JOURNEY WITH SAF ACADEMY

ICE CREAM, FIRST-AID AND WARM MILK.

" Restless nights, sleepless minds....all because of you" - anonymous.
Faizi taps Koel's shoulder and this pulls her out of her trance. She is startled but turns around quickly to find Faizi standing with a grin. 
' Uhh...tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?' she asks genuinely while looking at the ice cream at his hands. Her eyes dart back on his face and he is smiling. He is always smiling. It's the one thing that confuses Koel the most. How can someone always smile? Is it that easy? To be happy, genuinely? But she knows that it's not easy. Atleast not for her. Her smiles are a show most of the time. But Faizi, he smiles and she feels a little relieved to see him. After Nikhil it is Faizi whose smile she appreciates. 

' ab le bhi lo, warna ice cream ka cold shake ban jayega' Faizi forwards his hand holding the ice cream cup. Koel takes it reluctantly. Ice cream after a failed mission. She did not know this. 

' Kya baat hai Mohtarma, koi comment nahi kiya aapne' Faizi giggles while having a spoonful of his ice cream. 

' matlab' Koel asks while doing the same. The ice cream melts in her mouth. It's her favorite. Blueberry cream. 

' kuch nahi. Ice cream kaisi hai?' he asks facing her sideways. 

' thik hai ' Koel speaks while lowering her head a little. Hiding the fact that she is actually enjoying it alot. 

' waise ice cream kyu? Mission to fail ho gaya' she asks him while internally enjoying another spoonful. 
Faizi laughs a little. ' Ice cream khane ke liye reason ki kya zaroorat hai?' he asks her. 

' Right' she replies and both enjoy their ice cream in silence. 

Sid enters the gymkhana with the first aid box. He is looking for someone. Sanjana. He hears some heavy sound, like something heavy dropped on the ground. He walks in the direction of the sound to see Sanjana weightlifting. She picks up bulky dumbells with both hands and drops them. Sweat visibly flowing from her forehead and making her anger lines grow. She is angry. She is upset. 

He makes his way towards her. Not taking his eyes off her. Even right now, he can't explain this pull. Why Sanjana? She can take care of herself. Why is he standing there like a puppy who is waiting for it's master to come. 
Time passes but he does not interrupt her. 

10 minutes.
20 minutes. 
30 minutes. 

She grunts on her last angry weight drop and settles on the floor. She still hasn't noticed him. She is too lost. Draining sweat has always helped her clear her mind. 

He waits some more seconds. Then hands her a towel. She takes it without looking up, but the she looks up. And Sid loses it. She has a couple of bruises on her face.  And some more marks of swelling on her neck, hands. He drops to his knees in front of her. 

She follows his gaze over her bruised body, and she doesn't mind it. Once, during a mission she was almost shot on her leg. The bullet slightly grazed her leg, but the scar is still there. Like many other that stay hidden under her clothes. 
Whereas Sid's eyes hold a little pity and something else she can't understand at the moment. 

' Tum yaha ka kar rahe ho?' she asks while throwing the towel on the floor. She rests her body a little. 

' Wo, Monami ne kaha tumhe ye dene ke liye' he hands her the first aid box and sits down in front of her. Sanjana takes it from him and puts it down. He eyes her. But she doesn't budge. 

' Usne ye bhi kaha ki jab tak Sanjana dawai nahi laga leti, use chodna mat. 

She sighs. And Sid smiles a little knowing that he won this round. Sanjana pulls the box towards herself and and opens it. It has all sorts of things such as twizzers, scissors, scalpel, suture, gauze, tape, ointments and she has no idea what to do. She looks up at Sid with the same questioning eyes, and looking at her he settles down. He sits in front of her and takes her hand in his. The act is so simple. Yet, it intensifies the moment.