Next Day
Class time
All the cadets are sitting in the classroom, attending Capt. Malik's lecture. Yudi and Pooja sat together on the first seat, the centre ones were occupied by Alekh, Huda, Rahul, Piyush, Antra, Charles, Rishi and many others from different sections. Naina sat on the last desk with somebody was not familiar to. While Ali was missing from the scene as he has gone for his sister's marriage.
Capt. Malik: Cadets, today we would be talking about the "trust factor". Before we start, I would like to know whom do trust the most in your lives.
Everybody starts thinking what to answer him.
Capt. Malik: So, let's start with..you (pointing towards Yudi) umm..
Yudi: My name is Yudhuvansh Sahani, sir.
Everybody shared glances as he called out his name. They haven't heard him calling out his own name as "Yudhuvansh Sahani" ever. He always used to introduce himself as "Yudi", because he thinks it is a cooler name. But what happened today? Maybe he has changed a little under the influence of "Ali".
Capt. Malik: Yeah!(smiles) Cadet Yudhuvansh! Tell me, infact the whole class, that who is the person whom you trust the most?
Yudhuvansh(J): Sir…umm..I think it's Ali.
Naina smiles listening to his answer. She is the only person in their group who actually understands the bonding that Yudi and Ali share with each other, even they both themselves don't properly know about this fact.
Capt. Malik: Ali? The boy who is on leave? Isn't he the same?
Yudi: Yes Sir. It's him only.
Capt. Malik: okkkkk…(exaggerating it) So tum dono ki itni achhi dosti ho gayi hai?(smiling)
Yudi: I guess yes. Ab jab vo idhar nahi hai to main use bahut miss kar raha hoon. Aur abhi jab aapne mujhse ye puchha ke main sabse zyaada trust kise karta hoon..to I don't know…mere dimaag mein sirf usi ka naam aaya.
Capt. Malik: Good. True friendship is very rare to find in this world.(pats his shoulders) Sit down Yudhuvansh.
Yudi, I mean, Yudhuvansh, sits down on his chair, smiling wide at Pooja.
Capt. Malik: So...here I got my prologue for the lecture.(smiles to himself) But you know cadets.. in this army life..you shouldn't blind trust anyone. Even if somebody else depicts that he or she trusts you like hell, don't mislead yourself. "Faith" can be "Fake". It takes no time to turn from a so called "friend" to a "fiend".
Yudi stares at him. (his "the" looks, like "don't mess with me and my friend" kind of looks")
Capt. Malik: No..main tumhaari aur Ali ki baat nahi kar raha..(Yudi takes back his dangerous looks) I mean..main sirf general mein bata raha th..
His lecture with prologue wasn't able to get an epilogue as Capt. Rajveer obstructs him in the midst.
Capt. Rajveer: (entering the room) Excuse me Sir, I want Cadet Naina for a second please?
Naina turns horrified hearing her name from him and that too in the middle of the lecture. She was completely shocked at their sudden encounter.
And it wasn't just Naina who got shocked, every single person in the classroom stared at Naina to find out why has she been called by Capt. Rajveer this urgently.
Naina felt so embarrassed at this, but she stands up and starts moving towards where Rajveer was standing. To reach him, she had to cross four desks, that means four levels to go.
She takes a deep breath to prepare herself for the four challenges.
Level 1 "Alekh- Rahul level"-
Alekh: (silently) ye Hitler tujhe kyun bula raha hai? Kuchh kiya kya tune?
Naina: (to Alekh) pata nahi..jaa kar pata chalega
Rahul keeps staring her but doesn't ask anything from her which makes her task easier.
Alekh nods as if he understands her condition. His nodding gives her the certificate that she has crossed her first stage…first level.
She moved towards her next stage.
Level 2 "The "Huda" level"
Naina knew that Huda would surely pass a humiliating comment as she would pass by. But what happens completely contrasts with her predication.
Huda: Naina?
Naina closes her eyes as she knew what would be coming from him.
Naina: (with closed eyes) hmm..?
Huda: vo tumhare shoes ke laces khule hue hain..band kar lo…varna gir jaogi..
Naina confused at his statement, just bends and fastens her laces and moves ahead.
(last time when Huda tried to interrogate about Naina, he was caught up in big trouble. At that time he swore not to interfere in Naina's matters. This is why he didn't say anything and helped Naina to get over with the 2nd stage)
Level 3 (Piyush- Antra level)
Although Naina-Piyush-Antra weren't "very" good friends like their own group, but at last they all were friends only. And Naina was ready to face them.
Piyush: to tum dono ki setting ho gayi? (smiling)
Naina was bewildered at what he said. She felt it disgusting. She was about to strike him back with a bold answer and was stopped by Antra.
Antra: (to Piyush only, but Naina could hear her) chup kar! Aisa kuchh nahi hai..unhone kisi academic kaam se bulaya hoga.
Piyush chuckes and then gets back to his own business,
Naina feels like thanking Antra for this deed but she just gives her a convincing smile and moves towards her last level.
Level 4 (Yudi-Pooja level)
Yudi and Pooja give genuine smiles at watching Naina coming from back. They don't ask her anything and don't comment either. Naina felt so happy at their unadulterated smiles and smiles back at them.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED…
But even after completing all the stages and being successful in her mission, she has not got the prize, that is the "key" of "Rajveer's calling Naina".
She had no idea why he had called her. By now, she reaches to where Rajveer is standing.
Rajveer: Come with me Naina, I need to talk to you urgently. (in a single go)
Then he leaves, and Naina follows him to his office.
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I wrote pretty longer part this time. And I swear I loved writing it. Hope you'll also like it.
Love Riddhi
P.S. Don't forget to comment.
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