Chapter 20
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Chapter 19: The Ball [Part I]
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I'm feeling extremely proud seeing every single face in front of me; every one of you have achieved tremendous goals to serve our country, be it by fighting in a war or by guarding the lives of people who make up this country. Either way, all of you have or are contributing to keep our future safe and joyous.
Before I go, I want to mention a few crucial things. First, I thank and apologize to Major, yes, Major, Rajveer Singh Shikhawat, for being such an outstanding example of a soldier-" here, Brigadier Chandokh {Click here (right)} had to stop talking for a while, because of the deafening sound of applause Rajveer was receiving. The guards at the ends of KMA wondered if it was the sound of many simultaneous thunders.
Rajveer felt as though his heart would burst from immense happiness because of the turn of events in the past two weeks. A few feet away from him, Naina showed him a thumb up sign, like he would've done for her. After a long while, Brigadier raised his hands to silence the crowd.
"Next, I want to award him with a Medal of Honor and Bravery for the measures he has reached to protect and defend our country from terrorists under dire circumstances." The first round of applause was not even close to this one; the walls of KMA seemed to shake with pride and joy, influenced by the feelings of most of the people present. Rajveer went up to the front, and Brigadier Chandokh gave Gehlot the honor of awarding his adopted son with the medal.
While all this was going on, Abhimanyu and Nandini were standing at an end of the hall on the steps, with an excellent view of almost the entire hall, to see if anyone reacted strangely. Aalekh, Yudi, Neelu {Click here} and Orni {Click here} (the girls had insisted firmly on helping them) were doing the same at another area of the hall. Neelu and Orni couldn't do as much as the boys though, since Neelu couldn't move too much and Orni had to take care of her.
Huda {Click here} was pretending (not entirely) to flirt with different girls as he skimmed through the crowd slowly, eyes, ears and mind open for anything unusual, with Sai trying to stop him as quietly as she could. Dr. Shalini unfortunately couldn't help much, as she was attending to an Army Officer injured during a war. Pooja, Ali and Naina were given the task of Rajveer's security, even after his strong protests.
*Flashback*
… Rajveer and Nandini heading towards the court in an Army jeep with security…
… A black Mercedes and five Hondas surrounding the jeep…
… The men wearing masks holding the latest models of 9 mil guns…
… Security trying to fight them but failing…
… Rajveer and Nandini taking extra weapons from the a safe in the jeep and facing the Boss himself…
… The Boss calling the mission off when most of their men were inured…
*End of Flashback*
"And last, but never the least; a tribute to the late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia. He too was a brave and honest soldier who carried out his job with his heart to it, like Major Rajveer Singh Shekhawat. I'm sure if he was alive today, he would've been promoted to Major-ship and awarded with a Medal of Honor, but alas, the terrorists had trapped him too deep. May we have a moment of silence while expressing our gratitude to late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia."
Rajveer looked beside him at Naina. Her eyes were closed, like everyone else's. It seemed like her face was glowing; she looked so beautiful! He pushed a few strands of her hair back, since no one was looking. He quickly removed his hand and closed his eyes, feeling Naina's surprised gaze on him. She smiled and shook her head, looking back at him once more.
"Now, the reason we're assembled here tonight: to celebrate Kanchunjanga Military Academy's success at producing excellent soldiers to protect and defend our country and people, two examples already mentioned. Enjoy the Ball!" Everyone broke into cheers and soon people could be seen roaming around the hall meeting their friends or colleagues or congratulating Rajveer and Naina. She felt a bit strange at this, since people were congratulating them together and it seemed like it was because they were… together… were they though? She looked at Rajveer, who was talking to Gehlot.
"I'm so proud of you my son! Today is one of the happiest days of my life; my son has received a Medal of Honor and proven to be an exceptional soldier!" Gehlot said with tears in his eyes. Rajveer smiled, and then looked back at Naina.
"Naina supported me throughout all this, as well as my other cadets and friends… this was possible for them!"
'That's why I wanted to eliminate them!' The Boss thought.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to ask Major Rajveer Singh Shekhawat and late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia's sister, Cadet Naina Singh, to step on the dance floor, to start the honors!" Nandini's voice could be heard on the speakers. Rajveer tried to glare at her but failed; he smiled and stood in front of Naina, putting his hand out. She accepted it and they stepped on the dance floor.
