Chapter 29

1 years ago

NoeticLife

@NoeticLife

CHAPTER 29

CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS

Monami smiled a little, bouncing on her feet in excitement. She lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in", Karan's voice called. She pushed open the door, entering the door. He glanced up. "Baitho." She sat down on the edge of the bed, closest to the desk. He handed her some paper. "Upar department ka naam likha hai- security, arms, tech etc. Sabko sort kar do."

Her excitement dimmed a little. Was he not serious about the extra strategy class? She began to sort the papers, her mouth pulling down in a frown. 'Woh bahut busy hain, Monu. Kal suna, na, kitna kaam tha. Tere liye itna time kyun nikaalenge woh?' She sighed a little.

"Chinta mat karo", Karan said. "Strategy ka extra kaam bhi dunga tumhe." She glanced up in surprise. She blinked. Could he read her thoughts? "Yeh saare kaam bhi khatam karne hai, na, mujhe? Jitni jaldi hoga, utna zyaada time tumhe de paunga. For... for strategy, of course."

She smiled a little, nodding. "Th-Thank you. F-For ex-extra class."

Karan nodded a little, scribbling the words he had written countless times on various documents quickly. "Classes bachi hai aaj ki tumhaari?"

"E-Ek. M-Military Geo-Geography", she said. He hummed. "Aa-Aapki?"

He shook his head. "Nahi." He sighed a little happily. None of the annoying cadets today. She chuckled a little. "K-Kya hua?"

"Aap b-bahut kh-khush l-lag r-rahe ho." She chuckled again. "Aapko k-kya cl-classes leni p-pasand nahi?"

"Depend karta hai, kaunse subgroup mein hai. Tumhaare subgroups mein sab efforts daalte hain, toh it's nice teaching you guys. Bravo mein usually mann karta hai ki unn sab ko jungle ke janwaaron ka khaana banaa doon."

She laughed slightly in surprise. Karan paused in surprise, glancing up at her. He had never seen her laughing. "H-Ho g-gaya", she said, handing him the organized papers.

"Thank you", he said. He scribbled the signature on the page he was writing on, before keeping it aside. "Chalo, ek baar strategy ka kaam de deta hoon tumhe." She nodded eagerly. He produced a file and gave it to her. "Yeh ek mission ki details hain."

Her jaw dropped open slightly. She pulled out the papers. They made a thick bunch. "Ek m-mission?"

"Sab kuchh hai is mein. Reports, backgrounds, relevant information, irrelevant information. Jab bhi koi agent kisi naye mission ko join karta hai, toh aise hi files milti hain use."

"M-Mujhe so-solve k-karna hai?"

He shook his head. "Nahi. Yeh sirf pre mission details hain." He paused slightly in thought. "Aisa socho ki tumhe kisi jagah par raid karni hai. Toh iss file mein yeh likha hai ki woh jagah kahan hai, kaisi hai, suspicious kyun hai, yeh sab kuchh. Attack plan wagere baad mein karenge. Sabse pehle, tum yeh poori file padhogi, important information ko sort karogi jo mission mein help kar sakti hai. Strategy banaane ka sabse zaroori step- aapko jo facts mile hain, us mein se dushman ke baare mein jitna pata chal sake, woh sab pata lagaana."

She nodded a little. "K-Kab t-tak?"

"Kal raat." Her eyes widened. She glanced down at the thick bundle of papers. "Kya hua?" He smirked a little. "Nahi karna?"

She glanced up at him. "K-Kal raat m-mess mein?" She asked.

He nodded. "Haan, mess mein." He grabbed some more papers. "Usse pehle, yeh saare papers date ke hisaab se arrange karo." She nodded, accepting them obediently.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Sanju pushed the food around her plate, staring down at it.

'Aise hi aapko aisa person mil jaata hai jiske saath aapki soul join ho jaati hai.'

'Matlab... koi aisa mil jaata hai jo... jo aapko bahut achha lagne lagta hai, jisse aap... aap connect karte ho, you know. Uss person ko understand karte ho. Unse pyaar karte ho.'

'If you want, you're welcome to come. I'll be happy.'

