Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 45- Sweet Talks

CHAPTER 45

SWEET TALKS

Monami balanced the novel on her lap, eating her cornflakes for breakfast as she read the story. It was a love story- a different book than what she was reading the night before. Her spoon halted in mid-air as the girl in the book walked closer to the boy, the two confessing their feelings. The trainers had all eaten at their own times, mostly busy with work and calls.

"Hi", Faizi said, sitting down on the bench opposite her.

She looked up. She glanced down at the spoon that hovered in mid-air. "Hi", she said, before eating the spoonful.

"Tumhaara aaj ka kuchh plan hai?" He asked.

She shrugged. "N-Novels, th-thodi e-extra s-study. Z-Zyaada k-kuchh nahi."

He grinned. "I have a better plan", he said. "Tumne hume bataaya tha ki tumhe ice cream bahut pasand hai. Hai, na?" Her eyed lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. He chuckled. "Hume ek bahut achhi jagah pata hai. Aaj shaam ko chalogi hum sab ke saath?"

She blinked. "Aa-Aapko k-kaam nahi hai?"

He shrugged. "Shaam tak ho jaayega." He glanced around. He leaned in closer. "Woh... hum chahte hain ki Karan thoda academy se bahar nikle. Sanju bhi yeh hi chahti hai. Woh... Laxman, Karan ka informer, jab se uska murder hua hai, Karan thoda zyaada tensed hai. Woh use kaafi pasand karta tha. Cadets ke saath toh hum sab zyaada busy ho jaate hain isliye hum chahte hain ki ab break hai toh woh thoda relax kare."

"Toh m-mere aa-aane se woh k-kahin aur t-tensed naa ho j-jaaye. I m-mean, aap aur S-Sanju ma'am toh K-Karan Sir ke k-kaafi a-achhe d-dost hain. Main-"

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Monami... Karan tumhe bahut pasand karta hai. He likes being with you. Agar tum aaogi, toh use achha lagega. Par koi zor zabardasti nahi hai. Tumhe nahi aana, toh it's okay."

'I relax. I talk to you.'

She smiled slightly. "I'll... I'll l-love to c-come", she said.

Faizi smiled. "Shaam ko 7 baje?" He asked. She nodded. He held out his hand in a fist bump, and Monami's smile widened, lightly bumping her fist with his. He stood up. "Abhi hume thoda kaam hai. Hum chalte hain."

Monami bit her lip, her smile widening. She lightly stirred the cornflakes. She smiled to herself, her head dropping. She read the next line a couple of times before it sank, before she shook herself and immersed herself back in the book.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Sanju leaned back in her chair, heaving a slight sigh. A bait. Neither too obvious- or they'll figure it out- nor too subtle- or they'll not notice. She glanced over the entrances again. She paused, tracing over the one on the terrace.

She stood up, moving to the terrace. She gazed around the terrace, squinting slightly- a courtesy to the sun that shone overhead.

She leaned over the edge, inspecting it and then glancing around. She walked around, pausing at the ledge that faced the far end of the academy. It was close to the wall that signified the end of the academy's building, opening into the jungle nearby. She gazed down. Perhaps a good few feet that would need to be climbed up but it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. There were guards that lined up the wall underneath.

This was it. The apparent chip in their armor.

She took a step back, gazing around. Her gaze fell on the storage room that was built atop the terrace and she walked closer. She inspected the upper end. If they lined cameras there, it wouldn't be visible at first glance. She made a note in her phone. She walked closer back to the ledge and then started walking towards the door. She paused, looking at the railing at one side. Motion sensors would be perfect there.