Rajveer-Naina - The Mystery Begins!

Chapter 64

Trying to distract his mind, he asks, with a pinch of humor"Chaubey Sahab kahin koi purani yaad to taza nahi kar di maine?""Purani yaadein nahi, purani log kahiye Captain Sahab!"Listening to his reply Captain Rajveer creases his brows and stares at Chaubey, trying to understand his unspoken words.

Suddenly Suriji intervenes,
"Sorry puttar ji to interrupt par Sirji apko nahi lagta ki aj Dr. Mishra ji kuch pareshan lag rahi hain?" Captain Rajveer glares Suriji. Getting scared, Suriji says, "ahm... ahm... oji lagta hai meri ankhon ka dhoka hoga, hain ji!"saying this, he tries to look elsewhere with his wide eyes, avoiding eye contact with Captain Rajveer.

Smiling at his innocence, Captain Rajveer pats on Suriji's shoulder, and says,"Suriji aaj main..." then he looks elsewhere, trying to avoid eye-contact with Suriji, trying to joke with him, then continues, "wakayi mein maan gaya hun ki aap ek bohot hi behtareen soldier hain"! Pointing an index finger towards Captain Rajveer, Suriji asks,"aap mera mazak uda rahe hain?" Captain Rajveer and Bunty, both try to hide their smiles, but fail miserably and they burst out into a laugh. "Thehr ja tu khoteya..." says Suriji to Bunty and acts that he is coming after him, Bunty runs away. Suriji laughs, standing at his counter. Captain Rajveer laughs simultaneously.

Suddenly Captain Rajveer's eyes fall on Pooja and others, and the smile on his face starts to fade away gradually.

"Abey yaar ab to mujhey tension ho rahi hai, akhir apni Phoolan hai kahan?"Alekh stares Huda with a look on his face saying, 'kisey yeda bana raha hai?' Yudi also has similar expression on his face. He moves his head a little to the right then back at place, indicating,'whom are you kidding bro!' Huda notices their look.

Getting up from his chair, he holds his waist from either side and says, "Oye tumhe kya lagta hai, mujhey Phoolan ki fikar nahi hai? Meri Mummyji kehti hain, 'ki beta jab kisi se koi rishta jodo na to puri immandari se nibhao. Aur main apni dosti puri immandari se nibhata hun. Samjhey ke nahi?" Holding his hand, Pooja pulls him down to sit, "Oye Huda, tu wrong signal kyun pakad raha hai? Tujhey koi SMS nahi bhej raha, baith ja!" "Haan Guru aap please gussa mat hoyiye, baith jaiye!"

Standing at the same place Captain Rajveer notices that Naina hasn't joined them yet. Getting eager and impatient to know about Naina, Captain Rajveer walks forth but stops abruptly, realizing that it isn't a good idea to ask them anything. Suddenly, through his peripheral vision, he notices Naina entering the mess.

He turns to confirm, and to his relief he finds her, walking towards him, but soon his heart contracts on realizing that instead of him, she is walking towards her group. He sighs inwardly. He doesn't fail to notice that she is trying to avoid eye contact with him. He keeps staring her, noticing her each move. He checks her overall look and realizes that her maang is not filled with the mark he gave her, but the part of her forehead, just under her maang has the imprint of the color of the lipstick. But he is sure, no one would notice until and unless someone would deliberately try to search for it and he knows there is only one person here who will crave for searching the mark again and again, and it's no one else, but him. A mark which states and reminds him again and again that she is his, and only his. So he assures himself that the situation is under control, except that he doesn't know about her mood, about how is she feeling about everything that happened.

Suddenly Naina feels uneasy, as if someone is staring her. Although she has an urge to search who it is but she resists her urge. As if somehow she knows who that could be! Noticing the sudden change in the color of her skin, Rajveer walks towards her, taking each step aching slow. He understands that she is hating the prolonged period of her wait, but somehow he enjoys her current state, which is a mixture of irritation, frustration andsomething else.

On the other hand, Naina burns in the dilemma of whether to stay or to leave the place at once. But somehow her feet get stuck to the place. She feels it difficult or rather impossible to leave the place when she knows, he is coming to meet her!

At last Rajveer reaches them and greets them 'hello'! "How are you?"he asks, and notices Naina, whose rate of heartbeats increases, thinking that Rajveer is addressing to her. Smiling secretly at her vulnerability, Rajveer continues, "Cadet Huda?" Naina sighs in relief, as he completes his question.

Although looking towards Huda, Rajveer's attention is certainly on Naina. He smiles again secretly, having noticed her sigh. "Sirji main bilkul theek hun. Aap kaise hain?" asks Huda.Smiling he answers,"main bhi bilkul theek hun". Then he suddenly turns towards Naina and asks, "apki preparations kaisi chal rahi hain?'' As he senses that Naina is about to meet his eyes, he turns towards Yudi and completes his line,"Cadet Yudi, kaisi chal rahi hain apki preparation?" Naina keeps staring Rajveer, her already blushed cheeks due to his mere presence, turns to a slightly dark shade of red.

The sudden question takes Yudi by surprise,"ahmm... ahmm... Sir, it's going good. No problem at all" answers Yudi, nervously. At this Huda says, "kya no problem at all? Kal chaar (4) questions to maine tujhey learn karwaye itni mushkil se. Kabhi kuch bhul ja raha tha to kabhi kuch".Yudi feels embarrassed. His face giving away all the hints of how embarrassed he is.

Smiling, Captain Rajveer says, "Relax Cadet!", trying to lighten his mood. Then addressing to Huda, Captain Rajveer says, "Huda..." then shakes his head, indicating to stop teasing Yudi. Then again looking towards Naina, he asks, "kya apne..." but he realizes that she is no more getting nervous, perhaps she has become accustomed to what he is doing. He thinks, 'alright Naina if you think ki tum mujhse bach jaogi then you must certainly check whom you are dealing with!'