Even till the next day, the cadets were stuck on the puzzle given by their Captain Sir.
Rajveer on the other hand, was quite distracted. He couldn't focus on a single thing. His gut feeling was telling that something bad was going to happen today. And somehow, he had a feeling that it would involve Naina.
The cadets were gathered in the middle of the jungle for today's drill.
"Since, last time we had some over-smart people over here. We have to repeat this drill again." Major Nair taunted Naina.
Naina on the other hand just glared at him. It happened 3 days ago but still he wouldn't leave a chance to provoke her.
'You just wait, Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia. One of these days, your facade will fall and everyone else will see that you too, have the blood of a traitor. I will not allow traitors like you to destroy the sanctity of this academy.' Major Nair smirked at his own thoughts.
(I always felt that Major Nair was a bit uptight regarding the rules and regulations of the academy. I am not justifying his behavior. But somehow, trying to decipher it. Therefore, I personally feel that the reason why he hated Naina so much was because to him, she was the sister of a traitor, which for him, unfortunately was a traitor itself. And hence, his intentions were always to kick her out of the academy and possibly 'reveal her real reason' for joining the academy which could have earned him a promotion and maybe some good stats.)
The drill began like before. Only this time, Naina was paired up with Cadet Alekh Sharma. If Naina was short-tempered then Alekh was a simmering volcano, waiting to explode.
Ever since he came in the academy, he was at the center of constant jabs of his course-mates, who somehow believed that their speculations were far above than the decisions of the Army. They couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that the Army allowed a prisoner like him to join the academy.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that everyone was hiding their own secrets. It was only a matter of time until they are discovered.
Naina glanced at Alekh who was standing passively and staring blankly ahead. All these days, Naina never talked to him. She wasn't sure how to even strike a conversation with someone she barely knew. But that's what the Army is all about. You just have trust each other. Once you are in there, there are no strangers... only your team.
So, she just took a deep breath and put out her hand in front of herself.
"Hi, I am Naina."
Alekh just stared at her hand and then ignored the handshake. Naina put her hand down, not in anger, just a bit of disappointment.
"Jab tu apun ka naam jaanti-ich hai aur apun tera naam jaanta-ich to ye sab magajmaari kaiko?" Alekh said in his low gruff voice. (When you already know my name and I already know yours, then why bother with the formalities?)
Naina looked at him, unsure what to say, "Well, maybe because we never formally met."
Suddenly, they heard a snicker behind them. Huda along with the girl on his team was standing there. He was shaking with anger, or was it jealousy in his eyes?
"Look Huda, that's why I was telling you not to doubt Sir's decision. See, they both look very comfortable with each other. After all a traitor and a murderer do belong with each other." The girl said as she stared at the latter team.
Naina almost took a step towards the girl but was stopped by a voice behind her. "Topper khali fokat muh chalane se nahi banegi.. jaa nikal aur jaa ke uski chaplusi kar." (You won't become a topper by spewing nonsense... Go and be a teacher's pet.)
(This is a bit derogatory remark by Alekh but please keep in mind that these are young men and women who have been in the academy for barely a month. They have lived almost 20 years of their life as someone else. It is going to take them sometime to become understanding and 'civil' to each other. To understand the characters, you need to be in their place.)
"Oye Qaidi, zabaan sambhal kar baat kar samjha." (You better mind your tongue, Qaidi)
"Let's go, Huda. It's their turn, anyways." The girl dragged Huda away from the duo.
Naina and Alekh wandered in the jungle. There were no conversations between the two of them, after the last incident. Naina understood that Alekh was a no-nonsense person and hence, she respected that.
They were close to the target when suddenly Naina slipped on rock and dislocated her ankle. She fell down and angry tears brimmed her eyes.
"Now that Major will again get a reason to humiliate me in front of others." She murmured angrily as she tried to pick herself up.
"Jab zindagi neeche girati hai to khud uthna hi padta hai... warna log pair rakh kar nikla jayenge." (You need to get up when life pushes you down. Or else people will just step on you and go to their ways.) She turned around to look at the person.
