Left Right Left - The Revival...

XXVI - Holi Special

The next day was the main day of the Mentorship Programme, the camp. Early morning, Cadets with their mentors started their journey to the main base camp. The path was simple and reaching there won't be problem for anyone. But reaching their with all camping gears would certainly be a problem. "Pick up all the gears. Cadet." Major Nair ordered Pooja and himself started walking. "His own handset can't handle load so he is planning to ruin my." muttering this she started to pick them up. But after some picking up a few things, a bag fell from her hand. Ali was quietly watching all this, and unconsciously moved forward to help her to pick up the bag. Before he could pick up Ms.Lolita called him. He looked really torn, but Pooja nodded, assuring him that she was okay, and could handle it. Ali,Naina, Aalekh, Huda and Yudi picked up their gears, with help of their mentors and started their journey as well.

Rajveer and Naina had dristibuted their items, so that not a single person had to carry all the burden. This had helped their team to walk faster than others, who were walking really slow because of the Cadets, carrying more than what they were capable of. A small brook was in the way, which could be crossed only by walking on the small rocks here and there. Walking on them was not an easy task, especially with all the gears. But taking support of each other, Naina and Rajveer balanced their gears.
Suddenly Rajveer stepped on a slippery rock, but before he could fall, Naina put her free hand around his waist, and stabled him. Laughing a little at the face Rajveer made because of his clumsiness.
"Cadet Singh Stop Laughing." Rajveer said, being serious, but that caused her to laugh more. He couldn't help but smile at her childish reason to laugh.
Map was put on the board, indicating where everyone was supposed to put their tents. Everyone was planned away from each other. Suri ji and Yudi reached after Ms. Lolita and Ali, following them, because Suri ji was continuously trying to persuade her to lay him stay with him as he didn't trust Ali with her. To this argument, Ali tried to argue that he was not that kind of man, and Ms. Lolita just rolled her eyes like Yudi did. Rajveer and Naina were first to reach, and first to leave for their site of camp. Huda and Dr.Shalini were fourth to reach as the later one had to stop many times for break while walking and next one was Aalekh and Dr.Ritu. The last one was Pooja and Major Nair, who was really angry at this fact and as well as annoyed with Pooja because she was walking slowly. Pooja was trying to do her best, to walk with all the gears, and at last she was quiet proud of herself.

Setting up tents were the next problem, or task was the word which was used by Major Bhargav, who was staying in the base camp. Rajveer helped Naina to set up the camp. It was no big deal for them as he was experienced at field work, and it was not the first time he had to set up a tent. The other pairs also were successful, but after putting in a lot of efforts.
The temperature fell as the moon rose, and the teachers went out of their tents to meet someone. Suri ji went to meet Ms.Lolita, Dr.Ritu went to find Rajveer, and Shalini was away, meeting someone, nobody knew.

"Captain, what a beautiful night.. " Dr. Ritu started a conversation with Rajveer, who was collecting firewood. "Yes, Doc." "Rajveer.... You can call me Ritu." she said with a smile. "Doc is fine with me." he said and started to go back to his tent. "Captain, can't we take this relation to next level? We are both adults, we can think of.... " she was going to say but Rajveer saw someone near the trees. Looking closely he knew it was Naina, who turned away when their eyes met. "Doc, I have to go." saying this Rajveer left Dr.Ritu alone, standing there.

Naina couldn't help but feel sad. She didn't want to but she had a little jealousy building inside her. Returning back to their tent, she saw only one blanket, supposedly for the teacher in the pair. Lying on her side, she tried to sleep. When she heard someone coming, she shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She knew that Rajveer knew that she was there, and that is why she didn't want to face him right now. Rajveer picked up the blanket and put it on sleeping form of Naina and then went near the fire, lost in his own world.