'Kisi din main aapko kisi 5 star restaurant mein lekar jaunga. Aap wahan ka khaana bhi try karna. It's amazing.'

'Aap logon ko zaroorat toh nahi luck ki, par it doesn't hurt to have a bit of luck, does it?'

'Kaafi pehle thi. School mein. Woh college ke liye Delhi shift ho gayi, isliye break up ho gaya.'

Her grip tightened on the fork. 'Pata naa kaa dimaag kharaab ho gayo hai humaara. Kal se sirf Chirkut ke baare mein soche jaa raho hain, aur gaadi hamesha uski ex-girlfriend par aakar atakto hai. Kaahe ke laane? Uski ex hogo, na? Aur... Aur ab bhi girlfriend hogo, toh kaa dikkat hogo?' She stabbed a piece of apple and put it in her mouth. 'Faizi Sir ji ki girlfriends se hume koi dikkat naa hogo. Karan Sir ji Monami mein itni dilchapsi rakhto hain, usse hume koi dikkat naa. Phir yeh Siddharth ki ex-girlfriend ki baat kaahe ke laane dimaag se jaane ka naam naa le raho hai?'

"Kya baat hai, Sanju?" Karan said, sitting down opposite her. "Bahut khoyi khoyi lag rahi hai. Kuchh hua hai kya?"

She shook her head. "Nahi, Sir ji. Kuchh naa hua."

He frowned slightly. "Theek hai", he conceded. "Kuchh hua, toh aa jaana." She nodded a little, looking down at her food again. Faizi sat down next to the two. His smile faded slightly, eyeing Sanju's lost expression. He glanced at Karan, who shrugged.

"Sir ji..." She started. "Humaari... humaari ek dost hogo. Uska ek dost hogo." The two hummed their attention. "Humaari dost ke dimaag mein sirf uska woh dost ghoome jaa raho hai, aur... aur... aur use samajh naa aa raho hai kaahe ke laane. Kuchh pata hai aapko iske baare mein?"

Faizi chuckled slightly. "Hume toh yeh lag raha hai ki tumhaari dost ko uske dost par crush hai." He shrugged.

"Haan?" Her jaw dropped slightly. "Par... par woh dono toh sirf dost hai, Sir ji."

"Sanju... achhi dost aur crush hone mein farak hota hai, par log phir bhi confuse ho jaate hain. Agar tumhaari dost itna soch rahi hai bina kisi reason se, toh hume toh yeh hi lagta hai ki use woh ladka pasand aa gaya." He glanced up at her wide eyes. "Is mein koi buri baat thodi naa hai. Crushes toh sabke hote hain."

She nodded slightly in thought. "Yeh... yeh crush aur dosti ka farak kaise pata chalto hai?"

"Aapka mann karega ki aap usko impress karo. Yaa aap uske baare mein bina matlab ke bahut sochoge. Koi aur usse zyaada... friendly ho, toh shayad thoda gussa bhi aaye." He shrugged. "Pata chal jaata hai ki kuchh alag hai."

Sanju jerked her head down in a nod, the words flying around in her mind and bouncing off the already cluttered thoughts. "Sir ji... hume, na, kuchh kaam hogo. Hum baad mein aato hain."

Faizi frowned, watching her leave. "Ise kya hua?" He shrugged, popping in a piece of the apple. "I hope iski dost ki feelings sort ho jaayein." He raised his eyebrows at Karan's incredulous look. "Kya hua?"

"Gadhe... woh apni baat kar rahi thi. Siddharth ke baare mein sochkar confuse ho rahi hai yeh."

He glanced at the exit before back at Karan. He chuckled slightly. "Chalo, at least thodi toh gaadi aage badhi iski." He raised his eyebrows. "Tum zyaada khush nahi lag rahe. Kya soch rahe ho?"

Karan paused for a few seconds. "I... I just hope Siddharth bhi uske liye woh hi feel karta ho. I don't want ki uska dil toot jaaye."

"Karan... agar Siddharth ne Sanju ko reject kar diya, toh tum kuchh ulta seedha nahi karoge", Faizi warned. "Siddharth ki koi galti nahi hogi."

He sighed, nodding. "Jaanta hoon, yaar."

