Rajveer indulges in the process of unlocking the door of the motel.
Standing behind him, Naina looks around at the interior of the motel. She doesn't understand why she gets negative vibes about the motel. Naina walks a little closer to Rajveer, because of the negative vibes she gets there. Her sudden getting closer to him, wakes up every nerve ending of Rajveer and he halts suddenly at the process of unlocking the door.
Naina who is engrossed in understanding why is she nervous about the scenario, doesn't realize how her standing close to Rajveer is affecting him.
Rajveer, bent down a little in order to unlock the door, stares somewhere at the door ahead, feeling the closeness of her. After brief moments, he again focuses on unlocking the door. Whilst doing so he asks,
"Kya hua Naina?"
His voice skips Naina's heartbeat and drags her attention. She looks towards Rajveer and self consciously says,
"Ahmm... nahi kuch nahi."
She realizes that she is standing close to him, too close for a mentor and protegee to be. But the weird feeling she is getting about the motel seems to be way stronger than the weird feeling she is having standing so close to Rajveer.
Not that they haven't been this close earlier, professionaly. But this night she as well as he, don't understand, why it feels.... different!
Finally Rajveer manages to unlock the door of the room which they are going to share as long as they are here under the name Mr. and Mrs. Alekh Sharma.
*****
Rajveer before entering the room peeps into the room, looking around. May be it is a soldier's instinct - he doesn't know, but something in him tells him that he must check everything before entering the room.
Standing behind him - Naina who was looking around to understand why is she feeling weird there, looks towards Rajveer when he doesn't enter the room.
"Ahmm... kya hua Sir?",
she asks, knitting her brows lightly.
Rajveer turns a little, to look towards her saying,
"Hmm? Nahi... nahi kuch nahi."
Saying so he again turns to look towards their room towards the ceiling and asks Naina,
"Naina are you sure tum yahan ander jana chahti ho?"
That skips Naina's heartbeat and she turns to look towards Rajveer in horror.
How did he manage to word her doubt so well? - she wonders, staring him shocked.
Rajveer turns to look towards Naina when he doesn't get a reply and prompts her,
"Hmm?"
"Kyu....un Sir? Aap... Aap aisa kyun puch rahe hain?",
asks Naina, her rate of heartbeat increased.
She stares Rajveer's mysterious eyes.
He is trying to keep something from her - she doesn't understand why she feels so.
Rajveer looks around then peeps a little towards the corner in order to make sure that no one is there because he doesn't understand why he fails to convince himself that in the secluded corridor there is no one else other than them!
Naina too follows his eyes, knitting her brows tighter to understand what is going on in his mind! What is he looking towards.
"Hmm?",
he looks towards her and finds her staring him skeptically.
He realizes that he needs to divert her mind or else she might start bombarding her doubts, clearing which he might find difficult.
"Nahi.... matlab itne din mujhse dur rahi ho. Mere saath ek room share karne mein awkward to lag sakta hai tumhe.",
teases Rajveer.
Naina widens her eyes as she didn't expect this at all coming from him. Blush creeps her cheeks in no time. Rajveer laughs lightly, gauging her reaction. Naina lowers her eyes and looks away, trying to hide her smile and blush from him.
Getting inside the room Naina and Rajveer place their luggage at a corner.
While Rajveer after locking the door behind them starts scanning the room, walking slowly through the corners of the room; tired Naina sits on the bed, crossing her left leg on to her right; her arms stretched behind her giving support to her body weight.
Rajveer reaches a small cupboard height of which reaches up to his knee and finds the door of it ajar. Bending a little, he pushes it slowly in order to close it.
She looks at her attire and asks Rajveer,
"Ye saree pehnna zaruri tha kya?"
Her sudden question skips Rajveer's heartbeat and he halts in his process of scanning the room, turning to look towards Naina.
"Kya?",
he asks, trying to cross check did she really ask that?
Naina looks towards him for fraction of seconds then looks back again towards her attire and whilst doing so she repeats her question,
"Ye saree.... ye saree pehnni zaruri thi kya?"
Rajveer lowers his eyes, and tries to get hold of his accelerating heartbeat. He realizes his cheeks are warming up. Without much force the moment flashes in front of his eyes when Rajveer's eyes first time laid on Naina - wearing that saree. Red! Such a deep colour! Its affect too was deep on him. Then came the moment when he realized that she wore it for Huda; not even ready to consider that indirectly she wore it for him, so that Huda agrees on taking part in the revolt. His cheeks turned red out of possessiveness, but he chose to ignore - like always.
Getting out reverie, Rajveer looks towards Naina - a little nervously.
Naina gives him a questioning look!
Rajveer, in order to hide his emotions, looks away again towards the cupboard and finds it ajar again. He knits his brows.
"Koi kisi baat par dhyan nahi deta!",
curses Rajveer, sighing and pushes the door of the cupboard again.
Naina doesn't understand what he meant. Knitting her brows, bending her right ear towards him, as if trying to hear him, she asks,
"Kya?"
Rajveer turns to look towards Naina and in a little annoyed tone he says, whilst indicating towards the door,
"Ye darwaza! Tumhari tarah ziddi hai.",
whilst saying so, he walks passing by her.
Naina, feeling offended, holds Rajveer by his upper arm, stopping him.
That comes as a sheer surprise for Rajveer! He immediately turns and first focuses on Naina's hand which is holding him by his upper arm, staring at it out of shock. Then slowly looks towards Naina, shock never leaving his face.
Naina too feels weird and alert by her own bold step and her determination shakes a little. Rajveer could feel it as her hold on his upper arm loosens. She is perplexed, this Rajveer gets assured of, owing to the fact that she doesn't let go off his arm completely.
Lowering her eyes for fraction of second Naina quickly clears her mind, then clearing her throat she looks towards him and demands an answer for her question,
"Main ziddi hun?",
knitting her brows, looking straight into his eyes.
Rajveer stares her, smiling a little, making her go weak on her knees. And as soon as he feels her loosening the hold again, he takes her by surprise by twisting her that hand with which she dared to hold him, locking it behind her, standing, such that her back is now against his chest.
"Sir!",
breathes Naina, as her mind gets blocked by Rajveer sudden assault and the sudden closeness of theirs.
Rajveer slowly kisses her on her lips.
Naina focuses on calming herself down gradually. Her lips puff up merely by feeling his lips on them.
*****
Tak... tak.... tak... tak....
The slow noise of few hammers beating the floor reaches the owner/receptionist - Mr. Bhatia and skips his heartbeat.
He looks up towards the ceiling in horror, through which the sound was approaching him. His man - Nikhil, comes running to him, hearing the sound, he too looks towards the ceiling in terror and gulps his saliva.
"Inse bol ke ye shant rahein kuch din. Fir to humari puri zindagi parhi hai jitni jaan leni ho humari le lein.",
says Mr. Bhatia, out of anger and frustration, looking towards the ceiling.
"Itne mushkil se koi humare hotel mein rehne aya hai.",
says Mr. Bhatia, feeling cursed.
"Jijaji agar hum wo darwaza khol dein to?",
asks Nikhil, looking towards Mr. Bhatia in horror.
"Oye pagal ho gaya hai kya? Marun kya tujhe?",
says Mr. Bhatia, out of anger.
"Teri behn to chali gayi yahan se, tujhe mere paas chor gayi. Kal hi phone karke kehta hun usse ke tujhe yahan se le jaye."
"Rehne do Jijaji phone to chalte hain nahi yahan ke ke aap kuch kahoge Didi se.",
taunts Nikhil, lightly.
Mr. Bhatia looks towards the black telephone sadly.
"Kitni baar phone theek karwane ki koshish ki hai. Par lagta hai....",
he then looks towards the ceiling from where the sound was approaching them and says,
"Ye log chahte hi nahi ke hum yahan se kahin jayein."
