The Path Less Travelled.

Confess Now!

They had all had a good time looting Raj thoroughly, and amid fun and laughter, returned to the academy, and gone to their rooms to pack. They were leaving the next morning.

Raj, whose anxiety was increasing with the passage of time, was pacing in his room.
He just had to talk to her.
Before she left.
It wasn't fair to her, he thought, to be left without an explanation, without a closure.
He had the documents in his hand, all that was required was their signatures.
Deciding to go talk to her, before his courage failed him again, he walked out of the room, documents in his hand.

.....

Naina had been pacing in her room, unable to bear it anymore.
She felt, she had to talk to him.
Had to tell him how she felt.
She would be leaving tomorrow.
And yet, just the thought of confessing made her break out in cold sweat.
She sat down on her bed.
No.
She couldn't do it.
She couldn't face him.

Just then, Pooja came rushing in.

Pooja : "Oye Naina, tu yaha hai?
Kab se tujhe dhundh rahe hai."

She came and grabbed her arm.

Pooja : "Tujhe kuch dikhana hai...chal mere saath."
Naina (resisting) : "Par...Kya? Pooja...sun to sahi..."

But Pooja was already dragging her out holding her hand, Naina going along reluctantly.

......

Raj had just come out of the room, when he met Huda outside.

Huda : "Arreee Sirjee..aapsehi milne aa raha tha.
Aapse zaroori kaam hai.
Please chalye mere saath."

Raj : "Is wakt?
Main...busy hoon zara...Can it wait?"

Huda (dramatically, in an alarmed tone) : "Nai Sir, bohot urgent hai!"

Saying this, he took his arm, and started walking, before Raj could object.

.....

Naina : "Pooja kaha leke ja rahi hai? Baat to sun..."
She stopped speaking, when she looked up to see Huda dragging Raj along, towards them, in the same way.
She turned to Pooja, even more confused, when Huda stopped in front of them, a thoroughly confused Raj with him.
Alekh, Ali and Yudi were already standing there.
Just then, Abhi and Shalini joined them, out of nowhere.

Naina's eyes met Raj, and her heart skipped a beat.
Raj lowered his eyes, and looked at Huda for an explanation.

But it was Abhi who spoke.
To Naina.

Abhi : "Actually, Naina, baat ye hai ki...ham...I mean ham sab...actually, aapko batana chahte the ki...ki.."
Huda : "Ki Rajveer Sir tujhse bohot pyaat karte hai."
He finished with a grin, too impatient to wait for Abhi to finish.

Both Naina and Raj's mouth fell open.
Both were staring at Abhi.

Alekh's voice jerked them out of their trance.

Alekh (matter of factly) : "Ha, Bole to, Naina bhi Sir se pyaar karti hai. "

Raj and Naina stared open mouthed at Alekh now!
Everyone was grinning, Yudi and Pooja highfived.

Huda (to the party of people who were standing with Naina, namely, Alekh, Pooja, Yudi and Shalini.
"To...aaplogo ki taraf se ye rishta pakka samjhe?"

Shalini : "Of crs, Lt. Theres the small matter of talking to Naina's parents, but I am sure Captain will handle it.
So hamari taraf se rishta pakka."
She finished dramatically, with a wide mischievous grin.

Everyone erupted in cheers, and started congratulating the two, as if this was a normal way of proposing.
Then everyone started congratulating one another, making a loud ruckus, completely ignoring the fact that Raj and Naina still hadn't said a word to each other, and were standing there, stunned, faces red, unable to speak a word.
The ruckus around them had reached epic proportions, as Subhedars Suriji and Lolita had also joined in, and a bhangda had somehow started, with Huda and Suriji singing, and everybody else had joined in the dancing.

Just then, a loud voice boomed over the chaos.
"Will someone tell me what in the name of goodness is going on over here?"

Everyone fell silent, and turned to see BC standing there, anger written on his face.