Falling For You [COMPLETED]

Chapter 71

Rajveer

I am about to enter the lecture hall when Abhi's voice stops me.

Turning to him, I look at him questioningly.

"Are you free tonight, Raj?" He asks, and I frown at his cheerful demeanor.

Ever since Naina shouted at him in my quarter, he has been actively avoiding me, only talking with me when absolutely necessary to discuss the drills of the cadets.

But now, he suddenly is smiling and even asking me if I am free tonight.

Why?

"I have not made any plans for tonight yet. Why do you ask?"

"That's wonderful then," he says. "Actually, I have arranged for a small gathering in the academy's mess tonight. Just us faculty members and the cadets. To celebrate my appraisal's win. And I want you to come too, Raj."

I give him a wry smile. "Are you sure you want me to come, Abhi? After everything that has happened between us--"

"That is one of the reasons I want you to come, Raj," Abhi says, interrupting me. "After everything that has happened, I think we both need to keep past in the past and move on. I especially need to do that. I don't want to keep burning in jealousy and resentment anymore. I don't want to keep clinging to my anger of our past, Raj.

"Me inviting you to tonight's gathering is the first step I have taken to mend our friendship. I hope you also take a step by coming to the mess tonight."

I feel pleasantly surprised by Abhi's words. "If that is the case, then count me in, my friend. I will definitely be there."

Right at that moment, a strange look flits across Abhi's face. It was there for just a moment, but I had seen it, sensing slight uneasiness creeping within me due to it.

If it were any other time, I would have pondered more on it. But looking at the lecture all full of cadets waiting for me, I shrug off that uneasy feeling and walk inside.

***********

Getting to my living room, I immediately text Lieutenant Roshan Chaubey and tell him to be extra careful about the security of the trigger that is currently in a safe location inside Ambala headquarter.

After the recent update I got from Captain Vikram Singhania--the army officer who had been posted to Arunachal Military Academy (AMA) for the security of another trigger in the academy--it is crucial that we safeguard the trigger at our end while he and his team will be doing the same with the other trigger at their end.

After reading the reply sent by Chaubey, I slightly relax, knowing the whole two layers of security are up and about in that safe place and the security code is changed every three hours. Except for me, Abhi, Chaubey, and Colonel Chandra, no one else has the information about the code. Not even the officers who are posted to guard that location.

I send him another text, asking him to meet me in the academy tonight to discuss if addition of another layer of security will be feasible.

As Chaubey has been assisting me in this mission since the start, I usually make plans with him first and then further discuss it with Abhi and Colonel Chandra to finally decide whether or not to implement the plan.

Chaubey replies, telling me he will meet me in the academy at 2300 hours.

Putting the phone on the table, I am about to go and take a shower, before going to the gathering Abhi has arranged when I hear my quarter's door bursting open.

"Naina, what are you doing here?" I ask, frowning when she narrows her eyes at me.

"Are you teasing me, Rajveer? Or did you seriously forgot you were the one who asked me to come to your quarter after my classes finishes for the day?"