Nikhil knits his brows and thinks, as if getting into a conclusion, and asks,
"Oh... to kya isliye aap hum dono mein se sirf ek ko bahar jane dete ho?"
Mr. Bhatia looks towards Nikhil sadly, and says,
"Haan. Kyunki ye log humein yahan se saath mein kahin jane nahi denge. Kahin jane nahi denge."
Saying so, Mr. Bhatia looks towards the ceiling again. Nikhil does the same.
"Agar humne wo darwaza khol diya.... to wo sub bahar aa jayenge.",
says Mr. Bhatia in horror.
Then looks towards Nikhil in horror and confesses,
"Tu ek din yahan nahi tha to maine uss darwaze ko khola tha!"
"Kya????",
exclaims Nikhil, shocked.
"Aap... apne mujhe bataya kyun nahi? Fir kya hua tha?",
he asks, out of terror and excitement, eager to know what happened then.
"Mere darwaza kholte hi pehle sub kuch shant ho gaya. Aisa laga mano unhe yakeen nahi tha ke itne waqt baad wo darwaza unke liye khulega.",
says Mr. Bhatia, drowning into the feeling all over again. His rate of heartbeat increases as that eerie feeling hits him again.
Nikhil keeps staring him mum, out of shock! Waiting for him to continue, eagerly.
"Fi...r... kya aap ander gaye?",
Nikhil couldn't refrain himself from asking the question.
Mr. Bhatia shakes his head into negative, in slow succession.
"Itna sannata... itna sannata ke mujhe ye ehsaas khaye jane laga ke main akela hun yahan. Bilkul akela...!!!",
says Mr. Bhatia, in a hushed voice, making it sound all the more horrific to Nikhil.
"Aisa lag hi nahi raha tha ke kuch shan (moments) pehle yahin se wo zor zor se darwaza khatkhatane ki awaz aa rahi thi.",
shares Mr. Bhatia, feeling goosebumps.
"Bachne ka raasta dhundh rahe honge!",
says Nikhil drowning in his thoughts, trying to picturize whatever he knows about this fiasco.
Mr. Bhatia, never blinking his eyes nods his head in slow motion.
"Tabhi achanak meri chaati (chest) par zor se ek dard utha, mano jaise mujhe koi cheerta hua bahar nikla ho uss kamre se!!",
says Mr. Bhatia, his heart thumping as he once again feels the same acute pain that he felt that day.
Nikhil gets to the edge of his excitement, anxiety.
"Fir... fir kya hua Jijaji?",
asks Nikhil, shocked.
Indicating with his index finger - standing vertically, Mr. Bhatia asks,
"Tujhe... tujhe yaad hai na akhri baar humne wo bedsheet change kar di thi uss room ki?"
Nikhil remembers and anxiously, he says,
"Haan... haan Jijaji yaad hai. Yaad hai."
"Wo... wo theek ussi jagah se jali hui mili mujhe jahan se wo... wo bedsheet jali thi, uss... uss hadse ke dauran!",
he shares the unusual news with Nikhil.
Shivers run down Nikhil's spine. He pictures the what the whole situation might have been when his brother-in-law would have gone to that room and discovered the bedsheet.
"Kya baat kar rahe ho Jijaji!!!",
says Nikhil, in utter disbelief.
"Main... main jhoot nahi bol raha Nikhil. Teri... teri Didi ki kasam.",
swears Mr. Bhatia, turning to look towards Nikhil.
They stare each other in horror. Suddenly they realize that the noise from that room has terminated.
*****
Rajveer let go off her hand. Naina purses her lips.
"Ab kya hua? Ab kuch nahi bolna Mr. Alekh Sharma?",
Naina purses her lips, enjoying his going mum.
Rajveer glares her. Naina laughs.
*****
"Apne mere sawal ka jawab nahi diya.",
says Naina, checking out her nails, to kill time.
"Konsa sawal?",
asks Rajveer, turning to look towards her, whilst working on his laptop, sitting on the sofa.
Naina looks towards him, resting her hands on her either sides on the bed and repeats her question,
"Apne sari pehnne ko kyun kaha?"
Rajveer, sitting at his place with his laptop on his lap, stares Naina, smiling a little, his stare turning possessive and dark on her.
Naina's heart skips a beat witnessing the possessiveness in his eyes and lowers her eyes, feeling self conscious.
Staring her throughout, he challenges her,
"Mystery hai! Unlock it if you can.",
smiling, teasingly.
Naina smiles infectiously on being challenged as she feels the adrenaline rush.
But soon she realizes that she doesn't have patience for playing this game and sighs looking towards Rajveer.
Rajveer laughs, understanding. Naina blushes.
Lowering her eyes she asks him,
"Miss kiya apne mujhe?",
a little hesitantly.
Rajveer looks towards her, possessively again. His rate of heartbeat picks up pace. How can he put in words how much had he missed her? - he wonders.
Naina keeps staring him, smiling a little, waiting for his reply.
Ever so slowly, staring her throughout, Rajveer asks her,
"Ye baat tumne mujhse academy mein kyun nahi puchi?"
Naina's voice turns soft and staring him, in a sad voice she says,
"Academy mein waqt hi kahan diya apne mujhe, jabse aap laute hain."
Rajveer blinks his eyes, smiling a little, enjoying her complaining to him.
"Shayad apke liye dusro se milne ke samne mujhse milne ki ahmiyat kam ho gayi hogi.",
says Naina, seriously, lowering her eyes.
That in turn makes Rajveer to knit his brows lightly. Smiling again a little, his voice dark and possessive, he asks,
"Zara ye baat meri taraf dekh kar kehna!"
Naina's heartbeat picks up pace but she doesn't look towards him, finding it impossible to meet his eyes when he is using the dominating tone of his.
"Dekho meri taraf!",
he demands, politely.
Taking a deep breath, controlling her heartbeat, Naina looks towards Rajveer, blushing, smiling a little. But fails to stare him for long and lowers her eyes again out of sheer shyness.
"Agar ahmiyat kam hoti na to abhi hum academy mein hote. Yahan iss room mein nahi.",
warns Rajveer, staring her, narrowing his eyes on her, smiling.
Naina's heart skips a beat as she realizes what he means!
"Yaad mat dilaiye mujhe aap.",
scolds Naina, lightly.
More than her, it's her anxiety scolding him.
Rajveer laughs on witnessing a nervous Naina. And whilst laughing, he asks, just to tease her further,
"Kyun?"
"Main itni darr gayi thi jab apne mujhe apna plan bataya tha.",
says Naina, her cheeks warming up as she feels the nervousness all over again by merely thinking of the incident.
Rajveer laughs out loud throwing his head behind.
Naina glares him, trying to control her blush but finally smiles profusely, blushing, closing her eyes in order to control her emotions.
As she opens her eyes, they stare each other their laughter dying gradually leaving behind the residue of it in the form of smile. Staring each other throughout they reminiscences the whole incident that took place.
*Flashback*
Rajveer, on entering the mess finds Naina waiting at the counter for the order to get delivered. He then scans the busy mess to locate her friends and find them occupying seats around the last row, absolutely opposite to the counter, enjoying together, laughing. Assured that they won't look towards Naina anytime soon, Rajveer walks towards Naina after staring her possessively, seriously, as if angry on her, with full determination of talking to her. Carrying a tray filled with her dinner, Rajveer finds her beginning to walk towards her friends. Rajveer quickly walks to her, in front of her. His suddenly getting into her way makes her to almost lose her balance and her dinner would have spilled on the floor had Rajveer not held the tray from the front such that Rajveer and Naina are standing opposite to each other; in front of each other, holding the tray in between them.
Their eyes meet! Their heartbeats skip! They, holding the tray in between them breath in rhythm. Their bodies emitting heat by merely facing each other. The fact that they are standing this close to each other though not touching each other, the only gap between them is made by the tray makes them feel intimate! The fact that they are not all alone, rather surrounded by crowd, makes the moment for them suffocating. The only thing that relaxes them to some extent is the fact that they are able to freely stare each other, forgetting about the whole world. But why is it so relaxing, they take it as a mystery that they need to unlock, gradually.
