Naina spent almost a week at her home.....with an anticipation of going back to the academy as soon as she can....
She was dying to meet him again.... To spend time with him.... Yet there was also an unknown fear.... As if he was hiding something... As if his desperation and impatience was hinting towards something.... But she would shrug it off thinking that she might be reading too much between the lines....
She reached back in academy... And the first thing she could do was to run towards his cabin....
She was a bit disappointed to find it locked....
"band darwaze ko kitna ghuregi phoolan.... Meri dil ki khidki to kabse tere liye khule he.... Yaha pe bhi kabi yaha pe b ghanti baja de"....

Huda said with a usual smirk.....

Ignoring his flirting...... .

"Huda tujhe pata he captain rajveer kaha he.... "

"Nai to... Wese agar bata du to mujhe kya milega.."..
..
"Dekh.. Mera mood nai he abhi teri stupid baaton ke liye... "

"Tera mood aajkal kab mere liye hota he phoolan...."

"Huda mera wo matlab nai tha...". She was a bit guilty about the fact that she hid her feelings from him... Despite of all his stupidity and annoying flirtations he was a very loyal friend and she thought it was about time she would confess everything to him....

"Tere paas time he to hum coffee pe chale.... "

"Oye. Mummyji.... Ye sach he yaa sapna... Tu.... Teri tabiyat to theek he na phoolan.... He swung her along with him." ... Too happy at her gesture

" Haa... Ab normal insano jese baat kare... Tu chal me tujhe cafeteria me milti hu..."
She looked at him all happy and excited... And cringed at the fact that what she would say might break his heart... But he has to move on... And for that she has to admit to him.... That there is someone else in her  life

" Are bhaison ke raja.... Ina uchhal kyu raha he.... "
Aaj tu kuch bi bol le kaidi.... Mera mood bigad nai sakta....
Kyu aaj bhaison ka independence day he kya jo otna khush he....

Kaidi aaj phoolan ne khud se muje coffee  keiye pucha....

He ended up spitting the water he was currently sipping...
Oye tujhe kya hua...

"Boleto... Apun ko tera fumda samajh nai aata..."
"Matlab... "
"Tujhe sab dikta he fir bhi tu yeda kyu banta he... "
"  ke bolraha he kaidi saaf saaf bol na..".

"Tujhe b pata he k naina tujhe pyaar nai karti....."

"Baat yo he kaidi.. Jis din phoolan mujse aake kehde ke wo kisi aur ke saath khush he... Me apne aap raaste se hat jauga... Par tabtak me use apne pyaar ka raag sunata rahunga... "

"Aur agar me kahu ke me khush hu to huda... Kya hum phir b dost rahenge" ...

He had a sad look in his eyes..... As if he knew her answer a lot before she had said it... Or even known it... It was just his heart that couldn't accept it...
He had always seen the way they looked at each other... Smiled at each other... But every time he would fool himself trying to convince himself that it is not what he thinks....
He was  changed a great deal... After going through ups and downs of his training... And the person who he looked up to was their raajveer sir.. Who had thought them to have courage to accept and admit to some bitter truths of life... Having faith that life had something good to offer them at the end....
"tere liye to huda jaan bhi de sakta he phoolan... Ashiq bankar nahi to kya... Dost bankar hi sahi... Bas tu khush rahe.."

Naina's eyes brimmed at hearing her friend's selfless reply... She was moved by his gesture.. She hugged him tight... Just to let him know...
How much his friendship means to her...
He too accepted the warm hug and aalekh joined them.. Ruffling huda's hair...
"boleto... Ur mummyji will be proud of u huda..."
"Shane chal ab makhan mat maar... Coffee pila.. "

Naina smiled at this... "oye aaj ki treat to meri taraf se.."
Suriji teen coffee... She shouted... Smiling whole heartedly...
"o puttar... Abhi laya..."

"oye bina network ke toweron... Kya akele akele free treat le rahe ho... Suriji.. Do aur coffe bolna... Aur ek chocolate pastry bhi.. Wo kya he na aaj huda ki mummyji ka talktime badh gaya he na... Huda ka network jo sahi ho gaya he..."

"pooja.. Mat tang kariye unhe... Wese huda bhai...hum apni coffee ke liye pay kardete he.."

"uh uh.. Chief.. U r crazy.. Free ki coffee aur daru ko kabhi mana nai karte..one for me too..." ud chirped joinig them...

