Main Tenu Fir Milangi

Chapter 4

The bright lights were the first thing that I saw after opening my eyes. I tried to shield my eyes as the constant lighting was hurting.

"Huh... zara sa travel kiya nahi ki tabiyat kharab. Pata nahi ladkiyo ko aise field mein aana hi kyun hota hai." I heard someone say from behind the circle standing around me.

But before someone could say, I instantly replied, "Zara sa mauka mila nahi aur ladkiyon ko taunt karna shuru. Pata nahi ladke aise field mein aana hi kyun chahte hein jahan unhe ladkiyon ke sath bhi kaam karna pade." 

The guy looked at me in shock while the others held back their laughter.

"Fiesty huh... maza aayega tere sath kaam kar ke bachche." Someone said. 

I looked around to see the source of voice, to see an officer around 28-year old.

"I am Major Manish Singh. I am incharge of the people here including this idiot here. I apologize on his behalf." He said.

"Please don't apologize, Sir." I immediately said to him.

"Just call me Manish. We are going to work together for a long time." He replied. Then he turned towards the one who made the comment and said,

"Listen here, Deepak. Since, we are going to be a team. I do not want to hear such unprofessional or derogatory comments again. If I heard you saying this nonsense one more time, I won't think twice before kicking you out of this mission. Got it?" He said in a strict voice.

"Yes Sir." The Deepak guy replied in a hurry.

All this time, I could feel Gaurav Bhaiya's gaze on my neck but I tried to ignore him. Because talking to him would mean facing the guy next to him. My worst nightmare.

"Chhoti?" I heard him calling.

As much as I wanted to ignore the doubt and concern in his voice, I couldn't. That guy has always cared and pampered me like his own child. Although he is just 5 years older than me, he always acted like a overprotective big-brother. But once again. Facing him would be like facing my worst nightmare. I'll have to re-live my horrendous past again. But I turned my face towards him, as I tried to hide my tears.

"Bhaiya?" I tried so hard to not let my voice waver. But I failed because I could see his expressions that he caught it.

"Chhoti tu zinda hai?" He asked.

Now I was shocked.

"Wait? What? Do you mean, main thik hu?" I asked getting confused.

By now, the rest of the team had already gathered around us in curiosity.

"No I mean exactly what I said. You are alive." He said in shocked voice.

"Bhai. Calm down. Pehle aap shant ho fir aaram se baat karte hein." I tried to calm his ragged breathing.

"Maybe you should go and have rest Vaidehi. You guys can talk tomorrow. You literally passed out from exhaustion." Manish Sir tried to intervene.

"I am okay, Sir. And I passed out of shock, not exhaustion." I said to him.

"Shock?" Another guy from the back said.

"Yeah. Shocked to see a familiar face after so many years." Luckily no one caught the hidden meaning behind my sentence.

"Which brings us back to the point. Why are you so shocked to see my alive Bhai?" I turned my attention towards Gaurav Bhaiya.

"They told me that you didn't make it." He whispered.

"Who told you?" I enquired.

"Your parents. They said that you didn't make it." He broke down.

"I am so sorry bachche. I am so sorry that you had to go through so much. I failed to protect you. I am sorry ki main time par waha nahi pahuncha." He kept repeating it again and again.