"Tum itni tension kyun lete ho? Abhi toh Sanju hi confused hai. Ho sakta hai Siddharth bhi pasand karta ho, yaa ho sakta hai ki do din ka crush ho. Kabhi kabhi crushes Tsunami ki tarah aate hain aur tornado ki tarah chala jaate hain. Speaking of Tsunami... tum-"

"Bakwaas karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai", Karan cut him off. "Har cheez mein toh Monami ko kaise beech mein le aata hai? Chup chaap khaana khaa." Faizi chuckled, beginning to eat again.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Hum Siddharth ko pasand karto hai?" Sanju asked herself. She blinked, glancing at the figurine Sid had gifted her. She picked it up, staring at it.

'Jis cadet ne diya hai, woh thank you keh raha hai, dil rakhne ke liye.'

She chuckled slightly. "Chirkut." She kept it down again, sitting on her bed. She hummed thoughtfully. "Ab kya karoon? Woh bhi hume pasand karto hai kaa?" She sighed a little in frustration. "Ab yeh kaise pata chalego? Kisse baat karein? Koel? Use toh thoda bahut pata hogo hi. Phir se dost ka bahaana hi laga denge." She nodded to herself.

She roamed around the academy, trying to locate the cadet. She found her in the mess, sipping some tea as she read a textbook alone. Sanju hesitated slightly, before moving to her. Koel looked up, smiling at her.

"Hi", she said.

"Hume tujhse kuchh puchhno tha", Sanju said. Koel kept the book aside, turning her attention to her. "Humaari ek dost hogo. Use koi pasand hai. Toh use kaa karna chahiyo? Matlab, bata dena chahiyo? Yaa... yaa pehle dekhna chahiyo ki woh ladka pasand karto hai yaa nahi."

Koel hummed a little. "Depend karta hai. Jaise... Jaise aapki dost kitna serious hai ladke ke baare mein."

"Matlab?"

"Crushes toh almost sabke hote hain. Par kuchh log sirf serious relationship chahte hain. Agar aapki dost ko serious relationship chahiye aur aapki dost ke crush ko nahi, toh it's better ki aapki dost apni feelings ko zyaada aage naa badhne de ya at least, apne aap ko samjha le ki it's not a very good idea."

"Aur yeh kaise pata chalego?"

She shrugged. "Yeh toh saamne se puchh lo. Baat baat mein pata chal jaata hai."

"Aur agar dono serious hogo, toh?"

"Toh sabse pehle yeh ensure karo ki aapki feelings genuine hi hai, na? Kabhi kabhi aisa hota hai ki aaj lagta hai crush hai, aur agle din lagta hai ki nahi, aisa bhi kuchh khaas nahi hai. Puchhne se pehle, it's better ki aap apni feelings ke liye sure ho."

She nodded slowly. "Aur phir?"

"Uske baad, it's a bit of a gamble. Kabhi kabhi aisa lagta hai ki woh toh pakka pasand karta hai, par woh naa bolta hai. Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki no chance, par turns out, woh actually pasand karta hai."

"Toh kaa kar sakto hain?"

"Dekho, as I said, it's a gamble. Par usually, best friends ko saari khabar hoti hai. Toh, agar aapki dost uske dost se baat kar sakti hai, toh shayad, par kabhi dost bataate nahi hai."

She nodded slightly. "Thank you keh raho hain."

Koel smiled. "Anytime, ma'am."

"Do kaam karno hai", Sanju said to herself, when she was back in her room alone. "Ek, Siddharth kaa sochto hai inn sab ke baare mein. Aur doosra, hum jo mehsoos kar raho hai, woh do din ka bhooth toh naa."

She sat down on the bed, nodding to herself.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Karan tapped on Faizi's message as he walked into the mess.

Humaare paas Thane District ke DCP ka call aaya tha. Tumne jo pubs aur clubs par raids maarne ko kaha tha, unke kuchh leaders ko pakda hai. Details hum tumhe forward kar rahe hain. Kal chalte hain?

He shot him a thumbs up, before pocketing his phone, and walking into the kitchen. Monami was sitting on the slab, the file he had given her that morning in her hand as she read.

