Holi Special
Thank you @Sarim.Fatmi, @nilusoni, @prerna1, @naujocker, @newmoon18, @nia7, and @vishu10
This chapter is dedicated to @sarim.fatmi. Thank you for all your support and encouraging comments.
Before we start let me clarify something. Naina and her friends are in the 2nd year which is their last year, while Vidya and her friends are in 1st year.
Precap: "OK than we will take your leave" I said and headed out the door, not wanting to stay there a minute longer. I could feel that Captain Rajveer was there, in that house, but not being able to meet him was killing me so went in the jeep and waited for the rest of them to come out. When they did we zoomed out of the house and headed toward KMA, with happiness in our hearts.
It has been a week since the encounter with Colonel Chandra. We have gotten closer to the 1st year cadets, Vidya and her friends. In a way or another they remind me of us, of our gang. We are their 'friends' but still haven't gotten closer enough to Vidya to find out the information. Capt. Abhimayu has been trying to convince Colonel Chandra to give us permission to see Rajveer sir, but his decision seems too inflexible for us to change.
I am currently sitting in the mess, with a cup of cold coffee in front of me, lost in my own thought. Today is Holi, therefore all the classes have been cancelled and the 2nd year cadet are allow to leave the campus. It took every single self-control I had, not to run to Capt. Rajveer this morning.
"Oh god. Holi is a symbol of trumpet of good over evil. It is proof that good will always good. It says that truth always win. Please god if there is any truth in my love for Capt. Rajveer than please let me see him. Please let me put color on Capt. Rajveer today. Please god please." I silently prayed in my head as a lone tear dropped my eyes.
"Common Naina, everyone is playing Holi and enjoying themselves outside, and you are sitting here by yourself, this is not done" Pooja said running in drenched in color and the glow of happiness in her face.
"Please Pooja. I am not in the mood" I said and waved her off, but instead of going she pulled a chair next to me and sat down.
"Naina, what is wrong with your connection. Why are you ignoring everyone's call?" She asked concern.
"I just don't want to play Holi. OK. Please leave me alone and go and enjoy alone." I say, though even a two year old would know I was lying.
"Stop lying to me Naina. Even a two year old can tell you are lying. Plus, Rajveer sir once had mentioned that Holi is your favorite festival, so what is the problem? Why are you not plying? "She asked in a curious manner.
"I can't Pooji. I just can't. I can't bring myself to be happy. I can't be happy, when Captain Rajveer is hanging between life and death because of me, for me. I can't put colors on myself, when all the colors of Rajveer sir's life have been snatched form him, by his own father. I just... "I said as tears fell down my cheeks, making my cold cheeks go warmer.
"Naina "Pooja said but I cut her off.
"Is it wrong Pooja, Is it wrong that I want to be with him today? Is it wrong to want to see him today? Is it wrong that I want him to be the first one to put color on me today? Why does this always happen to me Pooja? Everyone I love gets taken away from me in a way or another, first Naveen Bahaiya and, than Capt. Rajveer. Pooja do I have some curse on me which takes everyone I love away from me, or am I just so bad that everyone goes away from me." I cried hysterically. All my pain, all my fear, all my love, and all of my emotions that I had kept hidden turned to tears. Tears fell down my cheeks like rivers running down from mountain, never ending. My voice breaking, and my throat dry. "Pooja" I started again but couldn't finish as darkness covered my eyes and all my senses disappear. ____________________________________________________________________________
I opened my eyes, but closed them instantly as the light was too much.
"Cadet are you all right?" I hear a voice. It took me a moment to analyze whose voice it was. "Cadets dim the lights." I heard the same voice again. "Naina try and slowly open your eyes" The voice once again commended. I did as I was told, and met the eyes of my friend and Dr. Shalini, which showed clear concern.
"What happen to me?" I asked confused, as the last thing I remembered was crying on Pooja's shoulder.
"Naina, you passed out in the mess and Alekh carried you here." Dr. Shalini said, as she removed wires attached to my body. After she was done she turned to me with he hands on her hips and I knew I was in trouble.