Keeping quiet, Naina keeps staring him, expecting him to say something, anything - whatever he is here for to tell her. By the look of his, she could easily understand that he isn't here without any purpose. She waits, giving him his time to tell her.
"Main apne dost ke ghar rehne ja raha hun aur tum apne ghar ja rahi ho.",
says Rajveer, quickly.
Naina, on hearing him thinks that she must have failed to comprehend with his words hence out of confusion she asks, knitting her brows,
"What?"
Rajveer gets irritated and rolls his eyes,
"Tumhe ek baar mein samjh nahi aata hai? Main apne dost ke ghar rehne ja raha hun aur tum apne ghar ja rahi ho.",
repeats Rajveer.
"Nahi, main kahin nahi ja rahi.",
says Naina, as a matter of fact, taking it as that he must have gotten some wrong information.
"Nainaaa.. main tumse puch nahi raha, main tumhe bata raha hun.",
says Rajveer, going strict on her.
That skips her heartbeat and she widens her eyes on finally understanding his meaning and says,
"Oh!"
Rajveer arches a brow, giving expression as if saying,
' 'Oh!??' That's it?'
"Ahmm... par kyun?",
asks Naina, still unclear about whatever is going on in his mind.
Rajveer finally gets back to his normal self and stares her.
(Rajveer-Naina piano key tune begins)
Naina stares back, knitting her brows lightly, trying to understand his emotions.
"Kyunki mujhse bardasht nahi ho raha!",
he says, ever so calmly, keeping his eyes lowered, scratching the tray with his index finger leisurely, in a slow pace.
Naina's heart clenches on hearing that, as she understands what he means. Her face warms up in no time. Tilting her head a little towards left, staring him, she asks softly,
"Kya?"
Rajveer looks towards her, his own cheeks warming up.
(Rajveer-Naina slow piano key tune begins)
"Naina.... main janta hun ke main jabse aya hun, tumhe waqt nahi de pa raha.",
says Rajveer, feeling guilty, his voice soft out of guilt.
Naina lowers her eyes, as she too has been feeling it that he isn't giving her his attention but stayed mum, not wanting to cause him any trouble. She then looks towards him. They stare each other.
"Mana mat karna Naina.",
he pleads her.
She knits her brows lightly.
"Tum please leave application de dena. Main bhi de dunga.",
says Rajveer, staring her expectantly.
Naina stares him. Rajveer stares back. Both understanding their desperation to be with each other. Both understanding their helplessness, they know that they cannot be with each other to their heart's desire, in the academy. They need to get out of the academy in order to rejoice their togetherness.
Naina nods her head slowly in acceptance. Rajveer on getting her acceptance sighs in relief inaudibally then smiles a little.
Naina lowers her eyes out of hesitation on witnessing his excitement, which he is keeping under control and doing it fairly well.
"Lekin jayenge kahan?",
asks Naina, expectantly, nervously.
Rajveer smiles and asks her,
"Any guesses?"
Naina thinks,
"Ahmmm..."
"Point 1857?",
asks Naina, smiling, looking towards Rajveer.
Rajveer's heart skips a beat on hearing that as he understands that if they do go to 'POINT 1857' this time, it is going to be a different experience. It is going to mean different to them, unlike the last time. They know this time whenever they go he won't give her permission to use the suffix 'Sir' with his name and she won't give him the permission to use the prefix 'Cadet' with her name!
Rajveer smiles, looking towards Naina and shakes his head into negative.
"Wahan abhi nahi!",
he says, smiling.
His words come as a surprise for her. That means he already had it in his mind! - the thought makes Naina to blush.
"Aur uske liye leave application dene ko kehta kya for a week?",
asks Rajveer.
"Week?!!",
exclaims Naina, astonished.
Rajveer smiles looking towards her.
"Sir please. One week? Meri parhayi ka kya? Main firse peeche ho jaungi parhayi mein.",
Naina tries to reason with him.
"Waise bhi jabse aap aye hain parhayi mein dhyan hi nahi de pa rahi.",
she murmurs, keeping her eyes lowered.
That doesn't escape Rajveer's ear.
"Kya? Kya kaha tumne? Tum parhayi par dhyan nahi de pa rahi meri wajah se?",
asks Rajveer, teasingly, smiling.
Naina glares him for teasing her.
Looking away, he acts to be a good boy,
"Theek hai Naina. Agar aisa hai to main tumhare aur tumhare parhayi ke beech mein kabhi nahi ana chahunga. Chala jata hun main wapas academy se.",
he teases.
That skips Naina's heartbeat and she suddenly goes all serious.
"Khabardar.... khabardar Sir agar apne aisi koi bhi faltu baat firse ki to!",
she warns him, indicating her index finger towards him, widening her eyes out of anger.
Rajveer's smiles with all his heart, feeling the depth of her emotions for himself.
"Aur ek baat aap dhyan rakhiyega. Ab mujhse itne lambe time ke liye durr jane se pehle apko mujhse meri ijjazat leni parhegi. Samjhein aap?",
warns Naina.
Rajveer laughs hearing that, trying to hide his true emotions that are fluttering inside his heart for her.
And Naina, she feels suffocated by the fact that she cannot hug him to tell him how acute is her fear of losing him all over again!
They slowly lower their eyes.
Naina gets nervous, fearful as a thought enters her mind,
"Par Sir agar kisi wajah se ghar par phone kiya to academy se? May be mujhe wapas bulane ke liye?"
Before Rajveer to speak, Naina begins with sharing her next fear,
"Or worst, ghar se agar phone aa gaya to mujhse baat karne ke liye?"
Rajveer realizes that indeed is a reason of concern.
"Naina.... Naina... relax.",
Rajveer tries to calm her down, looking towards her, smiling.
"Naina, usually tumhare ghar se koi phone nahi karta. Instead tum karti ho phone timely. To unka phone kyun ayega achanak?",
asks Rajveer, knitting his brows, trying to make her understand.
Naina lowers her eyes and shares with him,
"Jab aap nahi the yahan, maine subse baat karna almost band kar diya tha. Mann hi nahi lagta tha."
That gets Rajveer serious. He stares her without blinking.
"Academy se ghar par phone kiya gaya aur unhe ye baat bataiyi gayi ke main khamosh ho gayi hun. Ma Baba academy aye the mujhse milne aur mujhe insist karne lagey ke main ghar chalun unke saath. Magar academy chor kar jane ka to koi sawal hi nahi tha. Academy mein at least apke hone ka ehsaas to hota tha. Ghar jakar to bilkul apse connection kat jana tha.",
says Naina, seriously, staring at infinity.
Rajveer's heart clenches hearing that.
"Subne bohot convince kiya par main nahi mani. Ma Baba haar kar chale to gaye wapas lekin unka har roz call ane laga. Mujhse baat karke ye tassali karne ke liye ke main theek hun.",
says Naina.
"Itne calls karne ya aney ki ijjazat nahi deti academy. Par Brigadier Chandok ne mere case mein puri liberty de rakhi thi.",
Naina tells him.
Naina sighs and turning to look towards him, she says,
"Isliye phone aa sakta hai."
Rajveer smiles politely.
"Pehle aur ab mein fark hai Naina!",
he says, calmly yet confidently.
Naina knits her brows, staring him, wondering how is it different!
Understanding her confusion, Rajveer whilst lowering his eyes, says,
"Pehle....",
then looking towards her, smiling, he says,
"Main nahi tha academy mein!"
That skips Naina's heartbeat. She stares him, too shocked to react to it.
"Par ab main aa gaya hun. Aur ye baat tumhare Ma Baba ko pata hai.",
he tells her.