Sun was already setting and therefore sunrays blinded her for a minute. But she could see the hand of a person stretched in front of her and she could swear she could hear the warmth in his voice.
Before she could stop herself, she instinctively called, "Bhaiya....".
The person understood her condition and blamed the scorching heat for her irrational behavior almost as if she was drunk. So Alekh sat down next to her and tried to get her stand up.
A sob broke out of her as she realized that her brother was never coming back to hold her up when she fell, neither he is going to protect her like he always did.
But before she could understand, someone pulled her up and she looked to find Alekh staring at her with warmth in his eyes. It was then when she realized the blunder she made a few minutes ago. She tried to say something but Alekh cut her off.
"Jaane de. Apun samjhta hai. Par aise-ich baat-baat par royegi to log isi baat ka fayda uthane lagenge. Apni kamzori kisi ko mat dikha. Jo bura lagta hai use bolna seekh... jo chot pahunchata hai use zindagi se alag karna seekh. Tera bhai aaj bhale hi idhar na ho... par tereko lagta hai uske kaleje ko thandak pahunchti hogi ye dekh kar ki har koi uski behen ko kuchh bhi bol kar nikal lete hai....?" Alekh said in a brotherly voice and Naina just stared at him, at loss of words.(Let it be. I understand. But if you'll keep crying like this all the time, people will enjoy it. Do not show your weaknesses to anyone. Speak, if something bothers you. Leave the ones who hurt you. Your brother might not be here today, but do you think he'll be at peace seeing how everyone is mistreating his sister?)
"I am sorry, maine... aise suddenly......" Naina tried to form a sentence but failed.
"Apun ko dikkat nahi hai... par kya tereko ek khooni bhai chalega?" Alekh joked but Naina could see a sadness in his eyes.(I have no problem but are you okay with having a murderer as your brother?)
"Agar tujhe ek gaddar behen se dikkat na ho to..." Naina darkly chuckled at her choice of words. (Only if you are okay with having a traitor as your sister.)
"Apun ko gaddar behen se koi dikkat nahi hai... dikkat hai to uske rone... aaj ke baad rona nahi... jo hona tha ho gaya... par tu akeli nahi hai... yaad rakhna..." Alekh said as he gently patted Naina's head. (I don't mind a traitor as a sister but I do mind her crying. Never cry again. What's done is done. But you are not alone anymore, keep it in your mind.)
"If the conversation between the brother and sister is over, shall we move back to the mess?" They saw Rajveer standing in front of them, barely hiding his smile as he saw the two cadets in front of him.
"Sir.... aap... yahan???" Naina and Alekh were confused to see Captain Rajveer in the middle of the jungle.
"Yes, cadets. Major Nair had to leave for some work and all the cadets were gathered at the mess except you two. So I came to find you both...... Are you hurt, Cadet Singh?" Rajveer asked Naina.
Naina almost groaned hearing that Rajveer was not going let go of their first encounter when she told him her name wrong.
Rajveer joined the two of them as he escorted the cadets back to the mess.
HELLO EVERYONE. MARNA MAT PLEASE. I AM BACK. I WAS EXPERIENCING WRITING BLOCK. I TRIED SO MANY TIMES TO UPDATE TO SOMEHOW I COULD NOT PUT THE FEELINGS INTO WORDS. I AM SURE YOU GUYS ARE UNDERSTANDING WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY.
COMING BACK TO THE CHAPTER, I TRIED VERY HARD TO SHOW THE DEEP BOND BETWEEN ALEKH AND NAINA. DO LET ME KNOW YOUR REVIEWS ON THAT PART SPECIFICALLY.
AS FOR THE NEXT UPDATE, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE QUALITY OF THE CHAPTERS WILL IMPROVE. I JUST NEED A BIT OF TIME TO GET THE FEEL OF THIS. UNTIL THEN. LOVE YOU ALL. TAKE CARE.
NEXT UPDATE ON : NOT DECIDED YET
DATE : FEBRUARY 06, 2024
PS. IGNORE THE GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES.