Hey guys, I'm really sorry for the delay, I took a holiday for a few days but now I'm definitely back!
**
The fresher's ball is now only a week away, and everyone is in such a state of excitement that Naina decides it would be best if she stuck to her room to study, since she won't be able to get a moment's peace in either the canteen or the library.
With only a week to go, Aalekh is still protesting that he doesn't want to, Yudi is still panicking that he hasn't found a date, Huda is currently trying to decide on his date through a process of elimination and Ali and Pooja…
Naina was surprised to hear a knock at the door as she hadn't been expecting anybody, she knew that Raj was in a meeting with Brigadier Chandook and Major Nair about some drills that they were planning on introducing.
She crossed to the door and opened it, finding a very upset looking Pooja Ghai standing outside.
"What does that missed call think of himself?" Pooja fumed, storming into the room, "That if he doesn't want to go with me, I can't find another connection? I could've made my connection for the ball with anyone, but I thought we would have fun together and he…"
"Pooja, what's going on?" Naina asked her, not able to work out anything from her long and angry rant. "Calm down and tell me what's wrong."
Pooja suddenly looked around, as if realising that she'd just stormed into the personal quarters of one of her teachers. "Rajveer Sir isn't here, is he?" she asked nervously.
"No, he's in a meeting at the moment." Naina told her, "Why don't you sit down, I'll make us some chai and we can talk about whatever the problem is."
Pooja nodded miserably and crossed to where the couches and table were, noticing the open books on the table.
"I'm so sorry, I've disturbed your study, haven't I?" she asked, "I'll just come back later, I didn't even think before I…"
"Pooja, sit down." Naina tells her sternly. "I was just about to take a break anyway, so relax and give me one minute to make this chai."
"Yes ma'am," Pooja replies instinctively, and Naina laughs, realising that maybe her tone had been a little too strict.
Bringing the chai over, she sits opposite Pooja, handing her a mug.
"Now tell me what the problem is… slowly. And we'll try to work it out." She promises.
"That missed call Ali… I made my connection with him for the fresher's ball, he's my best friend here and I had just thought…. But just now I walked into the canteen to find him telling everybody in full volume that he's not my date!"
Pooja looked extremely upset and Naina wondered how long it would take her to finally realise that what she felt for Ali was more than she would currently admit to herself.
"I'm sure there's been a misunderstanding," she reassured Pooja, "Why don't you go and ask Ali what actually happened?"
"Because I don't want any talktime with him!" Pooja declared angrily, "I'll find myself another date for the fresher's ball and I'll have so much fun without him that…"
"Pooja, we both know that you won't have as much fun if you go with someone else." Naina told her sensibly, "And I'm sure that Ali does want to go with her, he's just so shy… they must have been teasing him for him to say something like that."
"Do you really think so?" Pooja asked, looking as if she felt a little better, "Those unwanted callers… why do they keep going on with their 'ooooooooooos' all the time. They know the reason I came here, to look for my Ranjha."
Naina was silent at this, she wished that Pooja would forget about the boy who had betrayed her and move on in life. From what little she had heard about Rohit, she doubted if the boy had ever really loved Pooja at all.
"Is that really the only reason you're here?" Naina asked her, "You don't actually want to become a soldier?"
"Well at first that was the only reason," Pooja said thoughtfully, "But now my network is catching KMA's properly, it's not so bad training to be a soldier, and I've found such good friends here…"
Naina wanted to tell Pooja that she shouldn't waste her life waiting for a boy who didn't deserve her, but she wasn't sure if she should interfere too much. It wasn't the right time to say it just yet.
"So then you'll go and talk to Ali and sort this out?" Naina asked her, "Because I want you both to have a good time at the fresher's ball."
"Alright, I'll go and see where his network has failed," Pooja agreed, "Thanks Naina, it really helped talking to you."
"No problem," Naina told her, "You can always come and talk to me whenever you have any problems."
As Pooja walked out the door much more cheerfully, Naina smiled. She had missed this type of thing, chatting with friends about their love lives and problems… it felt nice to finally do it again."
**
An hour later, Pooja and Ali walked into the canteen together to be met by a fresh chorus of 'ooooooooooooooooo'. "Shut up you unwanted callers or I'll cut all your connections!" Pooja told them all angrily. "Ali and I are going to the fresher's ball as friends and if any of you have a problem with that then you can take it up with my hockey stick!"
Everyone quietened down at this, worried that Pooja would actually carry out her threat, and Ali looked a little relieved.
"Especially you, Jat." Pooja addressed Huda, "I want you on limited talktime from now on."