"Hi", he said, grabbing some milk. She glanced up, smiling at him. He poured some in the pan, keeping it back in the fridge and leaning against the opposite counter. "Kaisa chal raha hai yeh?"

She shrugged, nodding. She grabbed her notebook, holding it out to him. "A-About h-halfway padh l-liya."

He accepted the notebook, reading it over. He hummed, nodding. "Not bad", he said.

"K-Kuchh m-miss kiya?"

He nodded. "Of course." She deflated slightly. "Muh banaane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Pehli baar kar rahi ho yeh. Itni jaldi sab kuchh nahi pata chalta hai. Special Agents bhi kaafi cheezen miss karte hain. I am fairly good in catching things, toh mujhe auron se thoda zyaada dikh jaata hai, par I miss things too. Practice se better ho jaayega."

She nodded, sighing a little. "Itna k-kuchh hai. A-Aisa l-lag r-raha hai... n-needle dhoond r-rahi hoon."

He shrugged. "Needle hi dhoondni hoti hai. Talwaar nahi milti hai yahan par. Terrorists bahut smart hote hain. Jaise hum log try karte hain ki terrorists ko koi bhi lead naa de, waise hi woh try karte hain ki woh hume naa de. Toh talwaar ka toh matlab hi nahi. Needles milaakar hi koi weapon padhta hai. Isliye hi strategy important hoti hai."

"Aap toh s-strategy ex-expert ho. Aapko bhi m-mushkil l-lagta hai?"

He chuckled a little. "Monami, strategy expert sirf ek title hai. Actual mein strategy mein expert koi bhi nahi hota hai. Log achhe zaroor ho sakte hain strategy banaane mein, par expert nahi. Jaise medicine mein hi dekh lo. Koi bahut achha doctor ho sakta hai, surgeon ho sakta hai, par hamesha aisi bahut saari cheezen hongi jo use seekhni padhengi yaa jo woh miss kar dega. Isliye hi toh 'practicing medicine' bolte hai, na? Strategy bhi waisi hi hoti hai- kuchh na kuchh hamesha aisa hoga jo aapne kabhi dekha nahi hoga, yaa jo aap miss kar doge. You're always seeing new things."

"In-Interesting hai, n-nahi?"

He nodded. "It never gets old because you never know ki aap yeh dekhoge." He poured the milk in the two cups, handing one to Monami. "Kya kara tumne poore din mein?"

"Cl-Classes, h-homework aur yeh."

"Kisi ke saath hang out kara? Yaa bas padhai?"

She shrugged. "P-Padhai hi. Time n-nahi m-mila. P-Par ab b-baat kar r-rahi hoon aa-aapse." He sighed a little, nodding. "Aapko p-pasand n-nahi, na, j-jab main a-akeli re-rehti hoon?"

"Aisi baat nahi hai, Monami. I just want ki... tumhaara darr thoda kam ho."

"Aap... aap k-kya m-mujhse sirf is-isliye b-baat k-karte ho?" Her gaze dropped into her cup, a finger nervously tracing patterns on the slab. "Aapko b-baat karna... pasand n-nahi hai?"

"Mujhe tumse baat karna pasand hai."

Her lower lip stuck out slightly in a pout. "Aap jh-jhooth toh n-nahi b-bol rahe, na? M-Mujhe b-better feel k-karwaane ke liye?"

"Main kisi ko better feel karwaane ke liye jhooth nahi bolta", he said, shrugging. "Main bilkul chahta hoon ki tumhaare andar confidence aaye aur tum logon se daro naa, par iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki tumse baat karna mujhe achha nahi lagta."

She smiled a little, relaxing slightly. "Aa-Aapne k-kya kara p-poora din?"

"Kaam", he said. "Classes, security check kari, reports padhi. Nothing interesting."

She perked up a little. "M-Maine, na, m-military h-history ki b-book mein ek b-bahut interesting c-case p-padha tha..."

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Sanju sighed a little, staring at Sid from behind the cup she had held up to her face. He was talking with the rest of the cadets over breakfast.

Fingers snapping in front of her face made her glance up and she straightened up, seeing Karan and Faizi. "Sir ji", she said, mentally hitting herself.