"Cadet How are you taking care of yourself? Your Blood pressure is so low, as is your hemoglobin level. Looking at you, it looks like you haven't eaten in a week. "She taunted me, like a mother. "Naina..." she began saying, but was cut off by a heavily breathing Capt. Abhimanyu who came in the room, busting the door open in his way.
"Naina, cadets I have convened Colonel to let us see him .If we leave now we can make it by lights out" He informed, and I swear the room seemed to light up ten times more, due to the glow of all our faces.
"No Capt., I am sorry but Nina is not in a condition to leave this bed. Whatever you are planning will have to wait." Shalini ma'am informed in a no-nonsense voice.
"Ma'am, please. If you really care about my health you will let me go" I blackmailed her.
"No Cadet. I care about your health, and that is the reason I can't let you go." She said
"Ma'am please. Let Naina go" Alekh spoke up. "Trust me she will feel better after we go there."
"Alekh, you also. I thought you would want the best for Naina, and convene everyone to let Naina stay in the infirmary. "Shalini ma'am said in an over dramatic and typical Shalini voice.
"Exactly ma'am I would never want anything to happen to her, and that is the reason I am saying this" He said. Shalini ma'am looked toward me and I gave her a pleading look with a puppy eye.
"Fine. Just promise to take care of yourself" She said giving up, but I jumped out the bed and headed toward the door even before she could finish. __________________________________________________________________________
The drive from KMA to the house took about an hour, and it was the longest hour of my life. After what felt like an eternity later, we reached the house. I felt the thump of my heart against my chest increase, as I stepped down from the KMA jeep. The door was opened by Colonel Chandra himself. He passed a few greeting to Capt. and the rest of the gang, and they replied, but I stayed quiet as I couldn't trust myself to speak.
"Captain Rajveer is upstairs" Colonel said as he began to climb the stair. I could feel the pulse in my neck increase as I climbed the stairs. My whole body shook, as Colonel wrapped his hand around the round door handle. I couldn't see him yet, but I could sure as hell feel his presence, which was driving me crazy.
"Now Capt. Rajveer can see and hear everything, but just can't respond, so act normal around him. That means no tears." He informed us.
"Sir can we take this in with us, and put it on him" Pooja questioned, pointing to the color thali she brought with her from KMA.
"Sure Cadet. This little gesture will just make him feel more normal" He said and opened the door. Capt. Abhimanyu and rest of the gang rushed in, but I couldn't bring my foot to step in. I stood in the door. I looked at Colonel, who gave a sympathetic look, before heading downstairs.
I look ahead of me to see Capt. Rajveer sir face filled to different colors, which brought a lips to my lips, but they quickly disappeared. Captain Rajveer was hooked to different machines. Cords stuck to him, piercing his pale skin. He person look week and tired and worn out, almost as if giving up his hope to live. This person, staring in the space, in no angel looked like by Rajveer sir.
"I think we should step out a minute" I head Alekh say, as he put the color thali in the table next to the bed. He and the rest of the gang stepped out and I slowly and carefully stepped insides, wiping my tears.
I sat in the chair next to Rajveer sir's bed and held his hand. I wanted to say a lot of things. I wanted to yell at him for being so careless. I wanted to tell him how much I love him. I wanted to tell him what he meant to me. I wanted to love him for all he did for me. I wanted to put my head on his shoulder and cry, while he securely hold, but I only managed to say "Happy Holi Captain Rajveeer sir" I turned my face away from the pale body to wipe my tears. I was wiping the tears from my left cheeks when I felt something, or someone, warm touch my right cheeks. I turned around to see Rajveer sir putting red color on my cheeks and a smile plying on his lips. I was shock beyond word and the shock just increased when he said "Happy Holi to you too, Cadet Naina Ah Singh" It was barley a wisher, but I heard it, very clearly.
My note
Happy Holi everyone. I hope all your lives are filled with colors. I know I am late, but I am buried with school work, so I can't tell when I can update next, but I promise you all as soon as I have some spare time. I wanted to give you all a Holi special for all your time you have given to read this book, and for all you support. I know it is not a lot, but that is all I had time for
Happy Holi Everyone
Misha
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