That comes as yet another shock for Naina.
Rajveer nods his head in affirmative,
"Haan Naina, main gaya tha unse milne.",
he confesses plainly.
Shocked Naina widens her eyes.
"Kab?",
asks Naina, too shocked to say anything else.
"Naina, main batane yahi gaya tha ke main wapas aa gaya hun.",
Rajveer pauses, feeling a little hesitation.
Naina waits for him to speaking further, holding her breath.
"Par pata nahi mujhe kya hua maine baaton baaton mein unse ye keh diya ke tum mere saath ek mission par ja rahi ho. To shayad agle ek hafte tak tum academy mein na raho!",
he confesses, earnestly.
Naina stares Rajveer in utter disbelief. Rajveer stares back, feeling guilty.
"Naina mera yakeen mano main unse jhoot nahi bolna chahta tha. Par main ye bhi nahi samjh pa raha tha ke kis tarah tumhare liye waqt nikalun. Main samjh raha tha ke tumhe bura lag raha hoga ke main subse baat kar leta hun par tumse nahi."
Naina stares him. Rajveer looks towards her.
"Main bus hum dono ko pura waqt dena chah raha tha, jo beete kuch dino mein dena mere liye possible nahi ho raha tha. Main samjh gaya tha ke bus yahi ek raasta hai hum dono ke saath mein kuch pal beetane ka, wo sub baatein karne ka jo academy mein hum nahi kar pa rahe. Humein waqt nahi mil raha.",
says Rajveer, earnestly.
Rajveer and Naina stare each other, feeling the depth of their emotions for each other. Their merely staring each other is enough for them to transmit their emotions to each other.
"To batao Naina kya dogi tum mujhe ijjazat tumhari zindagi ke kuch lamho ko apne naam karne ke liye?",
asks Rajveer, looking straight into her eyes, all serious, blushing but not smiling.
"Kuch...??",
she breaths.
And her that one word both clenches and flutters Rajveer's heart. And he smiles, his brows knit together in order to control his over whelming emotions for her. Naina smiles back, understanding his emotions perfectly. His emotions which are no more a mystery to her!
*Flashback ends*
"Yun subse jhoot bol kar aise aana....",
she shakes her head, blushing.
Rajveer laughs seeing her reaction.
"Apko pata hai apne mujhe Shantanu ki yaad dila di thi. Usse bhi milne ke liye main jhoot bol bol kar jati thi.",
says Naina, without realizing what affect it might have on Rajveer.
Rajveer goes serious but residue of his laughter remains on his face. He stares her.
Naina happens to look towards him at that very moment and realizes how he might have taken her words as.
"Ahhmm.... wo zada ghumne firne ki ijjazat nahi dete the mujhe Ma-Baba. Strict the.",
his looks bounds Naina to explain herself to him.
Rajveer smiles a little but his smile doesn't reach his eyes. Naina realizes that and goes silent, lowering her eyes.
*****
Naina, on realizing that they have gone quiet and that too all because of her, feels nervous about starting a new topic. In order to kill the awkward silence Naina asks him,
"Ahmm... apna phone denge please?"
Rajveer looks towards her, knitting his brows lightly he asks her,
"Kyun?"
"Ahmm... wo Pooja ko phone karke zara baat kar lun.",
says Naina, smiling.
"Aur kya bologi tum Pooja ko? Kahan ho tum?",
asks Rajveer, knitting his brows, reminding her of their lie.
Naina itches the behind of her neck, thinking, smiling nervously, then says,
"Ahmmm... keh dungi ke ghar par hun."
"Waise bhi academy ke number par karungi so pata nahi chalega. And I am sure koi apke number ko trace nahi karne wala.",
smiles Naina.
Rajveer takes a deep breath and rejects her idea,
"Koi zarurat nahi hai."
That comes as a surprise for Naina.
"Karne dijiye na.",
requests Naina, politely.
Rajveer looks towards her and asks her, disappointed,
"Meri company itni boring lag rahi hai Naina tumhe?"
Naina could feel how he is getting hurt by her words. She worries, wondering how to make him understand.
"I understand ke tumhe mere company ki adat nahi rahi Naina, par main yahan tumhare saath kuch waqt spend karne aya hun. Jahan sirf hum ho aur academy ka koi aur nahi.",
scolds Rajveer, feeling disappointed.
Naina gets nervous. She didn't mean to hurt his feelings afterall. She knits her brows out of nervousness, wondering how to mend this situation.
Rajveer shutting down his laptop, keeping it at a side gets up to leave the room in anger, that Naina stops him, holding him by his wrist, staring him apologetically, and says, keeping her voice low,
"Suniye na please...."
Rajveer doesn't turn to look towards her but doesn't try to get out her hold too. Angry, he waits for her to continue.
Naina looking towards him whose back is still turned towards her, she says,
"Hum kuch baat nahi kar rahe to maine socha ke Pooja se baat kar leti hun kuch der. Mujhe nahi pata tha aap gussa ho jayenge."
Hearing that Rajveer turns to look towards Naina, her hold still firm on his wrist. He says, his anger decreased a little,
"Naina baat mere gusse ki nahi hai."
Naina stares him, eager to know then why is he angry.
"Baat hai tumhare preference ki!",
says Rajveer.
Naina's heart skips a beat hearing that.
"Naina humesha se tumhare liye main baad mein hi aya hun na? Har koi mujhse pehle hai tumhare liye, right?",
asks Rajveer, his heart aching as he says this.
Did he really say that? He thinks so? How could he think that?
"Pehle Naveen aur mere beech mein Naveen tumhare liye priority raha..."
Naina's breathing rate increases, as she starts realizing.
"I... I completely understand ke Naveen, Naveen tumhare liye kitna important hai.",
says Rajveer, putting both his hands erect in front of her, in between them, a gesture of indicating that he accepts that.
Naina for the first time feels guilty for giving so much time to her brother Naveen over giving Rajveer her time.
"Par meri... meri koi ehmiyat nahi Naina?",
asks Rajveer, helpless.
"Nahi Sir mera wo matlab nahi tha. Aap please...",
says Naina, trying to make him understand.
"Naina jab hum baat nahi kar pa rahe the pichle kuch dino se tab main sochta tha ke jis din hum baat karenge to na jane kitni baatein hongi karne ke liye. Chup hi nahi ho payenge.",
says Rajveer, laughing a little, sadly.
"Par yahan to kuch baat hi nahi hai shayad karne ke liye.",
says Rajveer, angry.
"Sir, main bus ek baar Pooja se baat karna chahti thi.... Pata nahi....",
Naina fails to put her worry in words.
Rajveer looks towards her, getting a little normal and easy on her.
"Pata nahi kya Naina?",
asks Rajveer, trying to gauge her mood.
Sighing, Naina says,
"Kuch nahi."
"Nahi please batao, kya baat hai?",
insists Rajveer turning properly towards her.
Naina holds his hand with both of her hands, staring at his hand.
Rajveer waits for her to speak up, impatiently.
"Pata... pata nahi ek ajeeb sa darr lag raha hai.",
says Naina, hesitantly, then looks towards him, knitting her brows out of fear and confusion.
Rajveer sits on his feet in front of her and holds her hands properly, looking straight into her eyes he asks her,
"Kaisa darr?"
Naina in a hushed voice, making the situation all the more intimate for them, says,
"Bohot mushkil se apke mere saath na hone ki adat lagi thi...."
Rajveer keeps staring her, holding his heartbeat.
"Apke achanak wapas aa jane par bharosa hi nahi ho raha tha.",
she smiles a little, whilst inside her heart still beats out of fear.
Rajveer smiles a little too, his heart too beating out of anticipation of something heartwrenching coming from Naina's side.
"Abki baar apko firse kho diya to?",
Naina shares her fear with Rajveer.
Rajveer stares Naina, deep into her eyes which are filled with fear. Naina stares back.
