Chapter 50

CHAPTER 50

FEELINGS

"Aaj Karan Sir ka mood kuchh zyaada hi kharaab nahi lag raha?" Sid muttered. "Tujhe pata hai kya hua hai?"

Koel looked at him, heaving. She shook her head, bending down and keeping the weights down. She rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "Kal tak toh theek hi lag raha tha. Aaj pata nahi kya ho gaya."

"Move!" Karan's voice boomed through the training room. Koel lifted her head, finding him glowering at one of the cadets who had taken a few minutes to relax in the middle of the drill. She shook her head. He was practically asking to be scolded.

"Karan", Faizi warned quietly. "Kahin aur gussa cadets par mat nikaalo."

He closed his mouth, swallowing the bitter words that sat on the tip on his tongue. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He nodded in reluctant agreement.

"Kya hua hai?" He asked. "Subah se itne gusse mein kyun ho?"

"Raawat", he said quietly. Faizi's eyebrows creased into a scowl. "Yaad hai iss hafte kuchh officials aane waale hain? Guess kar kaun unka head hai?"

"Raawat?" His mouth dropped open in affront. Karan nodded. "Ya Allah, hum chhuti nahi le sakte?" Karan heaved a sigh. He wished.

He looked around the training room. His gaze paused. Monami was in a corner, quietly running on the treadmill. His head tilted slightly. What was it in her? Everyone was supposed to look the same in uniforms. No one better, no one worse. They were just soldiers, blending into each other and into a single unit. But she stood out. Clad in a uniform, quiet in a corner, there was something about her that kept his attention.

"Karan, Monami ko nihaarna band karo", a voice interrupted him.

He blinked. He looked at her, eyebrows creasing into a scowl. "Chup kar", he warned. "Main nahi nihaar raha tha use."

"Kya dekh rahe the phir?"

"Main... Main bas observe kar raha tha", he threw out. "Cadets ko. Dekh, Chitra ko help chahiye. Main help karke aaya." He walked away before he could question him more.

Faizi chuckled, shaking his head. He glanced over at Monami and then back at him. She'd be good for him.

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

Param took a deep breath in the driving seat of his jeep. In the parking of the academy, he sat alone for a brief moment. He pushed open the door, jumping down. He stumbled a little as his knees temporarily buckled under the weight. It was a bitter reminder. His legs weren't the same as before.

He pushed the thought away. He walked into the academy, nodding at the people who saluted him. He walked up the stairs, knocking on the Colonel's door. He opened it after the confirmation.

"Param", he greeted.

He sat down in the chair, offering him a smile. "Kaise ho aap?" He asked.

The colonel smiled. "Main theek hoon", he said. He leaned forward, leaning on his elbows that rested on the table. "Woh baat karte hain jiske liye tum aaye ho? Mera offer accept kar rahe ho, na, tum?"

Param smiled. "Aapko hamesha pata hota hai ki main kya soch raha hoon."

"Tum dono ko badha kiya hai maine", he said. "Main khush hoon ki tum yeh offer accept kar rahe ho."

He nodded. "I hope main yeh regret naa karoon", he said softly. "Sir... agar aap ek aadh hafte baad application daalenge, toh chalega kya?" The Colonel frowned. "Main thode din academy aana chahta hoon, thoda time spend karna chahta hoon. I want to get used to being back."

The frown faded. He nodded. "Of course. Main ek hafte baad application file kar dunga. Agar tumhe usse zyaada time chahiye, bas keh dena."

"Thank you."

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

Koel suppressed a sigh of contentedness. She leaned further back into her boyfriend's arms, and the man tightened his grip on her waist.

"Maine tumhe miss kiya", she said softly. She tilted her head, looking up at him.

Faizi smiled. "Humne bhi", he said. He leaned forward, gently pressing his lips to hers. She smiled slightly into the kiss, kissing him back.

"Tumhaara kaam ho gaya?" She asked.

His smile faded slightly. He shrugged. "Abhi ke liye thoda sa kam hai", he said carefully. "Mission related. Par tum logon ke exams aane waale hain, toh isliye hum sab trainers thode busy hain."

She hummed. "Ek baat puchhoon?" He nodded. "I can't imagine ki tum teenon mein se koi bhi bahut thrilled tha ki tum logon ko civilians ko train karna padega. Toh yeh mission accept hi kyun kara?"

He tilted his head. "Yeh mission ka idea Batra Sir ka tha, aur unhone apne medals daon par lagaaye hain. Unhone humpar bharosa karke hume bulaaya tha, ki hum iss mission ko achhi tarah anjaam denge. Hum uss bharose ko tootne nahi de sakte the. Hum teenon mein se koi bhi nahi. Isliye humne mission accept kara."