?Mm, jab se tum aaye nazar mein
Khoya khoya rehta hai dil?
Like the first time they had danced, Rajveer took both her hands, put one on his shoulder and placed his free hand on her waist, and then pulled her close to him in a swift motion. Her heartbeat increased at that move, and she looked up at him like she had before their first dance. This time though, she smiled, and he smiled back with a twinkle in his eyes.
?Dhadkanon se aaj yeh kya
Chupke chupke kehta hai dil?
They swayed around the dance floor, soon joined by other couples. To their amusement and delight, they saw BC with retired Colonel Chitra, chatting away happily as they danced to the song. Ali and Pooja were dancing closely, with her head resting on his chest. Seeing this Naina imagined herself doing that and blushed. Rajveer realized this and smiled teasingly at her, making her blush even harder.
?Pyaar humko hone laga
Khona tha dil, khone laga?
Huda's voice pleading someone interrupted their small exchange. They turned to see him trying to persuade an upset Sai to dance with him. Apparently she had gotten upset when he went after every beautiful girl he saw, since she was his date. He held his ears, almost ready to do the sit-up punishment. Sai saw everyone looking and them and hurriedly agreed, secretly smiling at Huda's sweetness.
When the song ended, Naina shyly let go, though still walking so closely to him. The back of their hands brushed, sending jolts through their arm, leaving a tingling sensation. She looked at him secretly, to find him looking back at her. She was about to head towards Aalekh, Neelu, Yudi and Orni when he caught her hand and stood almost against her back.
"Aap kahan jaa rahe hain?" he asked in her ear. "You're my date tonight, as well as in charge of my security… you're not going anywhere!" he whispered. He could see the end of her mouth curving up into a smile. She turned around, her beauty taking his breath away once again, and held his hand properly.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" she asked, a corner of her mind scolding her for asking that, but the rest eagerly waiting for his reply. He gave her the mischievous look that most girls ever dream of, and only one had the luck of receiving. Taking a small step towards her, he bent forward. Naina's breath caught at her throat.
"I suggest… that we… go over to Nandini." She turned to face him in shock, forgetting how close they were, and unintentionally ended up leaving only a centimeter or so between their faces. "To know the progress of our mission!" he gave her an innocent look. She looked upset and turned away, walking towards Nandini, who was standing beside Abhimanyu looking bored out of her mind. She did so not because she was upset with him, but because she didn't want him to see the dreamy smile that had taken its place on her lips now.
Nandini looked extremely glad to see them coming, since she'd had nothing to do, even though she'd just had a dance with her date. "The music is sweet and all… but it's soo boring!" she told them exasperatedly. Rajveer raised an eyebrow at her. She saw it and put up her hands in front of her. "I know, I know, the mission is more important… but still…" She gave up trying to find an excuse, and the other three laughed.
"So how far are we Chauhan Saab?"
"Gehlot's assistants, both, are among the group. No doubt about that. And Major Sinha's son, Rishi Sinha, is acting suspicious, though we don't think it's because of…" Abhimanyu left off, looking at something behind Naina. Hearing voices once again, they turned to find it was Aalekh and Neelu this time. They didn't need to ask to guess what was going on. Naina was about to head to their direction to help Aalekh out when she remembered the incident a few moments ago. As much as she wanted it to repeat, a large part of the high status Indian Intelligence and Army was present along with members of a dangerous terrorist group.
"Kids!" Nandini muttered and shook her head disapprovingly. Rajveer and Abhimanyu looked at her in shock. They clearly remembered when they were Aalekh and Neelu's age; compared to Aalekh and Neelu, Nandini was probably a step behind the maturity level, even at present, though she had matured a bit after her cadet days. Seeing their looks, she explained, irritated, "I meant Neelu's child!"
"Anyway, any ideas on the Boss?" Rajveer asked her.
"I kept an eye on – you know who – and… I'm sorry Raj…" her features softened. Rajveer just looked away. Abhimanyu put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, as well as to show they would always support him in fighting this war for the truth. Naina was confused, but didn't dare to ask, seeing Rajveer's face harden. He saw her eyes full of question before she could look away though, and sighed.