"Tum mujhe ab kabhi nahi khougi Naina.",
he assures her, seriously.
Naina lowers her eyes and says,
"Pehle apke prati apne juzzbaatt ko naam dene se darti thi main...."
Rajveer could feel the heating up of his body on hearing her words. This is the most intimate talk they have had till date, Rajveer realizes. The conversation taking place in a hushed voice, makes it all the more intimate, filled with passion, not only for Rajveer but Naina alike.
"Aaj bhi himmat nahi hai ke humare rishte ko koi naam de paun!",
says Naina, feeling underconfident.
Rajveer understands her state. His brows relaxed and eyes filled with hesitation. He looks towards her sheepishly.
Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, Naina open her eyes and looking towards Rajveer says,
"Aap bus mujhse naraz mat hoiyega."
That clenches Rajveer's heart.
"Agar meri koi baat sahi na lagey; buri lagey, mujhe samjhaiyega, mujhe apka waqt chahiye.",
she confesses, looking towards him.
Rajveer tightens his hold on her hand, giving her his assurance.
"Apke waqt ki ahmiyat kya hai ye ab main achi tarah jaan chuki hun.",
confesses Naina, looking towards Rajveer with almost teary eyes.
"Jaan chuki ho fir bhi humare beech kisi teesre ko lana chahti ho.",
says Rajveer, showing his fake disappointment.
That makes both of them to laugh. Naina laughs lowering her eyes, bowing her head.
Rajveer's laugh dies earlier than Naina as he finds more pleasure in staring her laughing shyly than laughing himself.
Without giving her a warning, Rajveer goes closer to her such that their foreheads touch, staring her throughout.
"Chh...",
breathes Naina, as it comes as a total surprise for her, his doing whatever he is doing to her!
Rajveer with his forehead touched to hers, stares Naina. Naina keeps her eyes lowered, smiling shyly waiting for him to do whatever he likes to do to her. Giving him ijjazat to do to her as he likes. Whatever he wants!
They slowly close their eyes. Both focusing on their position and the non-uniform breathing.
Rajveer at a snail's pace takes his left hand to touch her bangles of right wrist, keeping his eyes closed, feeling her. He then traces her bangles with his index finger - up and down; down and up.... making them to chime lightly. Rajveer smiles hearing the chime of Naina's bangles, still his eyes closed. Naina's rate of heartbeat picks up pace as her mind clouds up with anticipation and nervousness. The fact that he is keeping it slow, almost doing nothing to her, blows her mind up.
Out of frustration, unable to hold her feelings anymore, Naina finally, hesitantly takes the first step towards him, although completely unaware what one girl must do in moments such as these. She does whatever her heart asks her to do, completely at her heart's mercy.
She initially takes her right cheek towards his left in order to rub it against his, but stops abruptly. She gets away from him and gets down on the floor. Rajveer at a state where his mind is completely blown up because of this encounter with Naina, stares Naina, waiting to discover what is in her mind.
Naina, sitting on her knees just like Rajveer is, sitting in front of him, slowly rests her hands on his shoulders. Rajveer holds her by her waist to give themselves a proper position. They keep staring each other, none saying anything. None making any effort to take the next step.
"Apse ek baat puchun?",
asks Naina, in a hushed voice, never taking her eyes away from his eyes.
Rajveer too, never ending their precious eye contact, replies to her,
"Pucho!"
Both realizing that this is turning into a game - the game that they played once! But none wording it.
"Apke jane se pehle aap kya keh rahe the?",
she asks.
Rajveer wonders what is she pointing towards.
Naina understanding that he is unable to understand, helps him with reminding,
"Ke KMA ne apse apka sub kuch cheen liya hai, apka career, apki izzat, apka py....??"
That heatens up Rajveer's cheek, his eyes widen up, but he doesn't give up staring her, not wanting to lose the game.
"Apka kya?",
asks Naina, softly.
Rajveer smiles a little. Then teases her,
"Tum janti ho na?"
That skips Naina's heartbeat. She feels like lowering her eyes.
Rajveer who is completely aware of her nature, warns her quickly,
"Ahn... ahn... ankhein mat jhukana ab humesha ki tarah! You don't wanna lose the game I am sure. Do you?",
teases Rajveer, smiling infectiously.
Naina narrows her eyes on him, which makes Rajveer to laugh but he still doesn't forget to keep staring.
"Nahi!",
says Naina, confidently, smiling.
Rajveer smiles and was about to say something that Naina speaks up,
"Main nahi janti aap kya bolna chahte the!"
That comes as a pleasant surprise for him. He smiles, nodding his head in affirmative out of appreciation for playing the game pretty well.
Rajveer blushes but doesn't end the eye contact. Naina enjoys making him to blush.
"Mera....",
Rajveer begins to say.
Naina's rate of heartbeat increases and her smile vanishes out of nervousness that finally today he is going to confess to her!
But before he could say anything they hear a knock at the door. And both of them turn to look towards the door in unison.
Their hearts break as their precious moment gets disturbed by the knock. They realize that someone is their asking their ijjazat to talk to them or to enter the room.
They look towards each other, smiling sadly, awkwardly. Rajveer gets up to open the door. Naina gets up and walks to the side of the bed from where she picks up a magazine and starts checking it out randomly.
She suddenly hears the shutting of the door with a loud thud and her heart skips a beat as she was engrossed in her own world - although checking out magazine but thinking about Rajveer.
She takes it to be Rajveer, who must have re-entered the room and hence doesn't care to turn and confirm. Within few seconds she feels a proximity engulfing her from behind. She gets alert. She does notice that the proximity didn't carry Rajveer's perfume with itself. But she doesn't overthink. Afterall who else could be there if not him?
It nibbles her around her neckline. She shuts her eyes, feeling the pain. She suddenly feels that more than enjoying it she is actually enduring it! She feels weird about her own feeling. How can she endure Rajveer when Rajveer's presence around herself is the only endearing thing to her?
"Bina... bina mere ijjazat ke aap mere paas kaise ayein?",
asks Naina, teasingly, breathing heavily.
She doesn't get any reply.
"Apse ek baat puchun?",
she asks.
Her hair gets cornered now towards the side of her neck where she has been played with, focusing on the alternate side. She takes the silence to be his permission of carrying on with whatever she wants to ask.
"Aap hansna mat!",
warns Naina, then smiles, blushes.
"Kya ye... aisa hi feel hota hai? Matlab... matlab mujhe kuch mehsus kyun nahi ho raha? Apka mere kareeb rehna.... na jane kyun, aap ajnabi se lag rahe hain.",
confesses Naina honestly.
As soon as she says that she realizes that he has stopped with whatever he was doing to her. Her heart skips a beat and she worries thinking - has she offended him?
She turns to check on his expression. She doesn't understand why she gets nervous about looking towards him. Somehow she feels this nervousness being different from the usual nervousness she feels around him. As if she doesn't want to turn at all to face him. But she has to unlock the mystery of the sudden shift in his mood! Why is he not saying anything to her? Scold her if he wants but at least say something. Talk to her. She slowly, nervously turns to face him and what she comes across shocks her! Shivers run down her spine as soon she discovers there is no one in the room apart from herself!!!
How? How can this be possible?
She suddenly starts sweating!
She tries to remember - Yes! she surely felt someone's presence behind her. So what if her heart wasn't ready to accept that it was Rajveer, but who else could it be if not Rajveer? Her head starts spinning. She has to unlock the mystery of this weird incident that took place with her. She just cannot accept it that she was hallucinating!
No! She cannot be hallucinating! Why would she hallucinate his presence suddenly today anyways? When she hasn't done that even during the days when he was away from her - apparantly dead for all?
*****
The knock at the door skips Naina's heart. She turns to look towards the door out of horror.
"Naina!! Naina darwaza kholo.",
calls out Rajveer, knocking the door.