"Do you wish tumne nahi kara hota accept?"

"Agar hum accept nahi karte, toh aapse kaise milte, mahutarma?" He muttered. He leaned closer, kissing her lips again. She smiled again, turning slightly in his embrace, and pressing her lips firmer to his. The kisses didn't pause for the rest of their time together, the two an innocent tangle of limbs.

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

Karan listened idly to the story Suman ji was narrating, his eyes closed as the information from the mission ran in the background in his mind. He wasn't all that sure how he had come to be stuck with the Foxtrot cadets yapping around him, but they made good background noise as he smoothed over the details in his mind.

His eyes opened to the familiar voice of Abhi. He suppressed a sigh, seeing his gaze halter at the sight of Monami and his breath hitch slightly.

"Hi, Monami", he breathed out. She offered him a small smile. "Want a kiss?"

Karan's head snapped up, his eyes widened. What the hell? "Excuse me?" The words flew out, and he heard a couple others' disbelief mixing with his.

"Huh?" Monami said, her own face scrunched up in disbelief.

Abhi smiled at her, producing a chocolate from behind his back. Karan tilted his head, reading the name. Kisses Of Love. "Kiss", Abhi said, gesturing to the chocolate. Karan suppressed a sigh, resisting the urge to rub his temple. One of these days, Abhi's antics were going to get him plummeted to the ground. "Maine kaha tha, na, main tumhaare liye chocolate launga? Yeh lo."

She smiled slightly, extending her hand. "Th-Thank you."

He reached over, and pulled out a bag. Karan's eyebrows raised and he stared in disbelief as Abhi upturned the bag, revealing what has to be at least, over 200 chocolates. He should have guessed that. He wouldn't be Abhi without going so overboard.

"What the-" Koel said, as she tried to catch some that fell off the table.

"#Mountain of chocolates", Chitra said.

Karan heaved a sigh, shaking his head. "Abhi..."

He looked at him. "Zyaada ho gaya?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly.

"Haan", almost everyone echoed.

"Bahut zyaada", Sid added.

"Sorry", Abhi said, scooping some up and putting them in the bag. "Main thodi si tumhaare room mein bhejwaa dunga. Okay?" Monami nodded a little.

"Abhi!" A voice said. Karan glanced over, seeing Mridul at the doorway of the mess. The other special agent gestured to his clock and Abhi nodded. He looked back at Monami.

He gave her a sad look. "Abhi mujhe kuchh kaam hai. I'll see you later." He ran off before she could respond.

"Awww", Chitra said. "How #sweet. Abhi Sir tumhaare liye itni saari #chocolates laaye, Monami."

"Sweet?" Sid said. "More like creepy."

Koel nodded. "I second that."

Karan shook his head as the cadets fell into the debate. Didn't they have better things to discuss? They had their exams coming up the week after.

His eyes drifted to Monami, who sat quietly beside him. He nudged her gently. She glanced up, before away almost immediately. His eyebrows furrowed. He took a tissue, scribbling a message to her. He passed it over.

Monami glanced up at Karan again when he slipped a piece of paper in her line of vision. She picked it up. 'Tum theek ho? Abhi se zyaada tang toh nahi ho?' A small smile tugged on her lips.

"I am f-fine", she said softly to him. His eyebrows flickered up once. Was she sure? She nodded. He eyed her for a second before closing his eyes, and diving back down into his thoughts of the mission.

She smiled slightly, tilting her head. He was thinking, his mind running a mile a minute, but he almost seemed at ease. Closed eyes, head tilted slightly back, fingers tapping on the table.

Sid's eyes lifted to Monami. His words died on his tongue. Was she... admiring Karan? His gaze drifted between the trainer and his best friend. His eyebrows dipped. Did Monami feel something for him?

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

Monami paused, eyeing her bed. Someone had fiddled with it. She walked closer, yanking the crumpled blanket back. She blinked.

A heart? Chocolates?

Looking closer, she recognized the chocolates to be the ones Abhi got for her. She picked up the heart shaped pillow, suppressing a sigh.

"Hi", Abhi's voice piped up from behind her. She turned around. His face fell slightly. "Abhi bhi zyaada hai?"

"Aa-Aap m-mere room m-mein b-bina m-meri p-permission ke aa-aaye and aa-aapne mere b-bed ko t-touch kara. Th-That's cr-creepy", she pointed out. "And r-rude."

