Chapter 41

Chapter 39:

Naina awoke extra early in the morning, even before the alarm had gone off. For once, Pooja was also quick to get up, both of them realised exactly how important this day in their lives were. They got ready quietly, it was only once they had worn their formal uniforms and were braiding their hair that Pooja began to speak, sounding very emotional.

"Naina, I can't believe that our talk time with this academy is about to end. I didn't even realise when two years had passed, there was so much masti, so much fun with all of you. Now we're all going to be far away from each other…"

Naina came and sat beside her friend on the bed, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Pooja." She told her, "Although we're all separating for now, we'll always be the best of friends. And you and I will be together for a few more years at least."

Pooja brightened up at this, when Naina had announced that she was going to pursue medical training after graduation, Pooja had soon decided that it would be a good idea for her to do so too. Both of them knew that as female soldiers it was unlikely they would ever be sent to the frontlines of a war to fight. Pooja had also pointed out that as a member of a medical team she could be assigned to the same base as Ali without any conflict of interest. Naina had soon realised that this was a very good point indeed…

When the girls were done getting ready, they decided it would be best to finish their packing. Naina packed her sari and churiya from the night before especially carefully, knowing that she would always treasure this first gift from Raj.

The thought of separating from him, even for a few months, made her chest tighten as if somebody was squeezing it painfully hard. Naina had gotten so used to his presence that she couldn't imagine not being able to see him anytime she wished. However she knew that Pooja was about to face the same situation as well, and both of them just had to be brave.

Naina couldn't help thinking sadly that at least Pooja would be getting engaged to the boy she loved while Naina… she had been incredibly tense all morning thinking about how her parents would react to Raj, whether they would've forgiven him or not yet.

Noticing Naina's silence and the worried look on her face, Pooja instantly understood what the matter was.

"Don't worry Naina, I'm sure that your parents will have forgiven him by now." Pooja told Naina reassuringly, but Naina just nodded mutely, not daring to hope that it would be the case.

"Actually Naina, in all the excitement I'd forgotten to ask you something," Pooja continued, "Do you want to come home with me after graduation? There's only four days until the engagement and I know there'll be lots of preparations to do." She paused, her face unusually serious, "Naina, you're my best friend. It would mean a lot to me if you could be there for everything."

Naina hugged Pooja, she really did love her friend and she would do anything for her happiness. "I'll have to ask Ma and Baba." She told Pooja, "As long as they agree then I'll definitely come home with you after graduation!"

After this both of the girls headed down to the canteen for breakfast where they met the rest of their friends. Everybody except Huda was too nervous to eat, but the Harianvi was able to eat just as much as usual, repeating that his mummyji said you should always have a full stomach.

Naina kept glancing towards the doorway of the canteen, expecting Raj to arrive at any moment. She desperately wanted to see him before her parents arrived, and there was only an hour to go until then.

Her wish was granted five minutes later when he walked into the mess, looking almost as tense as Naina was feeling. She knew that he as excited as he was about her graduation, he was also nervous about seeing her parents again for the first time after he had told them he was the one who killed Navin. After all, their whole future depended on her parents changing their mind about him.

Seeing Naina looking at him, Raj nodded almost imperceptibly in her direction, just a slight tilt of his head to let her know that he was here with her, ready to support her. Naina felt some of her courage return, and she finally ate a few bites of her breakfast.

"I can't believe that this is our last day at KMA, guys." Yudi said what they had all been thinking, "I can't believe how much our lives has changed in these past two years."

"Not just our lives, Yudi. We've all changed." Naina told him, "We're not the same people we were when we entered this academy two years ago."

"You're right, Naina." Ali replied, "When I came here my only dream was to become an officer. Instead I got much more than that, friends, love, and I learnt the meaning of being a true soldier."

Pooja began to get emotional again and began sniffing, "I just hope that no matter how far we go on roaming, our connection always remains clear!" she told them all, reaching out to grasp everybody's hands.

"Don't worry Punjaben. It's not like this is the end." Huda told her, "We're all going to see each other at yours and Ali's engagement, and after that you'll have Phoolan for company when you two are studying in Delhi."

"But still, it won't be the same without you guys…"

"It's easy to keep in touch these days," Yudi reminded her, "Letters, email, mobile phones… none of us are going to go out of range!" They all laughed at his use of Pooja's mobile language, and their sweet Punjaben began to feel a bit better.

Soon all of their parents arrived, and the cadets became busy in greeting them and catching them up on everything that had happened. Naina's parents were incredibly proud of her when she announced that she'd won best cadet, and that she'd be leading the passing out parade. She just hoped that the happiness was enough to change their feelings towards Raj.