"daaru kiske paas he.... Free ki..." Alekh's mouth watered on mention of free liquor
" phatemu.. Kaidi tere phone ki ringtone  hamesha ek hi gaana kyu bajti he... Mazak tha... "
" ha to ese bolna punjaban... Faltume dimaag kyu khareli he"

Naina smiled looking at his friends antics...how she loved each of them...

Despite from all the differences and misunderstandings in the past... There was a really strong bonding that had culminated between them. Overtime.. They all had one person binding them together... Who had taught them value of true friendship..... A friendship that they would cherish for a lifetime.....

-__________

"A person was talking on the cellphone while its still dark....
Itni der kyu lag rahi he use dhundne me... Ek insaan he god dammit. Koi  bhoot nai jo gayab ho gaya... "
"Sirji hame lagta he ki zinda na bacha ho... "
"Kya matlab.. Bakwaas mat karo... Uska zinda hona jarrori he... Jo redbox hamare haat laga wo nakli he... Saare saboot ab bhi uske paas he... "
Lagta he ab ye kaam tumse nai hoga...
.. Hume hi kuch karna padega... Warna boss ko muh dikhne layak nai rahenge hum dono.....

___________________________

Three months had passed away there was no trace of captain rajveer anywhere... Naina tried contacting him a multiple times but all in vain... His cellphone was unanswered.... She was completely clueless about his whereabouts...
They were told that he has been transferred to another base abruptly as he was needed on some urgent mission...with col. Shaktichandra.... All cadets were grovelling about the fact that they didn't get a chance to say proper goodbye to their favourite teacher... While naina was sure that this was merely a coverup... And something was severely wrong...
Academy rules were drastically changed under Captain Abhimanyu's commands...they were not allowed to gather in groups and discuss...
Their training hours had been increased and six of them barely had a chance to think about anything apart from it.....
But Naina's condition was deteriorating... The fact that she couldn't meet him was taking toll om her physical and mental health... Alekh would try to console her that everything would be alright... But in
reality he was scared too

"naina.. Tu tension mat le... Sir jaha par bhi honge.. Tension dene ka kaam karenge lene ka nai" .. He tried to cheer her up...

She was about to have a mental breakdown... But there was one person... Who was constantly trying to seek her proximity... Apparently to console her..
"i don't know how to tell u this naina... Pata nahi raaj ko  contact karne me aur kitna waqt lagega.. Hum roz koshish karte he headquarters se information nikaalne ki... Par koi fayda nahi ho pate"

"sir... Unhone aap se kuch to kaha hoga... Investigation ke baare me... Mission ke baare me..."

Kash kaha hota naina.... Aap ko kya lagta he hum nahi batate  aapko...

"Sorry sir mera wo matlab nahi tha... Na sir ka pata chala.. Na us red box ka... Kya wajah ho sakti he...me kal hj headquarters contact karna chahti hu sir..."
"You know what intruiges me naina... Rajveer apne career ki peak par tha jab use kma pe mission pe assign kiya gaya... Uska ese transfer kiya jaana.. Its unlikely.... Unless....."

"Unless... What sir.. Aap kehna kya chahte he..."

"Unless... He asked for it..."

She stared at him in disbelief.... How could he infer that about his friend... What does he mean... That rajveer  voulantarily applied for a transfer to wash his hands clean off the   risk of naveen's death being re investigated...

"i know... Hum raaj ko salo se jaante he.. Dost he wo hamare... Unke baare me esa bolne ke liye hume bhi bohot himmat jutani padi naina... Par is possibility ko nakara nahi jaa sakta.. After seeing his transfer order... I can't come to think of any good reason... I hope hum jo soch rahe he wo galat ho... I want to trust my friend.... But the circumstances are not allowing me to"
Listening to this naina broke down into puddle of tears.. She was helpless... She denied whatever abhi had said... Tried her best not to lose her composure but... Abhi was slowly but steadily successful in planting a suspicion in her head.... She couldn't help but turn down the possiblity....

Clutching her head out of frustration... She dropped on the floor... Sobbing hard...
Abhi held her tight in her embrace.. Rubbing her back...
Nature of his touch changed after sometime as her sobbing was now under control..
. She couldn't notice it as she was too frustrated at the moment...
" Shhh... Hum he na... Hum sab theek kar denge naina... Humara yakeen ki jiye... "
He kept ruffling her hair whilst saying that...
She got conscious and separated from him after a while... Perplexed and helpless....and now... Surprisingly angry at Rajveer
... She couldn't help it.
.. Her patience was being tested to its highest level now... It was too hard to stay strong....
.