Hearing his voice gives Naina the assurance that she needed to get out of this intense and goosebumps giving moment.
She touches her forehead to calm herself down and realizes that her forehead bears sweatbeads. She slowly brings her hand towards her eyes, shocked by the realization.
"Naina??? You there?",
knocks Rajveer again.
"Hun!!",
murmurs Naina, as Rajveer drags her attention and she looks towards the door.
Realizing that she had made him to wait for long, she quickly out of anxiety of being with him as soon as possible, runs towards the door to unlock it for him.
Reaching the door as soon as she tries to pull it open for him, she realizes that it is locked and isn't opening!!!
Rajveer teasingly asks her,
"Kya hua Naina, mujhe ander aney ki ijjazat nahi dogi kya?",
he laughs unaware of Naina's tension and horror.
"Rajveer Sir!!",
she calls out to him, anxiously, terrified.
"Haan main sunn raha hun Naina. Tum darwaza agar khol dogi to dekh bhi lunga ke tum kya bolna chahti ho mujhse.",
teases Rajveer further.
Anxious and terrified Naina looks up towards the lock of the door whilst trying to pull it open and finds it unlocked.
"Agar darwaze mein lock nahi laga hua to ye khul kyun nahi raha?",
murmurs Naina to herself, terrified.
Rajveer who manages to understand that she is saying something but whatever it is, it is unclear, he putting his ear on the door, asks her,
"Kya? Kya bol rahi ho Naina? Tum darwaza kholo fir jo bolna hai bol lena.",
smiles Rajveer.
Naina finally knocks the door out of helplessness and suffocation, anxiety rising inside her,
"Rajveerrrr Sirrr...."
Rajveer senses her terror in her calling him and gets cautious, the prior tease forgotten.
"Kya hua Naina? Darwaza kholo. Tum theek ho?",
asks Rajveer, anxiously, beating on the door vigorously.
"Sir ye khul nahi raha!!",
shouts a puzzled and scared Naina.
"Khul nahi raha?",
says Rajveer, puzzled, knitting his brows.
"Dhakka maro Naina. Unlock it properly. Dekho kahin kuch atak raha hoga.",
suggests Rajveer.
Quickly Naina does all that, despite the fact that she is sure that nothing of that sort has happened. Sometimes, despite knowing that you have already tried everything - you want to believe your well wisher, giving yourself the benifit of doubt!
Doing exactly same, Naina tries again pushing the door to open it.
"Nahi! Nahi ho raha!",
she exclaims in terror.
"Naina darwaze se dur hato.",
orders Rajveer, folding his sleeves.
Naina does as she is asked.
Rajveer pushes the door open with a great force. The door swings open with a loud thud as it hits the wall of the room and Rajveer fails to balance himself hence falls straight on Naina and they both together land on the floor with Rajveer lying on top of Naina, hovering her!
*****
The crackling sound of the door of a room doesn't alert anyone on the floor as the entire floor is secluded of people. The noise of the hammering no more disturbs anyone there! It should be a reason for joice and happiness! But no! this unlocking of the door, with itself unlocks a mystery. A mystery best known to the one who unlocked it. A mystery best known to the ones who were eagerly waiting for the door to get unlocked.
And before it gets late, the door shuts again with a loud thud. This time excluding not one but two!
*****
"Ijjazat hai ander aney ki Chandok Sahab?",
asks a gentleman, knocking the door of Brigadier Chandok's cabin.
Brigadier Chandok who was engrossed in reading a file, looks towards the entrance of his office and smiles brightly, welcoming,
"Ayiye ayiye Mr. Sinha."
Mr. Sinha whilst laughing, enters Brigadier Chandok's cabin.
"Bhai kafi der kar di na humne ane mein?",
asks Mr. Sinha forwarding his hand towards Brigadier Chandok.
Laughing, Brigadier Chandok whilst shaking hands with Mr. Sinha assures him,
"Nahi nahi Sinha sahab bilkul nahi. Ayiye baithiye.",
Brigadier Chandok gestures him to have a seat and himself sits back in his seat again.
"Kya lenge aap? Chai ya coffee?",
asks Brigadier Chandok, politely.
"Arey Brigadier Sahab aap to bus humein wo zameen de dijiye jis par hum apna khudka school shuru kar sakein bachon ke liye.",
smiles Mr. Sinha.
"Arey Sinha Sahab wo zameen to apki hi hai.",
assures Brigadier Chandok, smiling.
They both laugh together in agreement.
"To bataiye kab leja rahe hain aap humein wahan?",
asks Mr. Sinha.
"Aap kahein to abhi chalein?",
asks Brigadier Chandok, smiling.
"Abhi?",
Mr. Sinha turns serious. Blood drains out of his face, as if he is not happy about the whole arrangement.
Brigadier Chandok notices the sudden shift in Mr. Sinha's face. His smile dies gradually and he asks,
"Kya soch rahe hain Sinha Sahab?"
That drags Mr. Sinha's attention. He turns to look towards Brigadier Chandok and smiles nervously.
"Ji.... ji zarur. Chalte hain.",
smiles Mr. Sinha and again drowns into his thoughts, serious.
*****
The door shuts again with a loud thud. But this time none of the occupants of the room desires to unlock it!
They understand that they haven't yet become accustomed to this sudden liberty they are giving to each other hence they lower their eyes finding themselves in this awkward position.
Naina slither underneath Rajveer, feeling a little uncomfortable by this closeness, especially the position. And the way Rajveer is staring her, it isn't helping her to feel comfortable.
Rajveer, whose hands are resting on the ground on either sides of Naina stares her - initially with a lot of hesitation but with time as he drowns into her oceanic eyes, he gets all the more comfortable. He notices how slowly Naina turns her face to her right side out of shyness, her eyes although opened still not gazing him anymore.
The fact that she is not pushing him away, rather holding him tight, gives Rajveer courage to bend into her, as her ijjazat is Rajveer's utmost priority before moving a step ahead in their relationship.
He slowly bends towards the nape of her neck which is in his direct view and something which arouses him all the more.
Naina, on sensing his coming closer to her, around her nape, reminds her of the errie feeling she got moments ago. Her rate of breathing accelerates. And she puts her hands on his chest to push him away, but too late!
Rajveer rubs his nose on her neckline. Once! Twice! Thrice! until her neckline heatens up not only due to friction but also because of the adrenaline rush inside her that is a cause of his getting intimate with her for the first time. The thought that the one who is upon her; who is hovering not only her by her mind too, taking away all her attention, is her teacher!
Now and again the moments they have spent together as student and teacher come rushing back to her, making her feel a little awkward.
Leaving her Rajveer bends down slowly towards her navel, shifting her saree from around her navel, a little, revealing her navel. His eyes for the first time gets the glimpse of her navel. He stares it for few seconds.
Which for him is few seconds to Naina seems like ages. It becomes intolerable for her - the fact that a man; her Rajveer Sir is staring her navel like that. With her eyes close, brows knit together out of sheer shyness, she covers her navel back adjusting her saree upon it.
A disappointed Rajveer, furrowing his brows, looks towards Naina, whose face is turned towards her right, eyes closed, brows knit together out of shyness and fear. Fear about what is he going to do next, to her!
On realizing that he isn't doing anything to her, anxiously she opens her eyes. She sighs in relief as soon as she discovers him staring at her. At least this didn't turn out to be the weird encounter she had earlier.
Sighing in relief, Naina finally focuses on Rajveer. Staring her she asks in a low voice, politely, smiling,
"Kya hua?"
"Naina agar aise hi tum mujhe rokti rahogi to kaise chalega?",
scolds Rajveer, disappointed.
That skips Naina's heartbeat, she holds him from both of his lower arms, on either sides of her face, with his hands touching the ground.
"Shhh... dheere boliye.",
says a nervous Naina, looking towards the door to make sure that no one has knocked to complain about creating noise.