"The Boss is Gehlot." For a moment, Naina couldn't digest what Rajveer had said, but when it hit her she stepped forward and slipped her hand in his. He looked surprised at this act. He expected her to be in shock, and then be at loss of what to do… there was so much he still had to know about her! Her hand seemed to spread comforting warmth throughout his body, which had gone numb. Her glowing eyes restored his mental strength.
Pooja and Ali were a few meters away from the four, giving them privacy. When she saw Naina hold Rajveer's hand, she gripped Ali's arm tightly.
"Mission RN has succeeded!" she whispered.
"I don't think Mission RN had much to do with this…" Ali replied seeing the tensed faces. He turned to see Aalekh, Neelu, Yudi, Orni and Huda were together and had noticed it as well. Aalekh nodded at him, gesturing to him that he should approach the four. He took Pooja's hand and took a few steps when a sound of an explosion turned every head in the hall towards the east gate, except for the ones who were related to this incident. Smoke was coming in from outside, and there were a few screams. Pooja and Ali rushed towards Rajveer and Naina, ready to take them to a safer area.
"No, this is a war that I have to fight…" Rajveer told them.
"Then we'll be fighting alongside you." Pooja told him firmly. Ali agreed, taking the gun he had been given by Colonel Chandra out. The others did the same; the girls taking them out from their ankles hidden by the dresses. Brigadier Chandokh saw them ready with guns and reassured the guests that everything will be taken care of soon. Neelu and Orni had left through the west gate, guided and guarded by Yudi and Aalekh. Huda came over to Rajveer, his gun out as well.
"We're ready Sir!" he said, speaking for all his friends. Naina's eyes had a look that convinced him that she would never leave or stop supporting him. No one could persuade him to believe otherwise. He looked around; the others had the same look more or less. A small smile now broke into his face. Even if he lost a mentor and a father, he knew he had too many priceless relations to complain. He took one last proper glance at Naina. He would never regret falling in love with her, ever. She was too precious for that. From this moment onwards, he would only live the present and dream about their wonderful future together surrounded by abundant loved ones.
THE END
What?! No of course not! The Ball isn't over yet! Neither is the love story of Rajveer and Naina… it's only begun! So wait for the next bit, which hopefully I'm trying to write at this moment! =D And guys, this was a looong update, so I better get nicee & looong comments! =DRJOpal 39295.2990046296
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I'm feeling extremely proud seeing every single face in front of me; every one of you have achieved tremendous goals to serve our country, be it by fighting in a war or by guarding the lives of people who make up this country. Either way, all of you have or are contributing to keep our future safe and joyous.
Before I go, I want to mention a few crucial things. First, I thank and apologize to Major, yes, Major, Rajveer Singh Shikhawat, for being such an outstanding example of a soldier-" here, Brigadier Chandokh {Click here (right)} had to stop talking for a while, because of the deafening sound of applause Rajveer was receiving. The guards at the ends of KMA wondered if it was the sound of many simultaneous thunders.
Rajveer felt as though his heart would burst from immense happiness because of the turn of events in the past two weeks. A few feet away from him, Naina showed him a thumb up sign, like he would've done for her. After a long while, Brigadier raised his hands to silence the crowd.
"Next, I want to award him with a Medal of Honor and Bravery for the measures he has reached to protect and defend our country from terrorists under dire circumstances." The first round of applause was not even close to this one; the walls of KMA seemed to shake with pride and joy, influenced by the feelings of most of the people present. Rajveer went up to the front, and Brigadier Chandokh gave Gehlot the honor of awarding his adopted son with the medal.
While all this was going on, Abhimanyu and Nandini were standing at an end of the hall on the steps, with an excellent view of almost the entire hall, to see if anyone reacted strangely. Aalekh, Yudi, Neelu {Click here} and Orni {Click here} (the girls had insisted firmly on helping them) were doing the same at another area of the hall. Neelu and Orni couldn't do as much as the boys though, since Neelu couldn't move too much and Orni had to take care of her.
Huda {Click here} was pretending (not entirely) to flirt with different girls as he skimmed through the crowd slowly, eyes, ears and mind open for anything unusual, with Sai trying to stop him as quietly as she could. Dr. Shalini unfortunately couldn't help much, as she was attending to an Army Officer injured during a war. Pooja, Ali and Naina were given the task of Rajveer's security, even after his strong protests.