The rest of the cadets were also busy with their parents, and Alekh was dividing his time between Huda's mummyji and Neelu, both of whom were very happy to see him. It had been decided that Alekh would go home with Huda for the holidays this time, although Yudi had complained loudly about how it was unfair that he wouldn't be able to escape his parents.

"We're so proud of you, Naina." Her mother told her, "If Navin was alive today then he would've been proud of you too."

"Thank you, Ma." Naina told her, "I'm just lucky that I've had such an excellent mentor while at KMA, if it wasn't for Rajveer Sir then I could never have achieved this…"

"You're still…" her mother had begun saying, and then had quickly stopped, realising that she shouldn't ruin Naina's graduation day by beginning a fight.

Eventually all of the cadets gathered together with their parents, and Pooja's mother and father asked Naina's parents for permission to Naina to come home with them until the engagement. Naina was happy when it was granted, she wanted to be there for every moment leading up to Pooja's big day.

Finally it was the moment they had been waiting for, and the cadets assembled for the last time to hear BC speak, everybody was emotional to hear him as they thought about how they had arrived at the academy in the first place and how much had changed since then. They had all grown from selfish young people obsessed by their own goals and desires to mature adults, ready to protect their country and its citizens. Each one of them had completed a personal journey to arrive at this point, a journey which had had many challenges and triumphs. Today was the end of one part of this journey, and the proudest day in many of their lives.

When BC had finished his speech, they took their oath on the flame. Then there was only one final parade past their faculty members and parents, and they were no longer cadets of KMA, they were now proud Lieutenants in the Indian Army. Throughout the ceremony, Naina didn't even need to turn and see Raj to feel his proud gaze on her.

When the graduation ceremony was over, the cadets rejoined their parents while the faculty members made their way over to mingle between them.

Naina had been trying not to appear nervous when Raj came over to greet her parents. While he appeared calm, she knew him well enough to know how worried he was about what would happen next.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Ahluwalia," he told them, "I would like to congratulate you on your daughter becoming best cadet."

"Thank you," Naina's father replied stiffly without any emotion, "Naina tells us that the achievement is partially due to you acting as her mentor."

"I don't agree Sir, I feel that Naina has achieved this through her own efforts. It has been a pleasure to act as mentor to such a capable cadet."

Naina was proud of Raj for managing to stay so calm and focused in front of her parents, especially when their body language to him was quite cold and unfriendly.

"Captain Shekawat, I would like to thank you for everything you have done for our family." Naina's father told him, in the same cold voice. "You have helped Naina to achieve her goals, and also helped to prove our son innocent. We're grateful to you for this."

"Sir, you don't need to thank me for that, it was my duty." Raj replied quietly, "I had already made myself a promise to do anything possible to prove Navin innocent."

"Well then, we will consider that you have at least partly undone the damage you caused." Naina's father continued, "Now there is no debt remaining between us, and I hope that we won't need to see each other ever again."

These next words shocked Naina, and she had to stop herself from speaking out and protesting.

For just a second she saw the look of anguish on Raj's face before it changed to an emotionless mask.

"I'm very sorry Mr Ahluwalia," Raj told him, and Naina was amazed that her parents seemed unaffected by the depths of sadness in his voice, "I had wanted things to be different between us but… I have to respect your wishes" and without finishing the sentence he turned, and without looking once at Naina, walked away in the direction of his office.

If that morning Naina had felt like her chest was being squeezed, right now she felt like her heart had fallen into pieces. They had had so many hopes, that her parents would have forgiven him, that they could move on with their lives, and now…

Naina tried not to let the hurt show on her face as she turned to her parents, "Ma, Baba I…"

"Naina, we know that you're grateful to Captain Rajveer for whatever he's done for both you and Navin." Her mother told her, "But now that you're no longer his student, there's no reason for you to see him again."

Naina stared at her mother, unable to believe what she had just said. All of her dreams were being crushed to dust, and she had no idea how to tell her parents what the truth really was.

"Well Naina, since you're going home with your friend Pooja, we'll leave now. We've got a long drive ahead of us." Naina's father told her, and her parents both embraced her while Naina remained limp in their arms, unable to hug them back with full feeling.

"I'll see you soon, Ma, Baba." She told them quietly and walked them to their car. The first thing she did was to find Pooja. As soon as Pooja saw Naina, she could tell by her face that something was wrong.

"Naina, what happened?" she asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you about it later, Pooja." Naina told her quietly, "Are your parents planning to leave just yet? There's something I need to do."

Pooja understood immediately what that something was, and how important it was for Naina to do it. "Go and see him." She replied just as quietly so that none of the people around them could hear. Ali and I need to say goodbye properly anyway, that should delay them for a bit."