She then looks towards a pissed off Rajveer who is staring her. Naina smiles looking towards him, tilting her head a little towards left to please him, she asks,
"Kya hua? Gussa ho gaye aap itni jaldi?"
Rajveer stares her disappointed.
Smiling, staring him throughout Naina pulls him to herself and takes his upper lip in between her lips, sucking it. That calms him down, attracting all his attention. Gradually Rajveer gets drown into the process of showering his love on her. Naina obliges him by cooperating. He does turn rough gradually, bringing out all his frustration of staying away from her for this long. Naina endures and enjoys it for as long as she could, holding him tight by his shoulders, until it becomes too much for her and she in a hushed voice asks him to slow down. Rajveer realizing that this is first for her, bends in front of her want of slowing down. Naina whimpers a little as the last friction affects her deep. She rests back to give him allowance to continue further. With every blow of his, she shifts back trying to adjust herself as she endures and enjoys it. Finally the process, the pleasurable pain come to rest! Rajveer falls on her, tired. Naina hugs him to her with all her might. None making any promise; none uttering any lovey-dovey words, because they already know! They are assured of the forever presence of each other in each other's life!
*****
Night gets dark and thick. Rajveer sleeps peacefully especially because of the feeling of Naina's presence around himself, resting his arm around her waist.
Naina although sleeping, but somehow she doesn't reach the deep slumber state in her sleep. In her mind the weird incident that took place with her keeps repeating. The guilt that she didn't share it with Rajveer, makes her to feel guilty.
The crackling sound of the opening of the door, results Naina to open her eyes wide. The first thing that her eyes witness is a sleeping Rajveer, next to her. That relaxes her - the fact that he is fine and is with her! The door crackles again, which makes Naina to rotate her eyeball to the corner, trying to check who it is through her peripheral vision. The soldier inside her gets alert. She sets herself to deal with the intruder all by herself.
She slowly removes Rajveer's hand from upon herself, careful, not wanting to disturb his sleep. She uncovers herself from the blanket and gets up leaving the bed to walk towards the door, to make sure that it is locked properly.
From the point where she is standing it seems to be locked but the little ray of light entering the room, reflecting on the floor, tells Naina that the door is unlocked. That comes as a shock for Naina. How can the door be unlocked when Rajveer had locked it himself? Did he wake up in between which Naina didn't realize and may be he forgot to lock the door after entering the room - she tries to give reason to her doubts, to rest them. Yes, probably this is what must have happened. Where as inside only she knows that she hasn't slept properly till now, so she had been well aware of his presence next to herself, so how could the door get unlocked all by itself?
But she gives herself the benifit of doubt and walks towards the door to lock it. Her steps slow as she descends towards the door. Her heart thumping inside her chest. The short corridor she needs to walk through to reach the door, the corridor that deattaches her from the bedroom because of the grove of the wall that turns the wall from the room towards the little passage that takes the occupants of the room to the main door, suddenly looks to Naina like a lengthy walk. Especially owing to the fact that it looks darker than the main room. Thanks to the light ray that is entering there, that it is somehow being visible to Naina. But that is the main cause of worry at the moment for her - how can the light enter that passage, when the door has been locked?
As she was about to witness the open door, the door gets pulled lightly and gets shut. Realizing that who so ever it was has left, she runs to cover the little gap left in between the door and herself and pulls the handle of the door to swing it open and reveal the intruder. But to her utter shock as soon as she pulls the handle of the door she finds it locked!
She gets fearful - would be an understatement! She gets fearful to that extent that she starts doubting herself - thinking she has been hallucinating. May be it is a result of her inadequate sleep.
Taking it as her hallucination. Staring the door in horror, Naina turns back and returns to bed again. Not before assuring herself, for several moments that there is indeed nothing mysterious that she needs to worry about. Climbing the bed she puts the pillow which was lying in between her and Rajveer at a corner just to get closer to him and feel safe. As she moves closer to him, hugging her to him, Rajveer stirring in his sleep, though not opening his eyes, realizes Naina's presence with himself and pulls her to himself all the more, hugging her. Naina for the first time instead of feeling hesitation and shyness in hugging him, feels all the more secured and thankful to him.
*****
It seems as this night is going to be a long.... long.... night for Naina!!!
While she was asleep, turned away from Rajveer, though not in her slumber state, she suddenly feels someone's breath around her ear! It is so vivid that she isn't hallucinating, she is sure about it. Initially, in her state of sleepiness, she takes it to be Rajveer's breath. Not realizing that if that is Rajveer's breath then who is this who is sleeping next to her? Slowly as her mind starts waking gradually, she manages to hear the breathing too. Something about it, makes Naina to shift back a little in her sleep such that her body hits Rajveer's!
It is only then that her mind unlocks the state of her sleepiness and lets the reality strike her. As soon as her mind registers the impossibility of whatever is happening around her, she opens her eyes wide, thinking that her opening her eyes would itself unlock the mystery of the breath that she is feeling still on her ear, as if someone is hovering her and breathing - although not heavily.
On opening her eyes, she gets shocked on discovering no one there other than Rajveer and Naina themselves. She shivers in shock!! As her mind starts getting out of the shock to focus on whose breath could it be; who could it be, she realizes that the feeling of the breath has not left her still. This confirms that - SHE IS NOT HALLUCINATING!!
Her feet turn cold but her upper body sweats - both reflect her state of fear!!!
"Suniye....",
she without turning to look towards Rajveer, trying to find out who could be there apart from Rajveer and Naina, shakes him vigorously in order to wake him up.
"Hmm...",
Rajveer still not woken up, says with his eyes closed.
"Sir... Suniye please... uthiye...",
she tries waking him up without turning to look towards Rajveer.
Rajveer wakes up this time, on her second call out.
"Kya hua Naina?",
asks Rajveer, opening his eyes, though not properly, his eyes adjusting themselves to the sudden darkness - although lighter than the darkness of the time when you are sleeping - eyes closed. So may be adjusting to the sudden light?
"Yahan.... yahan koi hai.",
says Naina, still not turning to look towards Rajveer but clutching his shirt from a corner, out of fear.
Taking it to be an intruder, some spy, Captain Rajveer in Rajveer gets alert - all sleepiness forgotten within moments.
"Koi hai? Kon hai?",
he asks, alert, looking around.
Rajveer gets out of the bed in one go! Knitting his brows. Adjusting his shirt which at the moment is unsettled, thanks to Naina for that!
As Rajveer was about to search the room, Naina calls him from behind, stopping him abruptly,
"Sir!"
"Wo nahi dikhega!",
says Naina, staring him, fearfully, knitting her brows.
Rajveer turns to look towards her immediately, knitting his brows to make sure - did he hear her correct?
Naina understanding his confusion, nods her head without even waiting for him to frame a coherent sentence - a question.
"Matlab?",
asks Rajveer, confused.
"Wo jo koi bhi hai... jo kuch bhi hai. Hai iss kamre mein! Bina... bina humare ijjazat ke.",
says Naina, looking around, puzzled.
"Aur... ajeeb baat ye hai ke... hum... hum usse dekh nahi sakte.",
says Naina, looking towards Rajveer, her breathing rate accelerating.
She surely must be kidding him!
"Naina... tum kya mazak kar rahi ho ye?",
asks Rajveer, dismissing her thought completely, initially.
That irks Naina - the fact that he is not believing her. If he wouldn't believe her then who would?
"Main mazak nahi kar rahi Sir!",
she states, looking into his eyes, wanting to radiate her feelings of fear to him, through her eyes if it is not possible through her words.
On her saying so, Rajveer doesn't completely take her to be talking rubbish, the soldier in him doesn't let him do so finally. Hence, he in his mind keeps room for doubts.
"Wo darwaza... wo darwaza jo apne khud band kiya tha, wo khula tha. Khud khula tha!!!",
Naina raises her voice as anxiety rises inside her.
