Sunday morning dawned bright and calm, but the air was thick with anticipation. Vikram, as usual, was focused, his eyes scanning the task list they had to complete before the evening. We were seated in the conference room, and I was still fighting the grogginess of the early morning.
“Sia, if we work efficiently,” Vikram began, leaning back in his chair, “we can wrap up everything by 6 p.m. and leave by 6:30 for the party. No need to rush, and we’ll still make it on time.”
I nodded, a bit relieved. "Yeah, sounds good. I think I need a break after the week we’ve had."
Netra, ever the jokester, was quick to chime in. "Oh, and we’re all going in Sia’s Thar, right?" She grinned mischievously. “A beautiful girl in a party dress driving that beast of a jeep—now that’s a sight to see!”
Meera laughed along, raising an eyebrow. "Can you imagine? The picture of grace, elegance, and power, all wrapped up in one. I don’t think the guys at the party will know what hit them."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please, it’s just a jeep. I’m not driving anything in heels, though. Someone else can take over."
Vikram, grinning, raised his hand. “Don’t worry, Sia. I’ll drive. You can enjoy being the passenger for a change.”
The girls exchanged looks, still giggling, and I couldn’t help but join in. It was nice to laugh for once, with everything that had been going on.
---
By 6:30 p.m., we were all gathered outside the quarters, ready to leave. Vikram stood by the Thar, keys in hand, while Netra and Meera were already seated in the back, looking excited. But something felt off.
“Where’s Sia?” Meera asked, glancing around.
Netra, tapping her foot impatiently, added, “She’s not one to be late. Something’s up.”
Just then, I stepped out, and the teasing looks on their faces froze in place. The black and gold dress shimmered as it caught the fading sunlight, fitting me perfectly, highlighting every curve without being too showy. I had paired it with deep red lipstick, and my hair was styled in soft waves.
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Netra’s jaw dropped. "Sia, you... you look like a princess!"
Meera’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe it. This is the same girl who’s trained to kill and handle weapons, looking like she’s stepped out of a royal ball.”
Vikram blinked a few times, then cleared his throat, pretending to look unaffected. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be driving, because I can’t risk crashing with all these people staring at you.”
I laughed, feeling a little self-conscious under their gazes. “Okay, okay, enough with the drama. Let’s get going before we’re late.”
---
As we arrived at the party, Neeraj was already up on stage, welcoming guests, but the moment we stepped inside, his eyes found me. I felt his gaze linger, and for the first time, I saw a different kind of attention in his eyes—something softer, more... intrigued.
Netra, who never missed a thing, whispered to Meera, “Looks like someone’s a little too eager to see Sia.”
Meera giggled softly, nodding in agreement. “He hasn’t stopped looking at her since we entered.”
We made our way to Neeraj, who greeted us with his usual warmth. We handed him gifts, and though he placed most of them in a box, when I handed him the bouquet, he held it briefly, smiling before handing it to Abhimanyu to take care of.
After a few minutes of polite chatter, Neeraj took to the stage to give his welcoming speech. I couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes kept drifting toward me, even while addressing the room.
Meanwhile, Abhimanyu approached the girls and Vikram. “Drinks, anyone?” he asked with a charming smile.
Meera and Netra nodded eagerly, and even Vikram joined them. I, however, declined politely. “I’m good, thanks.”
As they all headed to the bar, I found myself alone at the table. I wasn’t alone for long, though. Neeraj approached, still looking slightly dazed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite place.
“You look... incredible, Sia,” he said, his voice softer than usual. “It’s hard to believe you’re the same person I see in uniform every time.”
I felt heat rise to my cheeks, but I smiled, trying to play it off casually. “Thanks, Neeraj. You don’t look too bad yourself. Quite the handsome hunk tonight.”
He laughed, the sound easy and genuine. “I’m not sure I can compete with you in that dress, but I’ll take the compliment.”
Just then, his sister stepped onto the stage, a microphone in hand. “Alright, everyone! It’s time for the couple’s dance. Grab your partners and get ready for some music!”
Neeraj turned to me, an almost nervous look in his eyes. “Would you like to dance with me, Sia?”
I hesitated for a second, glancing over at Meera and Abhimanyu, Netra and Vikram, who were already heading to the dance floor. They were all laughing, immersed in their own worlds. I smiled, and before I could think twice, I nodded. “Sure.”
The music started—Dekha Hazaro Dafaa—and Neeraj gently took my hand, leading me to the center of the room. The moment we started dancing, I could feel his eyes on me, even more intensely than before. There was something unspoken between us, a tension that neither of us could quite put into words.
As we moved in sync to the music, he whispered, “You know, Sia... I’ve never met anyone like you. Strong, determined... and now, I see, incredibly graceful too.”
I chuckled softly, but inside, I felt a swirl of emotions I wasn’t ready to confront. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself. But you should stop looking at me like that. People will start to think something’s going on.”
He smirked, his gaze never leaving mine. “Let them think what they want.”
Just then, Vikram called out from across the room. “Sia! Netra and I are heading out. We need to go, you also.”
I broke eye contact with Neeraj, giving him an apologetic smile. “Duty calls.”
He nodded, though there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. “Of course. Thanks for the dance.”
---
As we left the party and made our way back to the quarters, the weight of the upcoming briefing and the mission started to settle over us like a heavy cloud. Vikram, Netra, and I sat in the jeep, the air filled with an unspoken tension.
“You okay, Sia?” Vikram asked, sensing the change in my mood.
I nodded, though my mind was racing. The mission briefing was critical—led by the PM himself, and we were going to be working in Alpha Team. But beneath it all, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Neeraj’s eyes, the warmth of his hand in mine, the softness in his voice.
But duty came first. It always had.
As we reached the quarters, I changed into my uniform and steeled myself for what lay ahead. Whatever feelings had surfaced tonight, they would have to wait. My mission awaited, and that was the only thing that mattered now.
