I am back, back at the place where everything started. Back where I met the most important people in my life. It is the same place, the same building, the same structure. There is still that raw energy of patriotism and determination surrounding the entire area. "The place might be the same...but I am not the same" I think to myself.
As I stand outside the main gate, I can't help but think of all the bitter-sweet memories I had made in this place. A single drop of tear escapes my eyes, which I immediately wipe. With one deep breath, I dragged my luggage inside the gate of the one and only Kanchanjunga Military Academy. Stopping by the fire, I paid my respect to the fallen officers and continued walking to Brig. Chandok's office.
After knocking on the BC's door, I entered his office and as expected he was joined by MC, who was sitting there with a smug on his face.
"Major Naina Singh reporting sir" I stated as I saluted and stood at attention.
"Welcome back to Kanchanjunga Military Academy Major; KMA khush-kismat hai ki aap wapas aa gayi hai" came the replied from Brig.
"It's an honor to be back sir..." I stated with a small smile as I handed him my transfer letter.
"All right major...app Mondays, Wednesdays aur Fridays cadets ko guerrilla warfare ka instruction dengi. Tuesdays aur Thurdays app advance weapon combat handle karangi. Saath hi saath ek major honay kay naathay aap ko 1st year cadets ka warm-up or cool-down drills ki responsibility di jaa rahi hai. Yeh bohot sari responsibilities hai, I understand but major honay kay naatay aap ko yeh sab nibhana hoga. Any Questions?"
"No sir...but, I have a request" I responded
"What..." Curtly asked MC giving me a mean look; completely ignoring him, I turned to BC and stated "I want to be assigned the same room that Naveen Singh Ahluwalia was assigned to when he was here."
"Yeh possible nahi hai Major" Nair stated
"Kya mein puch Shakti hoon aaisa kyun?"
"Aap bhi janti hai ki uss room ko as evidence block kia gaya hai, aur jab tak Headquaters uss file ko officially close nahi kar detay, woh room re-assign nahi kiya jaa shakkta hai" Replied Beg. Chandok
"Woh already desh-drohi sabit ho chukka hai, magar pata nahi HQ ne abhi tak yeh file officially close kyu nahi ki" Nair said with disappointment and Curiosity.
"Toh, Major aap ko yeh jan kar khushi hogi ki HQ ne iss file aur case ko officially close karnay ka faisala kia hai" I said as I grabbed a letter from my back pocket and handed it to Brig. "Terrorism Investigator Col. Malik wanted me to hand this to you"
Brig. thoroughly studied the letter and handed it to Maj. Nair.
"Aab toh koi problem nahi hai na, mujhe woh room assign karne mein" I asked. Brig. Chandok gave me an exhausted look and said "Maj. Woh karma pechle 2 saal se band hai. Ussay saaf karnay mein kam se kam 1 ghanta toh lagayga."
"Toh sir tab tak mein mess mein wait karlungi. Jab room saaf ho jaye toh orderly se keah kar mujhe inform kar dena" I said walking out the door. As I was about to open the door, Brig. called me from behind
"Maj. Singh aap ek hoshiyar soldier hai; Mein nahi chata ki aap aapne past aur aapnay personal life ko aapne kaam ki aaday aanayday...aap samaj rahi hai na"
"Don't worry sir, I know how to keep my personal and professional life separate" I said and headed to the mess.
"Bilkul waisa ka waisa he hai" I stated to myself as I looked around the mess. Sitting down I asked an orderly to get me a cup of coffee.
"Naina putter" I heard a heavy voice say from behind me. Looking back I saw a middle-aged man looking at me with almost teary eyes
"Suri ji" I said in a barely audible whisper before bending down to touch his feet. I felt his hand rest on top of my head and I got up.
"Bataya kyu nahi, ki yu aa rahi hai?" He asked sitting down.
"Woh actually sab kuch itna jaldi hua toh phone karnay ka time he nahi mila" I answered
"Haan bhai, aab toh major ban gayi hoon. Ab iss Subedar Surendar Suri kay liya time kaha hoga" He teased with a playful smile.