His face fell with each word. "I am sorry", he said, sighing. "Mera woh intention nahi tha."

"I kn-know", she said. "N-Next t-time, kn-knock k-karna aane se p-pehle."

"Pakka", he assured. He ran out of the room. Monami's eyebrows furrowed. He popped his head in the doorway, knocking on the door. A small, amused smile lit up her face. "May I come in?" She nodded. He hopped in happily. "Tumne chocolate taste kari?"

"Ab-Abhi n-nahi."

"Please taste karo, na?" He said eagerly. He snatched one up from the bed behind her, holding it out to her. She accepted it, popping a piece in her mouth.

Her eyes lit up. It was amazing. "B-Bahut ach-achhi hai", she said. His smile widened. "S-Sir, m-main-"

"Abhi", he cut her off. "Sir nahi. Call me Abhi."

She paused. "A-Abhi", she said awkwardly. It was weird to call her senior by his name. His eyes lit up.

"Mridul, mera best friend, woh bahut jealous tha ki main tumhaare liye itni saari chocolates laaya hoon. Toh maine use aadhi de di", he said. "Woh keh raha tha main bahut overboard chala gaya."

"Sahi keh raha tha", a voice said. Monami's eyes darted to the doorway. A small smile appeared on her face. Karan? His eyes flickered to her before he walked in. He glanced over her bed. "Chocolates ki dukaan kholni hai? Aur yeh toh tab hai jab tumne aadhi Mridul ko de di." He shook his head.

"Sorry, Sir", Abhi said. "Monami ne mujhe bataaya tha ki use chocolates pasand hain. Toh main thoda excited ho gaya."

Monami pursed her lips, concealing her amusement at the exasperated look on Karan's face. "Mujhe Monami se baat karni hai", he said.

"Haan, toh kariye, na?" Abhi said.

"Abhi, out", Karan said.

"Oh. Akele mein", he muttered to himself. Karan shook his head. Monami looked at Abhi in amusement before turning her attention towards Karan. "K-Kya b-baat karni h-hai aa-aapko?" Her eyebrows furrowed. Why wasn't he meeting her eyes?

"I know a coffee place", he said after a moment. "Want to come?"

She blinked. "C-Coffee?"

He nodded. "Roz academy mein hi coffee peete hain. I figured you would like the change and tum academy se kam hi bahar nikalti ho, toh it's good for you."

She smiled. "S-Sure."

His mouth upturned slightly. "Change kar lo. Gate par milna in 15 minutes." She nodded. He turned to leave, pausing when he saw Sid.

"I just came", he defended. "Maine karne waala tha knock." Karan suppressed a sigh, walking past him wordlessly. "Coffee date?" Sid teased as soon as Karan was out of earshot.

"Nahi", she said. "Paagal hai kya? Hum bas coffee peene jaa rahe hain."

"Haan. Coffee, and just you and him", he teased. "Sounds like a date."

She scowled. "Pehle kehta hai dost bana. Ab banaaya toh aisi baatein kar raha hai. Theek hai, nahi banaungi friends ab."

"Arey, paagal hai kya?" He said. "Itna seriously mat le. Chal. Nahi bolunga aage se."

Monami turned him around, shoving him out of the room. "Mujhe change karna hai. Nikal." She closed the door, darting to the cupboard and rummaging through the clothes.

A nice top. Some decent jeans. She wanted to look nice.

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

Param smiled slightly when he saw his brother as he descended the stairs from Colonel Batra's cabin. He opened his mouth, intending to call him.

The sound died in his throat as a girl walked closer. Monami. She smiled at him a little. Param's eyebrows furrowed. Casual clothes? At the entrance? Were they going somewhere?

'She's not just a cadet, Bhaiya. Woh meri dost hai. I... I care about her.'

Karan's eyes swept her up and down, and Param's eyebrows raised. Was he checking her out? He stepped back slightly into the shadows. What the hell? Was he interested in Monami?

Karan gestured towards the entrance and the two walked out. Param leaned against the wall, a small smirk against his lips.

So, this was a thing.

Interesting.

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

Sid shoved his hands deeper into his hoodie, suppressing a shiver. It was beginning to get chilly. He slipped into his bed quickly, sighing in happiness in the warmth of the blanket. Bala was was still absent from the room but it wasn't a surprise. It was early for bed. But he was exhausted from the workout session with Sanju.

Sanju.

He rolled over to his back, staring at the ceiling. A small smile appeared on his face. She was... different. So, so different. Tough and brutal on the outside but there was a heart in her that beats just as much in her than in anyone else.

