Chapter 18

Chapter 16

Shocked at his actions, Raj practically leapt up from the bed, striding over to the wall before leaning one arm against it for support. He was still breathing heavily, and he didn't even dare to look at Naina because he didn't want to see the expression in her eyes.

He had promised Navin that he wouldn't take advantage of her trust.

He had made certain oaths when he joined the army. He was sure that doing this had to be against one of them. He had read the academy's rule book on several occasions, usually in order to do something Major Nair didn't want him to. He knew exactly which rules he had broken and exactly what the punishment for doing so would be.

Turning around to face Naina, he saw the uncertainty on her face, the question in her eyes.

"Naina," he whispered, his voice so full of sorrow that he feared it would break, "No."

He didn't need to say anything else, she understood perfectly.

Naina ran from the room as fast as she possibly could.

**

She ran almost blindly, not noticing where she was going until she knocked into somebody.

"Oof," Shalini exclaimed, "Cadet, will you watch where you're…" But she stopped mid sentence at the look on Naina's face. "Naina, are you…"

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Naina told her, in such a distraught way that Shalini was genuinely concerned for her.

"Cadet, what's wrong?"

"I have to go, ma'am. I'm late." Naina said quickly, and then ran towards her room before Shalini could say anything else. Shalini glanced in the direction that Naina had run from, and suddenly understood.

When she reached her room, Naina closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed, still partially in shock. After everything that had happened in the last half hour, she had no words to describe how she was feeling.

Her brother had been proved innocent. She should have been ecstatic, she should've been laughing with joy. Instead the wall which she had built in her heart to contain all of her grief and pain had finally broken down. She hadn't been able to contain it any longer, and she had needed to let it all out, to rid herself of everything. And Rajveer had been there, just as he always was. Ready to support her, ready to help her.

Rajveer…Raj… She realised this was the first time she had thought of him without attaching a Captain or a Sir to his name.

Things shouldn't have gone that far, she knew that. She knew that what they had done was wrong, but she wasn't sure that she cared. She loved him, she couldn't hide it from herself and she no longer wanted to hide it from him. She loved him so much that her heart was practically bursting with the pressure of containing it.

And then today… the emotions had been too much for her, and it had seemed almost natural to let love and passion replace sorrow and pain.

The feel of her lips on hers… His hands running through her hair… His breath on her skin…

Naina closed her eyes, trying to shut out the memories, but they just came back even more strongly.

She didn't know what was right or wrong anymore, all she knew was that she wanted to be with him.

Just then there was a knock on the door, and as Naina hurried to open it she half expected it to be him, but instead and orderly stood there.

"Naina Singh, Brigadier Chandook has called you to his office." The orderly told her.

Naina just hoped that it wasn't bad news.

**

Shalini entered Raj's room to find him punching the wall with his fist and swearing quite badly. Words which she certainly never would've imagined he would say.

"Captain, stop it!" she called out, concerned that he might injure himself if he kept it up.

When he turned around, the look in his eyes was one of such anguish that it floored Shalini.

"Why?" he asked her, "What point is there when…." But he never finishes the sentence.

"I saw Naina running out of here." She tells him. It's more of a question than a statement.

Raj doesn't reply, instead he turns his head away from her, hiding his eyes and his expression.

"Look, Rajveer." Shalini tells him calmly, "You can talk to me about this. I'm not going to tell anyone, and I'm not going to judge you. But hitting the wall certainly isn't going to help solve your problem." She waits patiently, if he wants to tell her then he will.

Finally Raj turns around, and the tears shining in his eyes shock Shalini.

"I've done something incredibly stupid." He tells her. "I've broken promises that I had made to myself."

"You love her." This time it's not a question but a statement, Shalini has known it for a long time, ever since Rajveer's detention after the mentorship camp.

"Yes," he whispers, sliding down the wall until he's slumped against it, as if the effort needed to keep standing is just too great. "I shouldn't, but I do."

There's a knock at the door and Raj forces himself to be calm, to get up and to answer it. An orderly stands there. "Brigadier Chandook has called you to his cabin." He tells Raj, and leaves.

Raj turns to face Dr Shalini again, resignation clear in his face. "I'm sorry Doctor, but I have to go. I shouldn't have burdened you with this."

"Captain!" she calls out quickly to stop him before he can leave, and he turns back around. "Captain, love is not a crime." She tells him simply. "You can't choose who you love and who you don't."

He seems to consider what she has said, and then nodding, he leaves without a word.

**

That's it for today, hope you like it!