Rajveer gets shocked to hear that!!! He turns to look towards the door. The door of course isn't visible from the point where he is standing. He hence walk towards it, confidently, tilting his head a little towards the left, his eyes scanning every inch of the room although he himself is walking straight towards the main door, picking up his pistol from one of the chest of drawers. Setting the trigger and holding it down in his right hand.
Naina quickly gets out of the bed to walk behind him, not wanting to let him go alone anywhere. Reaching him, she wraps her arms around his upper arm whilst he keeps walking ahead, Naina walking next to him.
Reaching the door, Rajveer takes his hand to unlock it that Naina intervenes saying,
"Nahi!"
Rajveer, knitting his brows turns to look towards Naina, wondering why would she stop him now?
"Naina, jab tak main ye darwaza unlock nahi karta; tab tak ye mystery bhi unlock nahi hogi. So tum kya chahti ho - tumhara doubt clear ho ya na ho?",
asks Rajveer, in a no-rubbish tone.
Naina stares him perplexed, fearful.
Rajveer gives her an assuring smile and says,
"Relax! We are going to unlock this mystery together okay?"
Naina nods her head slowly, staring him, wanting to believe him. But deep down having her doubts - that they won't!
Rajveer unlocks the door and waits a little, trying to locate any sound that might be alien to them; that might indicate them of the intruder, before pulling it to reveal the intruder. But he finds no sound. But that doesn't relax him, rather alerts him all the more.
Naina gets nervous. They look towards each other, knitting their brows. Looking back towards the closed door. Counting silently 1... 2.... 3..... Rajveer pulls the door open with a jerk and walks out pointing his pistol to left first, himself turning towards the left then to his right. Naina too looks around searching for anyone there, desperately. Only then she will be able to sleep peacefully when the intruder gets caught. But to her and Rajveer's dismay, they find no one there.
The secluded corridor at the middle of the night looks nothing more than a haunted road! The eerie silence in there, disturbs not only Naina but Rajveer, alike. Staring at infinity at the secluded corridor, Rajveer asks Naina to get back into the room,
"Chalo Naina, koi nahi hai. Tumhara veham hoga."
Naina, on discovering no one there, finally starts thinking it to be her illusion indeed, though not convinced entirely.
Together they climb the bed again. Rajveer asks her to sleep,
"So jao Naina."
Naina obeys and closes her eyes.
Rajveer turns to look towards the door making sure that it is closed and locked.
Assured, Rajveer switches off the light and goes back to sleep.
After an hour, Rajveer wakes up. Getting out of the bed, he switches on the light of the room and starts scanning the room. Behind the curtains. Naina who hasn't slept and was constantly chanting names of god, opens her eyes immediately right from the moment when she feels Rajveer's body weight leaving the bed. She gets up and sits on the bed, stopping her chants. She looks towards Rajveer eagerly and confused.
"Kya hua?",
she asks, holding her breath.
Deep down she understands that he too must have felt the presence of some entity unknown to them, here in the room.
Rajveer not caring to turn towards her, busy scanning the room, says,
"Mujhe aisa laga mano mere paas koi hai. Kisi ke saans..."
Naina intervenes,
"Kisi ke saans lene ki awaz mehsus hui? Kisi ki saans jo... jo apke paas baitha ho?"
Rajveer's heart skips a beat as Naina words his feeling aptly. He turns to look towards her, knitting his brows.
"Sir please yahan se chalte hain. Mujhe nahi rehna yahan.",
says Naina, anxiously.
"Ghabrao mat Naina. Subah hote hi hum yahan se chale jayenge.",
assures Rajveer walking to her.
They realize that they are the victim of this unknown entity that is lingering in the room, staying in there with them.
Now that they already have got idea about something eerie happening around them, Rajveer's eyes again fall on the cupboard whose door is ajar. Rajveer remembers closing it earlier properly. Leaving Naina, never taking his eyes away from the cupboard, Rajveer walks towards the cupboard.
"Kahan ja rahe hain aap?",
asks a worried Naina.
Rajveer without turning to look towards her completely, gestures Naina to stay quiet.
A tensed Naina keeps her eyes focused on Rajveer and especially around him to make sure that nothing supernatural is approaching him.
Reaching the cupboard, Rajveer pulls the door open of the cupboard with a jerk.
Rajveer and Naina quickly cover their nose as the room gets filled with the foul smell of burnt skin. It gets too much for them to bear it. Rajveer quickly opens all the windows to let the foul smell to ventilate. Naina helps him too in doing it.
Naina, keeping her nose covered, walks towards the cupboard slowly, cautiously.
"Naina... No! Naina no!",
Rajveer calls her out, widening his eyes.
But Naina stays adamant.
Naina pulls the door open of the cupboard with a jerk.
Before she could understand, a bat flies out of it, flying too close to Naina to give her chance to keep her equilibrium intact. She falls back, hitting her head on the floor.
"Nainaaa!!!",
shouts Rajveer, shocked to the core and runs to help her.
Their minds get so much clouded with this incident that their brain cease to register the foul smell and they don't realize that they are no more covering their nose.
Rajveer helps Naina to walk to the bed and helps her to rest back.
****
"Such kahun Naina to mujhe shuru se hi iss room se ache vibes nahi mil rahe the.",
confesses Rajveer, sitting facing Naina on the bed.
Naina knits her brows and within moments his words hit her and she repeats it in front of him,
"Kya isliye aap puch rahe the ke main ander aana chahti hun ke nahi?"
Rajveer turns to look towards Naina and nods his head in affirmative. That skips Naina's heartbeat.
Rajveer turns to look around the room and says,
"Tab ye soch kar tumhe kuch bola nahi kyunki mujhe laga ke ye shayad mera veham ho."
They realize that they haven't seen anything peculiar - not a shadow; not any weird person is there to be seen throughout this journey uptil here. But they accept the fact with no more space for doubts and questions, that there resides an entity here with them in this room, without their ijjazat!
The mystery of the room has started getting unlocked but still there is room for a lot of information they can be filled with. And they are intrigued! Really intrigued!
What gets settled between them at that very moment is that it is about to get morning. The sunlight is about to hit the horizon. They will stay put, and wait for the break of the day. As the rays enter their room, they immediately are going to leave the place once and for all!
"Par... par unhe batana chahiye tha na humein? I am... I am sure unhe pata hoga ke yahan... yahan koi atma hai.",
complaints Naina, getting at the edge of her fear.
"Relax... relax Naina. Kuch nahi hota. Main hoon na tumhare saath.",
Rajveer tries to calm her down, cupping her face with his hands.
Naina nervously rests his hands upon his hand and says,
"Main... main apse kuch kehna chahti hun Rajveer Sir...",
saying so she lowers her eyes out of hesitation, awkwardness.
"Haan Naina... bolo...",
encourages Rajveer.
He waits for her to speak up.
Now that Naina slowly looks towards her Rajveer Sir, her eyes bear no love or affection for her dear Rajveer Sir, but rage and anger for this unknown personality standing in front of 'HIM'.
And in a voice which is a mixture of Naina's voice and a man, Naina's body if not her soul, warns rather orders Rajveer,
"CHALE JA YAHAN SE ISKO MERE PAAS CHOR KAR!!!"
The sudden horrific change in Naina's voice and expression, as if send currents down Rajveer's body and he gets away from her with a jerk!
In no time Rajveer realizes that - STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM IS NOT HIS NAINA!
The cupboard door that had been creating noise till now, suddenly shuts with a loud thud as if whatever was creating noise has escaped the cupboard already!
And a little of the entire mystery gets unlocked in front of Rajveer about why he was getting negative vibes from the room since the beginning.
But this too he realizes that this won't end soon! All Rajveer could say to himself, staring this new Naina - with the body of Naina and soul of someone he doesn't know at all, in front of him is - THE MYSTERY BEGINS!!