'Hum sirf isliye aaye the kyunki tera mood achha nahi tha.'

His eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep, his thoughts that of Sanju.

Sid looked around the gym. The sound of thuds lifted his head and he turned around. He blinked in surprise. He was sitting there quietly, watching Sanju. She was training, her fists meeting the punching bag over and over. He stared at himself. Was this really how he looked at her? Starry eyed, in awe? He blinked again.

He was in the jeep, sitting on the backseat. He leaned forward, looking between him and Sanju. He was bright-eyed, a smile stretching over his face as he talked. He recognized the conversation. It was a memory.

He was in his room the next time he blinked. Bala, and him lying on their respective beds. He listened to their conversation quietly.

'Bhai ji, aap woh Hindi filmon ke aashiq ki tarah baat kar rahe ho.'

'Shuruaat filmon mein isi se hoti hai.'

Sid's eyes snapped open to darkness. The dream played in his mind again, each scene lingering. The memories continued, those playing too that weren't in his dream- teasing, talking for hours at end, training sessions. He let out a breath.

Did he... did he have a crush on Sanju?

Oh God.

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

"Monu", Sid said, pushing the door open quickly. Monami looked up, spinning the chair around to face him. "Monu, Monu, Monu!" He shut the door behind himself, pushing the lock up.

She frowned. "Kya hua?"

He knelt down in front of her chair. "I think I have a crush on Sanju ma'am." Her eyes widened. "Think nahi, actually. I am pretty sure." He sank down further on the floor, sitting cross legged and staring up at her with identical wide eyes.

"Tu Sanjana ma'am ko pasand karta hai?" She almost shrieked. She paused for a second, before leaning back in her chair. She shrugged, nodding. "I can see it."

"Ab main kya karoon?" He asked. "What the hell am I supposed to do now? Unhe bol doon? Nahi. Haddiyan todh di toh? Hospital pahucnha dengi woh toh seedha. Ignore karoon yeh crush? Kya bol raha hoon main? Woh toh kar hi nahi paunga. Monu-"

"Sid", Monami cut him off. "Calm down. Deep breaths." He took a deep breath before releasing it. "Tu itna panic kyun kar raha hai? Pehli baar thodi naa kisi par crush hua hai tujhe?"

"Haan, par..." He sighed.

"Par kya?"

He smiled slightly. He rested his head on Monami's lap. "She's different, Monu. Woh meri exes aur past crushes jaisi nahi hai. I really like her. I really, really do."

She smiled. "Teri choice buri nahi hai."

"Bahut achhi hai", he snapped playfully. She chuckled again. "Main kitna badha gadha hoon. Khud ki feelings hi nahi samajh paaya. Training mein saara dhyaan lagaaya isliye yeh sab socha hi nahi. Kitna obvious tha. I love spending time with her and I love our training sessions. And mann karta hai kabhi kabhi ki poora time bas unhe hi dekha rahoon and woh kuchh bhi keh rahe hain, woh sab achha lagta hai, chaahe woh cheez mujhe interesting nahi bhi lagti. And..."

Monami smiled, running a hand through his hair as he talked about her excitedly. He was happy.

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

"Sab theek?" Karan asked.

Sanju looked up from her laptop, nodding. "Uss pehli manzil khaali praani ke baare mein kuchh bhi kaho, Sir ji, apna kaam karna jaanto hai woh."

"Kisi reason se toh rakha hi hua hai usko", he agreed. He leaned over her shoulder, glancing over the positions of the security. "Mridul se baat kari?"

"Ji, Sir ji." She looked at him. "Hume naa lagto hai ki use zyaada achha lago ki hum use bata raho hain ki security kaisi honi chahiyo."

"He'll get over it", he said. "Kuchh puchh raha tha?"

"Yeh ki hum kaahe ke laane yeh sab kar raho hain, jab yeh kaam uska hogo."

"Kya kaha tune?"

She shrugged. "Aapka order hogo. Hume kuchh naa pato hai." Karan nodded in approval. "Ek baar yeh jasoos pakdo jaaye, aisi haalat karenge ki pata naa chalego zinda hai yaa mar gayo." His mind drifted to a past conversation.

'Sanjay keh raha tha ki boss ke bete ka naam bhi Sayed hai. Agar yeh woh hi Sayed hai, Karan, toh hume lagta hai ki ise pakadne ke baad cheezen sort nahi, aur zyaada complicate hongi. They will be out for blood.'

Pandemonium was the first domino. And if tomorrow went well, it would be the next big piece that fell.