Huda shrugged, "Relax Punjaben," he told her, "This Huda is too busy trying to decide which lucky janani will be his date for the night." And he blew a kiss in the direction of a table of girls who all started giggling.
Aalekh rolled his eyes, "Nautanki saala…" he muttered under his breath.
It was then that Yudi rushed into the room, as usual looking panicked.
"One of you has to help me!" he exclaimed dramatically.
"Sure Yudi, what do you need?" Pooja offered kindly, now in a much better mood that the problem with Ali was sorted out.
"Not you, Pooja, one of them." Yudi informed her, and then turned to the guys.
"And why not me?" Pooja asked offended, "Do you think that girls aren't as good as guys?"
"Do you want to go to the fresher's ball with another girl?" Yudi asked her seriously.
Pooja just stared at him.
"No, right?" Yudi asked, "And that's why I need a guy. I finally gave up and asked Neelu to fix me up with one of her friends, and she agreed on one condition. That she could attend to, and for that she needs a date." Yudi turned to Ali, "Are you and Pooja still not going together?" he asked. Ali was a safe bet, Yudi knew he wouldn't want to do anything with his sister.
"We are going together so don't even think about it!" Pooja replied before Ali could, glaring at Yudi slightly.
Yudi looked at his other two remaining choices, trying to decide which was the worse of the two.
"Uhhhh…" he started to say.
"Sorry yaar," Huda drawled, "I've already got far too long a list, I can't break the hearts of all those girls."
"Then it's you, Aalekh!" Yudi declared, "Just perfect, you didn't have anyone to go with anyway, now we're going to have so much fun!"
"When did I agree?" Aalekh asked, "I never said I was…"
But Yudi wasn't listening. "Oh this is going to be just great," he was still saying, "I'll go and call up Neelu right now and tell her, finally I'll have a date and I can become Mr Fresher and…"
And he rushed out of the room before Aalekh could protest.
"Well Qaidi, I just hope that Yudi's sister isn't one of those nerdy types like him," Huda joked, "Otherwise you're going to have a really fun night."
Aalekh had no idea how it had happened… but it looked like he was actually going to the fresher's ball.
**
As it was a weekend, it was still quite early in the afternoon when the meeting finished, and Raj and Shalini walked back to his room chatting, opening the door to find Naina still studying, deep in concentration.
"You can't study all weekend, Naina!" Shalini declares to her, "You have to have some fun sometimes too!"
Naina looked up and smiled, happy to see her friend. "What can I do?" she asked, "You two have been in a meeting for the last few hours and all of the cadets are busy with their own plans."
"I could take you out somewhere this afternoon…" Raj started to say, quite a hopeful look on his face.
"Sorry Captain, but no." Shalini told him, and Raj looked at her in surprise, unable to believe that she was telling him he couldn't take his wife out.
"Well why not?" he asks.
"Because this afternoon I'm going out shopping for my ball outfit and I want Naina's company," Shalini told her, "And there are definitely no men allowed on this trip."
Raj looked a little bit disappointed by this but nodded anyway.
"Even I haven't decided what I'm wearing yet," Naina said thoughtfully, "What type of dress code is it?"
"Well for the girls it's red and for the boys it's black," Shalini told her, "And you can buy yourself an outfit while we're out shopping, right Captain?" she grinned at him mischievously.
"Of course," Raj told her, "I've already got a suit I can wear, but you should get yourself something new."
And taking his wallet out of his pocket, he handed the whole thing over.
Naina just gaped at him. "Ah, this is… I mean I don't think I need…"
"Wah… kya pati hai…" Shalini said, partially joking and partially serious, "Just hands over the entire wallet, stop protesting Naina, and let's go and get you something to wear."
And before Naina could say anything else, Shalini grabbed both Naina's hand and her bag which was lying on the couch and took her out of the room. Naina shot a last backwards glance in Raj's direction, and he smiled, shaking his head slightly at Shalini's antics.
**
After they had reached the shops, they were looking around when Naina suddenly asked Shalini something she had been curious about.
"Why didn't you ask Rituji to go shopping with you?" she asked, "I'm sure she has much better fashion sense than me, she would be able to recommend something good."
"Rituji has been in a bad mood lately," Shalini informed her, "I didn't want to take her only to have her spend the whole time complaining and besides, you need to find something to wear too, I'll help you pick."
"What's she upset about?" Naina asked, "It's not anything serious is it?" she still didn't trust the woman entirely, but wasn't going to say anything in front of Shalini, she knew that they were friends.