Naina nodded her thanks and quickly walked to Raj's office, knocking softly on the door before she entered. When he looked up his eyes were red, as if he'd been crying.

He stood quickly, and the expression on his face was one of despair curiously mixed with a renewed hope.

"I was afraid that…" he started to say, and then stopped himself.

"You were afraid of what?" Naina asked, confused.

"That you would've left already." Raj told her, "I would've understood then that you… that you were going to obey your parents."

"How could you think that?" Naina asked him, shocked. She walked over, and angrily grabbed the collar of his shirt, "How could you think that after everything we've been through I would just abandon you, that I would give up?"

"Because I know how much you love your parents Naina, and how much you want to make them happy. I wouldn't have blamed you if you…" Raj grabbed Naina by the shoulders even as she still held on to his collar. "I don't want to lose you, Naina, and I'm scared that I will."

This last sentence was too much for Naina to bear, and letting go of his collar she collapsed, wrapping her arms around him and crying into his shirt. Raj hugged her to him, kissing her hair, her forehead, her cheeks, as Naina continued to sob.

"I'll never leave you." She told him tearfully, "No matter what happens we're in this together. There's still a lot of time left to convince my parents and if they finally don't agree… then we'll deal with it then."

"I love you, Naina." Raj told her, his eyes burning with the fire of his feelings. "I don't want to lose you, but I'll respect whatever decision you decide to make."

"It will all work out." She told him, trying to convince herself as well that her words were true. "They'll agree and… and even if they don't, I'll never leave you." She finished emotionally, looking up into her eyes.

Relieved by the sincerity in her eyes, Raj crushed her to him, hugging her as tightly as possible as if to reassure himself that she was there with him and that she wasn't going to leave him. Eventually when he was feeling calmer and more assured, he loosened his grip on her but Naina continued to lean her head on his chest, not taking her hands from around his waist.

"I'm going home with Pooja to help prepare for the engagement." She told him, "Is there any chance you could arrive early?"

"I'm afraid not," Raj told her regretfully, "They wanted me to join my new duty today itself and I only convinced them with great difficulty to let me join after the engagement. But before that I've got to head to headquarters in Delhi for various official things. I'll only be there for the day of the engagement."

"And then after that…" Naina asked him, already knowing what the answer would be.

"After that I'll have to join my new duty straight away and it might be some time before we see each other."

"Then we'll have to make the most of whatever time we've got." Naina told him seriously, lifting her head from her chest to look into his eyes and raising one hand to touch his cheek tenderly. Raj lent down to kiss her, trying to convey all of the love and passion he felt for her in that one action. They wouldn't see each other for another four days and then after that… for months until Raj could get leave.

He slipped his hands to her head, his fingers immersing themselves in her hair as the kiss continued.

They were disturbed by a quiet knocking at the door. Releasing Naina reluctantly, Raj walked to the door to open it, and saw Pooja waiting there.

"I'm really sorry to be disturbing you, Sir." She told him, looking a little embarrassed, "But my parents say it's time to go, and they asked me to go and fetch Naina."

"That's quite alright, Pooja." Raj told her with a smile, knowing how bad she was feeling. "And you don't have to call me Sir, I'm not your teacher anymore."

"Well, yes, but you'll always be Rajveer Sir for me!" Pooja told him cheerfully, and Raj smiled. "Sir, won't you come and say goodbye to everybody? I know we'll see you in four days, but still…"

"Of course I will," he replied, and Naina stepped forward out of the door. After locking it, he followed the two girls down to the front of KMA where all of his favourite cadets were waiting for him.

"Sir, for the last time here, the KMA class of 2008 salutes you as your cadets." Huda announced proudly and all of the friends stood to attention, saluting Raj. "From now on we'll be saluting you as your fellow soldiers instead!"

"I have no words to tell you how proud I am of all of you." He told them, "You are all truly worthy and capable soldiers today. I'm going to miss you all immensely, but of course we'll see each other in four days time before that."

The former cadets nodded in agreement, and after everybody had hugged each other and said goodbye to Raj and their other teachers such as Shalini, Suriji and Lolitaji, they all climbed into their cars and left the academy.

Pooja knew there was a reason for her friend's silence during the ride, although she was relieved that Naina looked a bit happier than she had in the fall earlier. She reached out to take her friend's hand, holding it and giving it a squeeze.

Naina smiled at Pooja, she knew that no matter what happened with her family, her friends would support her and Raj.

In four days time it would be the engagement and she would see him again.

Until then, Naina knew that they both had a lot of work to do!