Let's keep it simple

Part 1

She carefully wore the watch ...... And took a moment to acknowledge it's presence on her wrist ..... And how it landed there on first place.....
It's been a week since he gave her the watch as a return gift....

And from that very moment
The watch has become her priced possession.
She is wearing it 24 ×7....
And every time she looks at it.... She can't help but grin ...
She can feel a flick in her stomach everytime she checks the time....

It's a reminder
That he is always with her and for her ,no matter what.
It makes her feel special....
It's not like he walks around distributing his stuffs to cadets....

This feeling that she is holding tight nowdays...are growing thick.
Something has changed since they returned from point 1857...
Or it was the red saree magic.....
Whatever this is , it's good , it's smooth and nice......
She really wants to hold on to this feeling

She is feeling happy now days..... She smiles with her whole heart.... And it's quite noticable..... Especially to her friends who have seen her in her dark and gloomy days too.

They all are now mature enough to not jinx it by pointing out.
But they do have the knowledge about the source from where  all these chuckle and giggle and honest smile is oozing out.

"Cool watch Naina"
Ud made a comment at dinner table
And Naina felt proud.... That she is the owner of the watch...

Alekh was careful enough as he just whisper in her ear.
"Sir ka choice solid hai"
And got up with the plate, leaving the table not before winking at her
Leaving Naina all flushed, but she covered up immediately as Pooja is now checking out her watch too.

______

He is emptying his pocket and rumal Ane out in his hand....
Making his heart do a summersault.

It's like a code
He is trying to crack since she has given him this rumal....

What is the subtext here....
What is he supposed to read here.

Its not like it's a class gift
Of his birthday or farewell gift or something

Why suddenly she felt a need to give him a gift
Out of nowhere

Times were so simple when she use to hate him.....
She is making him go bonkers now days
And what's with that cute smitten face and festive smile

He should focus on how to not love her
Instead he is falling for her one foot more deep every day.

He can sometimes even hear violen playing in background when she enters the classroom or mess....
It's stupid so stupid...

He kept the rumal in drawer and locked it carefully....
This is the toughest code he ever had to crack.

---------------

"Dil behel to jayega
Is khayal se
Haal mil gaya tumhara
Apne haal se"

The string of an old song is out there in the air from some radio... As he is walking down the corridor lost in his train of thoughts....

"Sir"
He heard her voice and tried  to keep it casual....

"Yes cadet Singh"
He replied with a smile

"Wo apke pas
Apki last class ke notes honge
About greek Morse code " she asked

"Ofcourse.....
U want them"
He asked

And she noded with a smile

"Main kal class mein leaunga "
He said in an Instinct
And definately saw her face getting disappointed

"Or u can have them now if you want
They are in my room"
He completed his sentence and saw her face getting a shade brighter

"Now is good sir"
She replied with a steady smile....

And he signalled her to walk with her...

The ten steps they took for the room
Were quite, with no words getting exchange
But the silence was so comfortable

She waited at the door
As he went to fetch the notes

He came back with a blue file
And their eyes meet again

"Tum pukar lo
Tumhara intezar hai
Tum pukar lo"

The thread of the song floating in the air
And they share a meaningful eyelock....
They both got a grip

"I would have invited you in
But lights out hone wali hai and ...."

He said as he was handing her the notes...

"Ofcourse sir
I am just going to rush back warna lolita mam will get mad....
And thanks for the notes
I will return it soon "

"No u can keep it
I have a pdf"
He replied with a smile and she turned to leave

And she can feel that he is watching her leave....

-------

Pooja picking up the blue file in the room

"Naina ye notes to tere pas hai na"
She asked

"Wo alekh ke liye hai"
She said as she is applying cream on her hand...

Wondering about her own lie
She can now days just grab any opportunity to connect with him....
U can just pass if u don't have anything to say
But no
Every time she see him she has to come up with some idea to talk to him....

She catch herself now days pondering about him more than necessary

His thought is the first thing that comes up in her mind every morning
And the last thing as she go to  bed.

Even suriji Shalini and abhimanyu is her teacher
But she never thinks about them
Or major Nair or BC

She thought
Then why just him....

And that night she slept over this thought...