Rajveer entered KMA reminiscing about his earlier days It was almost a second home to him. How many painfully good memories this place contained. He wondered how many secrets it contained too.
He reached the wall of fame. A cadet stood facing it. She was standing still gazing at the empty place on the wall.
Him coming brought her out of the trance. She turned and Rajveer stood rooted.
In her cadet uniform, with hair tied and determination and anger in her eyes, stood the love of his life.
"Naina.." he exclaimed, still in shock.
Naina looked equally shocked. They stood looking at each other for a minute, when..
"Cadet Singh" bellowed Major Nair. "Aap ko meine rifles ka bag andar lane ke liye kaha tha."
Naina looked down at the bag at her feet and quickly picked it up, and left.
"Hello Captain..Brigader ne mujhe aapko Office mein lane k liye kaha hai..Let's go."
"Umm..woh.." he started pointing at Naina.
"Cadet Naina Singh..one of the first year cadets...waise pichle ek mahine ke performance ko dekhte itna hi keh sakta hu...ki her days are numbered....failed the rifle drill and many others...isiliye kehta hu ladkiyon ko kabhi..." he trailed off, but Rajveer could only concentrate on one thing...her name...Cadet Singh
*****
Naina waited in bated breath near the Brigader's office. She was sweating and scared. A few minutes later BC, Nair and Rajveer came out of the cabin. Naina turned to leave.
"Cadet Singh" called Brigader Chandolk.
Naina closed her eyes, took a deep breath and turned around.
"Yeh file please jaake infirmary me de aayiye...dhyan se."
Naina looked at him shocked. " File ?" she said.
"Haan Cadet...File...What is so difficult to understand ? Go and give it to Dr Shalini. GO!"
Naina came out of the shock, looked once at Rajveer, before taking the file and bolting from there.
"These first year cadets...total idiots" murmured Brigader Chandolk.
*******
The next few days passed quickly as Rajveer observed Naina from a distance. How she struggled with all the army drills, how she got up every time she fell, how she never let anyone near her. It was as if he was watching a different Naina. This Naina had a shield around her...of pain...determination...and secrets.
Rajveer was thinking and as he passed the wall of fame..Naina passed him. They came face to face with each other after almost a week.
They looked at each other for a minute.
"Mujhe laga ki ab tak aap Brigader ko mere baare mein sab kuch bata diye honge."
Rajveer looked at her pained. How could she even think that about him..But he kept his expression stoic.
"Tumhe academy se bahar nikalne ke liye mujhe kisi ko kuch batane ki kya zarurat hai...tumhare grades khud hi woh kardenge."
Naina looked up at him angrily.
"Aur tumne toh ab nayi responsibility bhi le rakhi hai...independence day ka..."
"Haan" she responded. " Aur mein dono kar ke dikhaungi."
"Toh theek hai...Agar tum yeh kar dikhaayi...toh tumhara ye raaz...mein raaz hi rakhunga."
Naina looked at him doubtfully.
*******
"Congratulations Cadet Singh..Independence day celebrations toh ekdum hit rahe....aur meine suna ki aapne suriji ke test ko bhi top kiya."
Naina looked at him. " Sach baat kare , sir ?"
"What do you mean ?"
"Aap Brigader ya kisi ko yeh nahi batane wale ki mein...mein kaun hoon ?"
"Nahi." said Rajveer.
"Hmmm....Kyun ?"
"Kyun ka kya matlab ?"
Naina looked at him, frustrated. "Matlab aapko badle mein mujhse kya chaahiye ?"
Rajveer looked at her disgusted, once he understood her hidden meaning.
"Naina ! Hum jab last time mile the, toh tum ne ye kaha ...ki ite kam samay mein itne ache dost ban gaye hum...lekin mujhe aaj samajh mein aaya ki tumne toh mujhe kabhi samjha hi nahi..."
"Yo u are right Capt. Shekhawat....bohot galat samjha hai meine aapko....socha ki, mere bhai pe jab yeh jhuta inzaam lagaya gaya...toh aap zarur unka saath denge...galat thi mein...Jab woh chale gaye...toh unke parivaar se milne koi aur aaye na aaye...aap zaroor ayenge...phir galat thi...aapse umeed lagana..aap pe bharosa karna...yeh saari galtiya mein kar chuki hoon....ab aur nahi.." she said wiping her tears. "Toh...bata dijiye...kya chahiye aapko ? Kyunki mein yeh academy mein rehne ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hu...kuch bhi"
Rajveer shook his head sadly...He left from there, his heart bursting in anger and pain.
******
Rajveer was siting on the bench on the grounds at night, when..
"Sir"
"Kya hai , Cadet Singh ?" he asked sternly.
"Aaj aapne jo kuch bhi kiya...thanks..."
"Meine saare cadets ke liye kiya hai Cadet...tum please yeh mat sochna ki tumhare liye...varna phir puchogi ki meine kya fayda dekha?"
Naina sensed the hurt in his voice. She sat down next to him.
"I am sorry...I am sorry, Rajveer"
Rajveer turned to look at her.
"Mujhe Chobey ne bataya...ki aap yaha the hi nahi...jab bhayya ka..."
"Naina, woh tumhara bhai tha...lekin mere liye usse badh kar tha...uske jaane ka gham jitna tumhe hai..utna hi mujhe hai..."
"I m sorry." she said again.
"Kya kar rahe ho tum yaha Naina ?" asked Rajveer.
"Apne parivaar pe lage daag ko saaf karne ki koshish kar rahi hu...Apni bhai ko unka izzat lautana chahti hu."
"Par aise ? Aur tum yaha akele...Abhimanyu kaha hai ?"
Naina stood up. " Please Rajveer..mujhe iss bare mein kuch nahi baat karna...bas itna samajh lijiye...ki iss inzaam ne mujhe mere apne aur parayon k beech ka antar ache se samjha diya..aur ABhimanyu..paraye hi nikle."
Saying this, Naina left from there...leaving Rajveer very confused.
**********
Sorry for the boring update. Had to move the story along.