*Flashback*
… Rajveer and Nandini heading towards the court in an Army jeep with security…
… A black Mercedes and five Hondas surrounding the jeep…
… The men wearing masks holding the latest models of 9 mil guns…
… Security trying to fight them but failing…
… Rajveer and Nandini taking extra weapons from the a safe in the jeep and facing the Boss himself…
… The Boss calling the mission off when most of their men were inured…
*End of Flashback*
"And last, but never the least; a tribute to the late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia. He too was a brave and honest soldier who carried out his job with his heart to it, like Major Rajveer Singh Shekhawat. I'm sure if he was alive today, he would've been promoted to Major-ship and awarded with a Medal of Honor, but alas, the terrorists had trapped him too deep. May we have a moment of silence while expressing our gratitude to late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia."
Rajveer looked beside him at Naina. Her eyes were closed, like everyone else's. It seemed like her face was glowing; she looked so beautiful! He pushed a few strands of her hair back, since no one was looking. He quickly removed his hand and closed his eyes, feeling Naina's surprised gaze on him. She smiled and shook her head, looking back at him once more.
"Now, the reason we're assembled here tonight: to celebrate Kanchunjanga Military Academy's success at producing excellent soldiers to protect and defend our country and people, two examples already mentioned. Enjoy the Ball!" Everyone broke into cheers and soon people could be seen roaming around the hall meeting their friends or colleagues or congratulating Rajveer and Naina. She felt a bit strange at this, since people were congratulating them together and it seemed like it was because they were… together… were they though? She looked at Rajveer, who was talking to Gehlot.
"I'm so proud of you my son! Today is one of the happiest days of my life; my son has received a Medal of Honor and proven to be an exceptional soldier!" Gehlot said with tears in his eyes. Rajveer smiled, and then looked back at Naina.
"Naina supported me throughout all this, as well as my other cadets and friends… this was possible for them!"
'That's why I wanted to eliminate them!' The Boss thought.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to ask Major Rajveer Singh Shekhawat and late Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia's sister, Cadet Naina Singh, to step on the dance floor, to start the honors!" Nandini's voice could be heard on the speakers. Rajveer tried to glare at her but failed; he smiled and stood in front of Naina, putting his hand out. She accepted it and they stepped on the dance floor.
?Mm, jab se tum aaye nazar mein
Khoya khoya rehta hai dil?
Like the first time they had danced, Rajveer took both her hands, put one on his shoulder and placed his free hand on her waist, and then pulled her close to him in a swift motion. Her heartbeat increased at that move, and she looked up at him like she had before their first dance. This time though, she smiled, and he smiled back with a twinkle in his eyes.
?Dhadkanon se aaj yeh kya
Chupke chupke kehta hai dil?
They swayed around the dance floor, soon joined by other couples. To their amusement and delight, they saw BC with retired Colonel Chitra, chatting away happily as they danced to the song. Ali and Pooja were dancing closely, with her head resting on his chest. Seeing this Naina imagined herself doing that and blushed. Rajveer realized this and smiled teasingly at her, making her blush even harder.
?Pyaar humko hone laga
Khona tha dil, khone laga?
Huda's voice pleading someone interrupted their small exchange. They turned to see him trying to persuade an upset Sai to dance with him. Apparently she had gotten upset when he went after every beautiful girl he saw, since she was his date. He held his ears, almost ready to do the sit-up punishment. Sai saw everyone looking and them and hurriedly agreed, secretly smiling at Huda's sweetness.
When the song ended, Naina shyly let go, though still walking so closely to him. The back of their hands brushed, sending jolts through their arm, leaving a tingling sensation. She looked at him secretly, to find him looking back at her. She was about to head towards Aalekh, Neelu, Yudi and Orni when he caught her hand and stood almost against her back.
"Aap kahan jaa rahe hain?" he asked in her ear. "You're my date tonight, as well as in charge of my security… you're not going anywhere!" he whispered. He could see the end of her mouth curving up into a smile. She turned around, her beauty taking his breath away once again, and held his hand properly.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" she asked, a corner of her mind scolding her for asking that, but the rest eagerly waiting for his reply. He gave her the mischievous look that most girls ever dream of, and only one had the luck of receiving. Taking a small step towards her, he bent forward. Naina's breath caught at her throat.