"Suri ji, aaise baat nahi hai" I stated
"Oai Putter ji, mein toh bas tumhari tang kheech raha tha" He stated "Waisay sach kahu toh, bohot khushi ho rahi hai tum hai yaha dekh kar. Yaad hai jab tum sab Cadets hua kartay thay toh kitney mastiya kartay thay."
"Naadan thay hum suri ji. Duniya dari nahi aati thi...zindagi ek majak tha humaray liya. Magar aab zindagi aur wakt hai sab shika diya." I said
"Magar phir bhi, khabi khabi toh academy mein beetaya huya din yaad toh aata hoga na?" He asked
"Yaad toh aata hai, bohot aata hai. Woh samay hi kuch aur tha. Na kal ki tension na duniya ki parva...bas masti bharay time tha...magar Suri ji, time khabi nahi rukta. Wakt ko srif aagay badhna aata hai, aur aagar aap wakt kay saath saath nahi chal shakay toh peechay choot jatay hoon...aur mujhe pehechay reahena manjoor nahi" I said with a straight face "Is liya beetay huay baat choodiya aur yeh batayea ki academy mein kya naha chal raha hai"
"Kya bataoon, zayda kuch nahi badla...haan magar iss saal kay 1st year cadets kuch zayda hi undisciplined hai" He said and gave a small chuckle.
"Humaray batch se bhi Jyada undisciplined" I said with a cheeky smile
"Nahi baba...tum sab jaysa batch na aaj ta tha, na hoga" He said while holding a laugh. He suddenly got this serious look on his face before saying "Tum hai pata hai na ki woh bhi yahi..."
Without letting him finish I said "Mujhe sab pata hai"
"Aur tum hai koi problem nahi hai" He worriedly asked
"Jo past hai ussay past mein hai reaheyne dijiye...aur suriji, mein yaha aapnay kaam karney aayi hoon iss liye kyon yaha hai aur kyon nahi iss se mujhe koi farak nahi parta"
"Magar phir bhi ku..." He objected
"Main ne keh diya na, toh bas koi problem nahi hai" I said a little sternly. Right then the bell went off and the mess soon got flooded with the cadets. My eyes fell on a group of 5 cadets walking in...for some reason they were different then the other cadets. One of the cadets saw me and waved off his friends who was talking and started walking towards me. I raised my eyebrows in a questionable way as the cadets sat in the chair in front of me.
"Oai hoi...itni khoobsurat Janani ko aaisay aakalay baaitna nahi chahiey" He said in a flirtatious way.
I tilted my head a little before saying "Toh kis kay saath baitna chahiey"
He gave me a smug smile before saying "Mein hoon na" He then stretched out his hand for me to shake before saying "Cadet Amardeep Huda"
By this time his friends were standing around the table. I looked around at their faces and instead of shaking Cadet Huda's hand, I folded my arms in front of my chest and said "Major. Naina Singh...KMA ki nayi faculty"
A look of horror crossed the cadet's face and he awkwardly pulled back his hand "Sorry Ma'am" he stated
At that moment an orderly walked in and said "Ma'am aap ka karma ready hai" as he handed me the keys. I grabbed the keys from his hands grabbed my bags and said to the cadets "See you around cadets"
As I walked toward my room, I stumble and trip on something...I closed my eyes waiting for the fall but instead of the cold hard floor I fall into a warm and strong arms. Feeling his arms around me sent shivers through my spine and a familiar warm feeling rises in my heart. Without opening my eyes I know who the pair of arms belong to because there is only one person in this world who can make my heart skip a beat.
"What the hell" I hear someone say and I immediately came out of my thoughts and picked myself up. Seeing the person who spoke shocked me because I hadn't expected them to be there.
The person who had spoken walked up to me and said "What the hell are you doing here"
"Tum se matlab?" I questioned
"Matlab hai...aap ko jo damage karna tha woh kar chuki hai, aab kya chati hai" She said
"Cadet Gehlot...aap iss wakt aapne senior se baat kar rahi hai, so mind your tongue" I stated to Sherry, who was wearing a full KMA cadet uniform. I then turned to the person who had held me and said "See you around Capt. Rajveer Singh Shekhawat" I stated and took a deep breath before moving towards my room.