rajveer naina - fated

chapter 17

"Do you think that we only fell in love because of our names?"

she asks him one day as they sit by the lake at the academy, their hands entwined.

"Do you think that after hearing the stories for so many years, we just couldn't imagine ourselves with anyone else?"

"No,"he tells her seriously,

"Whatever else your name might be, I still would've loved you, I'm sure of that."

"Hussein, sometimes I get scared."She admits,

"What if, just like with them, something happens one day, what if..."

"Naina, these names are not cursed."Hussein tells her,

"And we'll be the ones to prove it.
In this lifetime at least, Naina and Rajveer should live happily ever after."She had nodded, laying her head on his shoulder as they had sat there holding hands.

And he had honestly believed that it could be true./

"Damn it, Hussein, do not close your eyes! Do you hear me, don't you dare close your eyes!" Asha screams at him as she slaps his face to keep him awake, his eyes already half closing.

"We're going to get you back to the base and you'regoing to be fine.... Nothing is going to happen to you, nothing!"

Amiya is sobbing, trying to apply pressure to his wound as Dhiraj drives the vehicle as fast as possible, whipping around corners.

"How much longer, Sir?" she asks him, desperately.

"Just ten more minutes, just keep him awake, get him to hold on!" Dhiraj yells back, there is a medical team already waiting, all they need is to get him back in time

...Hussein is struggling to say something and Asha tries to make him rest but he's determined.

"Naina..." he finally says,

"Tell Naina I love her, and tell her she has to be strong... at least she shouldn't let history repeat itself."

"We're not going to tell her," Amiya replies stubbornly,

"If you die then I'm going to tell her that you were having affairs with at least five other girls on this base, so don't even think about it!"
Hussein wants to laugh but it hurts so much... the hole in his chest...

"Just ten minutes more, do you hear me Hussein?" Asha asks him,

"Don't die... don't... I'll never forgive myself, do you think that we can do without you?
Do you?
Why the hell did you do this?"

"You won't understand," he tells her, his eyes closing again,

"But Naina will..."

This time he doesn't re open them, and Asha frantically searches for a pulse, finding one and realising that he's just passed out.

He can't die...He can't....Because if he does...Naina...

/Amiya is still screaming at Hussein as they bring him into the base, trying to get him to open his eyes, and as the medical staff take him away she begins sobbing, clinging to Asha.Asha can't stop her own tears either.

This is their first experience of what war is like, and to have one of their best friends wounded in this way, to possibly....Dhiraj leans against the wall tiredly, passing a hand over his face and back through his hair as Samir places a hand on hisfriend's shoulder, his face also lined with worry.

Noticing that Asha appears to still be in shock, Samir makes a sign to his friend and then steps forward to take Amiya's arm gently, supporting her and taking her to a seat.
When she clings to him instead, crying on to his shoulder, he sits awkwardly for a moment before beginning to pat her back comfortingly.