"Subah subah itni khoyi hui?" Karan said. "Kya baat hai?"

"Raat ko koi sapna dekh liya kya?" Faizi said.

"Naa, Sir ji", she said. She blinked, realizing their outfits. "Aap dono kahin jaa rahe ho, Sir ji?"

They nodded. "Thane jaane hai, kisi kaam se. Shaam tak waapas aa jaayenge", Faizi said.

"Sir ji", she said, nodding.

"Achha, sun, humaari classes maine adjust kar di hain. Thode time tables change hain iss hafte ka. Ustaad ji ko bataa diya hai. Tu bas dekh lena ki sab trainers aur sab cadets ko naye schedules mil jaaye", Karan instructed.

"Ji, Sir ji", she said.

Sanju cast another glance at Sid before turning her attention back to the two, listening to the instructions carefully.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Kya hua?" Koel asked. "Aise kyun bulaaya?"

Faizi closed the door behind her. "Hum aaj kisi kaam se Thane jaa rahe hain", he said. He smiled at her. "Bye bolna tha."

She smiled. She looped her arms around his neck, staring up at him. "Mere liye kuchh lekar aaoge?"

He chuckled. "Hum ghoomne nahi jaa rahe hain. Kaam se jaa rahe hain. Par bolo. Kya chahiye tumhe?"

She hummed a little in thought. "Roses?"

"Done. Aur kuchh, mahutarma?"

"Jab waapas aaoge, mujhse milne aana, okay?" She muttered. "Main wait karungi."

He hummed, nodding. He leaned closer, kissing the corner of her mouth gently. Koel's hands trailed from his neck to his face, gently pressing her lips against his. His arms slid around her waist, as he kissed her back, their eyes sliding close. They pulled away after a few seconds, staring at each other with small smiles.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Knock, knock.

Monami glanced up, eyebrows raising slightly. Karan?

"Hi", he said, walking in. He glanced down at the notebook, and the file. "Kaam chal raha hai?"

She nodded. Her eyes swept his outfit. "Aap b-bahar jaa r-rahe hain?"

"Haan. Woh hi bataana aaya tha. Mujhe kuchh kaam hai, shaam tak aa jaunga. Par shayad thoda late ho jaaye, toh... agar shaam ko mess mein nahi kar paaye, toh kal kar lenge."

"Ch-Chalega", she said, shrugging. "Official k-kaam se j-jaa rahe ho? Yaa... p-personal?"

"Official."

She frowned slightly. "D-Dangerous hai k-kya?"

"Nahi, nahi. Bas kisi se milkar aana hai. Kuchh dangerous nahi hai." He smiled slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Hota toh kya karti?"

She shrugged. "Pray", she said as if it was obvious. "Bh-Bhagwaan ji b-bahut achhe hain. M-Meri b-baatein s-sunte hain u-usually. Of c-course k-kabhi kabhi un-unka khud ka k-kuchh pl-plan bhi h-hota hai, par... k-kabhi kabhi m-meri b-baatein bhi s-sun lete."

'Please, Bhagwaan ji, Karan Sir, Faizi Sir aur Sanju ma'am ko safe rakhna. Sab commandos ko safe rakhna jo jaa rahe hain.'

He smiled. "Tumhaari Bhagwaan ke saath setting hai?"

She laughed slightly. She shrugged a little. "K-Keh s-sakte hain?"

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. Faizi. Chalo, warna late ho jaayenge. Kitna time lagega?

Aa raha hoon. Entrance par mil.

"Monami, mujhe jaana hai. Shaam ko milte hain?"

She smiled, nodding. "Sh-Shaam ko", she agreed. She followed him with her gaze, smiling to herself. She sifted through her notebooks and papers, pulling out her diary and uncapping the pen.

'Karan Sir mujhe unsafe nahi feel karwaate. Woh mere comfort ka dhyaan rakhte hain. Unke saath baat karna pasand hai mujhe. I think... I think hum log dost ban sakte hain.

Imagine... Sid ke alaawa academy mein mera pehla dost.

Main nervous hoon par... not the bad kind.'