged the papers in his hand before standing up.

"Like I said, I will lick your foot clean if you give me the same respect that you expect from me". He said before stepping back to stand on his place. His forehead glistering with sweat but the determination in his eyes was no joke.

"You...". Noah raised a finger but turned around without saying a word. Conrad closed his eyes for a while before looking at him.

His fellow freshmen were looking at him with pity eyes because everyone knew that being in bad book of head hazer is a trouble itself. But sadly they could not do anything.

Day one was the beginning of hell. Standing under the blazing sun. And those laps were no joke. They were given a break at lunch. Eric and Benjamin rushed to Conrad who was laying down on the grass. He was breathing heavy. His whole body was drenched in sweat.

"Conrad. Hey. Here. Take it". Eric handed him a water bottle while Benjamin put all the water from other bottle in his head.

Conrad chugged the whole bottle in one go still he was feeling drained.

"Ohh. Someone feeling too hot. Tsk tsk tsk. My bad". Conrad was still catching his breath when he heard Noah teasing him followed by 5 bottles of water poured on him. He just closed his eyes sitting on the ground defeated.

Noah crouched down on his knees to face the calm Conrad.

"Engineering, and especially Mechanical engineering is not at all for weaklings like you. Quit it before it makes a joke out of you". He scoffed to stand up.

"He is not weak, sir. Don’t say if you don’t know anything". This time Benjamin stood up. He couldn’t take it anymore. It was beyond his reasons why Noah was being so mean to Conrad. No one ever treated Conrad like how rudely Noah was mistreating him. And that too without any reason.

"Oh. Mr. Benjamin Brian would you be kind enough to enlighten what I don’t know"? He faced Benjamin but before he could say anything Eric held his hand and shook a NO.

"It’s nothing, sir. Conrad is capable enough to take Mechanical Engineering and clear it with flying grades. He won’t let the faculty down". Eric said in utter seriousness.

Conrad stood up too this time. He was feeling much better.

"I am sorry sir to let you assume that i am weak. But I am Conrad Jagger. And we are fighters". He spoke in a calm and piercing tone. And that was enough to put Noah down for a while before his expressions turned smirking again.

"Then lets meet after break. 20 laps to go. We will see how a Jagger fights for themself". He said and turned away to take lunch.

"Con, you okay buddy"? Eric turned to Conrad who was still looking at the broad back of his senior going away.

"I am fine, Eric". He held his friends before going to grab the lunch.

Session after break was another story of a merciless Head Hazer and his scary generals. Conrad, Benjamin and Eric saw many students passing out due to sun and sweat.  

Conrad was still waiting for the wrath of his direct line senior about 20 laps but it was almost 6.30 in the evening and no signs of the laps so far.

They all took their belongings and were about to leave the field when Noah called him.

"A fighter doesn’t turns his back". He said. Conrad sighed a deep breath before turning to Noah who was standing with both hands in his pockets.

"I didnt turn my back. I was waiting for the orders". Conrad said. Noah chuckled a bit.

"I remember someone said that he hates to be ordered around. Tamed eh"?

"It’s not about me hating being ordered around. I want to see what I need to do to earn the respect from my senior to be returned. Besides I can’t let my 100% scholarship drain in the gutter by quitting the field I love most. So if this is the only way to survive. Let it be". What Conrad said added only to the fuel to Noah.

"30 laps. 10 laps slot each followed by 10 push-ups". Noah stepped back with the same arrogance in his eyes.

Conrad took a deep breath. He held his bag-pack to Benjamin who was looking at him with worried eyes.

"Sir...". Benjamin was about to say something but Conrad raised his hand.

"Yes Sir". He turned to take a start on the field track..

Noah was curious. There was something that was bothering him. What was it that Benjamin wanted him to know. Why was his friends stopping him all the time. Why was Conrad so drained earlier. He didnt seem this week. He was looking ahead to the boy who completed his 10 laps and 10 pushups before going for the second set.

Noah could see him getting slow with every step. But it was like he was bound with some invisible chains of centrifugal force that were pulling him to keep running in a circle. He started the pushups after the 20th lap. In the mid of the third set Noah clearly saw his feet dragging his body forcefully. He was sweating profusely. His face was contoured in pained expressions. It was igniting the curiosity of Noah. He wanted to know the hidden truth.

He turned to see Eric and Benjamin panicked looking at Conrad. How they wanted to run to him and hold him to stop. Noah looked over his generals who were looking at Conrad with concerned looks. They had seen students fainting due to excessive exercises but not on the very first day, considering Conrad was a good built.

Noah glanced at Conrad completing his last set of pushups. His arms had lost all the strength. Like someone added a heavy weight on his back to restrain him to lift his body. Yet he was struggling.

27. 28. 29. 30... And Eric and Ben ran to Conrad in the center of the track. Noah felt his feet taking him on their own.

"Con. Con, open your eyes. Con. Damn.. Breathe Con.... Fuck…" Eric held Conrad leaning on his chest rubbing circles on his chest. Benjamin ran to grab another bottle of water but he was stopped by Finn who gave him two bottles.

"Con. Drink it buddy. Come on". Eric was one a verge of breakdown. Only if he didnt feel the heart beating under his hand.

Noah kneeled down. He was about to touch Conrad's hand but Benjamin held his hand.

"Don’t touch him. Please leave us alone. Don’t do more damage than you are already doing. Please go". Benjamin clasped his hands with bloodshed eyes. Noah felt a chill looking into those cold eyes.

"I only want to help him. We are trained with basic life saving techniques". He said holding down his irritation and anger.

"I am sorry, sir. But thank you. I won’t let you acting to save his life when you are the one putting his life in danger. Please. I beg of you. Leave. Conrad ... Please wake up buddy. Drink it Conrad". This time Benjamin was more aggressive with Noah.

Max looked at his friends and patted Noah's shoulder to take him back. He sensed that it wasn’t the time to mess with the juniors.

"Fuck off". Noah snapped in anger before leaving stomping his feet.

"Conrad..." Eric sighed in relief when Conrad opened his eyes tiredly. He chugged down the bottle trying to stabilize himself.

"Am fine guys. I just didnt want to face him. Let’s go". He stood up taking support from his friends to the parking where they would hop into Eric's car to go to dorm.

Unaware of a pair of eyes looking at him..

Tabby