"I suggest… that we… go over to Nandini." She turned to face him in shock, forgetting how close they were, and unintentionally ended up leaving only a centimeter or so between their faces. "To know the progress of our mission!" he gave her an innocent look. She looked upset and turned away, walking towards Nandini, who was standing beside Abhimanyu looking bored out of her mind. She did so not because she was upset with him, but because she didn't want him to see the dreamy smile that had taken its place on her lips now.
Nandini looked extremely glad to see them coming, since she'd had nothing to do, even though she'd just had a dance with her date. "The music is sweet and all… but it's soo boring!" she told them exasperatedly. Rajveer raised an eyebrow at her. She saw it and put up her hands in front of her. "I know, I know, the mission is more important… but still…" She gave up trying to find an excuse, and the other three laughed.
"So how far are we Chauhan Saab?"
"Gehlot's assistants, both, are among the group. No doubt about that. And Major Sinha's son, Rishi Sinha, is acting suspicious, though we don't think it's because of…" Abhimanyu left off, looking at something behind Naina. Hearing voices once again, they turned to find it was Aalekh and Neelu this time. They didn't need to ask to guess what was going on. Naina was about to head to their direction to help Aalekh out when she remembered the incident a few moments ago. As much as she wanted it to repeat, a large part of the high status Indian Intelligence and Army was present along with members of a dangerous terrorist group.
"Kids!" Nandini muttered and shook her head disapprovingly. Rajveer and Abhimanyu looked at her in shock. They clearly remembered when they were Aalekh and Neelu's age; compared to Aalekh and Neelu, Nandini was probably a step behind the maturity level, even at present, though she had matured a bit after her cadet days. Seeing their looks, she explained, irritated, "I meant Neelu's child!"
"Anyway, any ideas on the Boss?" Rajveer asked her.
"I kept an eye on – you know who – and… I'm sorry Raj…" her features softened. Rajveer just looked away. Abhimanyu put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, as well as to show they would always support him in fighting this war for the truth. Naina was confused, but didn't dare to ask, seeing Rajveer's face harden. He saw her eyes full of question before she could look away though, and sighed.
"The Boss is Gehlot." For a moment, Naina couldn't digest what Rajveer had said, but when it hit her she stepped forward and slipped her hand in his. He looked surprised at this act. He expected her to be in shock, and then be at loss of what to do… there was so much he still had to know about her! Her hand seemed to spread comforting warmth throughout his body, which had gone numb. Her glowing eyes restored his mental strength.
Pooja and Ali were a few meters away from the four, giving them privacy. When she saw Naina hold Rajveer's hand, she gripped Ali's arm tightly.
"Mission RN has succeeded!" she whispered.
"I don't think Mission RN had much to do with this…" Ali replied seeing the tensed faces. He turned to see Aalekh, Neelu, Yudi, Orni and Huda were together and had noticed it as well. Aalekh nodded at him, gesturing to him that he should approach the four. He took Pooja's hand and took a few steps when a sound of an explosion turned every head in the hall towards the east gate, except for the ones who were related to this incident. Smoke was coming in from outside, and there were a few screams. Pooja and Ali rushed towards Rajveer and Naina, ready to take them to a safer area.
"No, this is a war that I have to fight…" Rajveer told them.
"Then we'll be fighting alongside you." Pooja told him firmly. Ali agreed, taking the gun he had been given by Colonel Chandra out. The others did the same; the girls taking them out from their ankles hidden by the dresses. Brigadier Chandokh saw them ready with guns and reassured the guests that everything will be taken care of soon. Neelu and Orni had left through the west gate, guided and guarded by Yudi and Aalekh. Huda came over to Rajveer, his gun out as well.
"We're ready Sir!" he said, speaking for all his friends. Naina's eyes had a look that convinced him that she would never leave or stop supporting him. No one could persuade him to believe otherwise. He looked around; the others had the same look more or less. A small smile now broke into his face. Even if he lost a mentor and a father, he knew he had too many priceless relations to complain. He took one last proper glance at Naina. He would never regret falling in love with her, ever. She was too precious for that. From this moment onwards, he would only live the present and dream about their wonderful future together surrounded by abundant loved ones.
What?! No of course not! The Ball isn't over yet! Neither is the love story of Rajveer and Naina… it's only begun! So wait for the next bit, which hopefully I'm trying to write at this moment! =D And guys, this was a looong update, so I better get nicee & looong comments! =D
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