"She's upset that she doesn't have a date for the fresher's ball." Shalini says, trying to look sympathetic but grinning anyway. "I suggested that she could go with Major Nair but she wasn't too fussed about the idea."
Naina struggles not to laugh, she would pity any woman who attended a ball with Major Nair. She could just imagine the look on Ritu's face when Shalini made the suggestion.
"Well I hope that she finds somebody to go with," Naina said, and not only for Ritu's sake. If the psychiatrist had a date then she would be less likely to spend time around Naina and Raj, and Naina really didn't like the way that she…
She was broken out of her thoughts by Shalini's exclamation of delight as she found an outfit that she liked. "I think this is just perfect for me," she told Naina, "Should I try it on?"
Naina nodded, and Shalini tried the dress on while Naina gave her comments that she hoped would be helpful. Finally deciding that she did want to buy it, Shalini made her purchase, and they left the store.
"Now we just have to find you a dress… and shoes for both of us… and some matching jewellery." Shalini kept making a list while Naina looked a little horrified.
"All of these things?" she asked, "I thought I just had to get a dress."
"Of course not," Shalini told her, "The rest of your accessories have to match too. And what are you worried about, Captain Rajveer has given you his wallet happily!"
It took them another hour to find an outfit for Naina that both she and Shalini agreed on. Before that everything that Naina had wanted had been a bit too traditional, while everything Shalini had wanted had been a bit too modern, now they had found the perfect mix of both.
"I've never really worn anything like this before," Naina said nervously, "Are you sure it will look good?"
"Good? Your Captain is going to go absolutely fida over you!" Shalini exclaimed, "Well not that he's not already… so even more fida!"
Naina blushed slightly at this comment, smiling. The thought of Raj going fida over her was a nice one, and she took the dress off the rack, taking it to try it on.
They were both happy with the way it looked, and finally after finding the rest of their accessories, they decided to sit down for a coffee before going back.
"So are you ready to give him a heart attack on the night of the fresher's ball when he sees you for the first time?" Shalini asked her jokingly.
Naina blushed again, "Tu bhi na…" she said quietly, shaking her head slightly.
"Look at you," Shalini said with amusement, "Blushing like a newly wed bride. Nobody would believe that you've been married for two years already."
Naina smiled, wondering what Shalini would think if she really knew what the truth was.
"Well we've never actually lived together properly before this," she told her, "Rajveer was posted elsewhere and I stayed at home with Ma to finish my studies."
"You must miss her a lot," Shalini says sympathetically, "I remember what it was like when I left my home for the first time after marriage… of course I had been living in a hostel while training for quite awhile before that, so…"
"Do you still miss your parents?" Naina asks, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"I have one older sister," Shalini tells her, "Thankfully she's married happily, I think my parents are still cursing the day when they agreed to my marriage… but he was in the army as well so it seemed like a good match." She shrugs, and Naina can sense the hurt she's trying to hide behind her casualness.
"It's not too late to begin again," Naina tells her, "To either repair your relationship with your husband or…"
She left the thought unsaid, it's probably best.
"Don't worry about me, Naina, I'll be fine." Shalini tells her, doing her best to smile. "And I've got myself a wonderful date for the fresher's ball."
"Who are you going with?" Naina asks curiously, there are not really that many choices within the academy after all.
"Wait and see." Shalini tells her with a mischievous grin, back to her normal cheerful self now.
**
Naina and Shalini arrive back with their bags in the afternoon, and Naina enters the room to find Raj typing up a report on his laptop.
"So what did you buy?" he asks curiously, "Do I get to see it?"
Naina smiles, "Not until the ball." She tells him, "It will be more interesting this way." And she passes his wallet back to him. Raj puts it back in his pocket without bothering to check how much money is missing.
"Aren't you going to check how much I spent?" Naina asks him, surprised that he hasn't even asked.
Raj just smiles at her, with an expression on his face that she can't quite interpret. "It's your money too, Naina. It doesn't matter how much of it you spend." He informs her, and goes back to writing his report.
"I bought you a shirt too," Naina tells him, "I know you already have a suit to wear, but I thought you would need something to go with it."
Raj looks up, seemingly surprised, "Well can I see that?" he asks.
"Of course," Naina says, "If you don't like it then I can get it changed before the ball…" she's a little nervous, wondering whether he'll like it or not. She hands over the bag and he opens it, pulling the shirt out and admiring it.
"You've got good taste," he tells her with a smile, "This will be perfect."
And as Naina goes to put her own purchases in the room, she realises that she is actually looking forward to this ball.
With Raj by her side, she knows that nothing will go wrong, because he won't let it be any other way.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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