LRL: ’The Ties That Bind’ Upd pg 41 - Page 8

Hey guys, here's the next part which is the beginning of the fresher's ball! More will be updated next chapter!

**

"Who did you go to your fresher's ball with?" Naina asks Raj curiously as they eat breakfast in their room on the day of the fresher's ball. They had both decided the day before that it would probably be far too difficult to eat in a canteen full of stressed cadets. And so Naina had cooked again, which was just fine by Raj. She had gotten up early to make them parathas, while he had tried to help, mainly just getting in the way.

Naina hadn't minded in the least, she had just been trying not to smile as he tried to make the correct shape and failed miserably. It really was very sweet… In the end she had put him in charge of making the chai, knowing that he at least knew how to do that. She had been surprised by how easy it was for her to boss him around about these things and how happily he had allowed himself to be told what to do by her.

"A girl asked me…" Raj tells her, "I think her name was Anjali, I can't remember properly… I didn't know her very well but I had nobody else to go with so I said yes." He smiles wryly, "I was so nervous and shy that half way through the evening she abandoned me and went off with her friends. Luckily Navin and Abhimanyu didn't mind me hanging out with them and their dates."

Naina smiles at this, "I can't imagine you as shy." She tells him, "Were you really that bad?"

"I was terrible," Raj admits, "I had no idea how to even talk to girls unless it was about military tactics. Luckily under Navin's tutorage, I improved a little by the time I graduated from KMA."

He grins at the memory and Naina laughs, imagining her brother trying to give Raj tips about girls. She knows what a flirt Navin had been, she had seen it for herself whenever he came home.

"As different as Navin, Abhimanyu and I all were, we were still the best of friends," Raj continues, "Maybe it was the differences that brought us together rather than the similarities… this batch of cadets, they remind me of us in some way."

"Where is Abhimanyu now?" Naina asks Raj, "Are you still friends?"

"It was difficult after Navin's death, I couldn't tell him the truth… and the silences grew between us." Raj tells her, "Now we call each other occasionally and see each other even less often than that." He sighs, suddenly thinking of something. "Now there's another person who's going to be angry with me when he finds out I didn't tell him I got married."

"Will you tell him?" Naina asks, "And if you tell him…."

"Then I would tell him the truth about who you are," Raj replies seriously, "I think he's the only one I could truly trust with the information. I know he would understand."

They finish their breakfast and wash up together, before Naina leaves for college. Raj has a class to teach early that morning, so today an orderly is going to be dropping her.

They say goodbye in the corridor and Raj tries not to look back over his shoulder, but he can't help it, he watches her go and at the last moment before she exits the academy she turns back, glancing in his direction. Finding him watching her, she turns away quickly, but can't stop the small smile coming onto her face.

Still looking back over his shoulder, now with a grin on his face, Raj collides with someone.

"I'm so sorry!" Raj exclaims, before he can even work out who it is that he's bumped into. But the person just grins.

"Kya baat hai, the very professional Captain Rajveer Singh Shekawat is now bumping into people in corridors in order to get a last glimpse of his wife," Shalini teases him.

Raj can feel himself blushing slightly, and shakes his head. "Shalini… Aap bhi na…" he tells her, "Really I wasn't…"

"Oh yes you were," Shalini tells him, grinning even wider now, "So don't even try to deny it!"

"Fine," Raj admits, "I was."

"Well I hope you got a good last look at her, because you're not going to see her again before the ball tonight." Shalini tells him, "You can come and pick her up from my room fifteen minutes before it begins."

"But…" Raj begins to protest.

"No buts." Shalini tells him sternly, "Naina and I are going to have some girl time, I decided last night. I'll pick her up from college, and we'll get ready together."

"And I don't get to see her before that?" Raj asks, "Are you sure that this…"

"Yes, I'm sure!! So remember, fifteen minutes before the ball is due to start…" and giving him a mischievous grin she walked off.

Raj muttered something under his breath in her direction, but accepted it.

He was sure that the wait would be worth it.

**

Meanwhile just about every single other cadet was in a state of panic except for Huda, who was perfectly calm. He had nothing to worry about, he knew he would look great, and he had a good looking girl to go with.

However Ali was nervous about how he should attend the ball with Pooja, dance with her and yet not betray his feelings.

Pooja wasn't sure exactly why she was nervous, except that she felt perhaps tonight would be a turning point… she would be attending the party with her best friend, and for once, she wasn't regretting that Rohit wouldn't be there…

Aalekh might have appeared calm on the outside, but inside was a storm of emotions. Could he really do it? Dress up in a borrowed suit, become just like the others for an evening, pretend that he was part of this world, that he deserved to be a part of it…

And Yudi, well Yudi was in the worst state of all.

"Chief, you have got to tell me honestly," he said, looking at himself in the mirror for the hundredth time in half an hour, "How am I looking? This girl isn't going to be disappointed is she?"

"Relax Yudibhai, it will be fine." Ali tells him, "I'm sure the girl will like you."

"But what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to talk to her? The only thing I know how to talk about is computer games and technology and military training!"

"Then let her talk." Aalekh tells him with a shrug, trying unsuccessfully to loosen his collar.

"You have no idea how much you've done for me, Chief!" Yudi tells him gratefully, "Thank you so much for agreeing to go with Neelu, otherwise I never could've gotten this date!"

Aalekh just grunts, still trying to adjust his suit. "This saala outfit is like a prison," he complains, "I can't move in it."

"But you're looking great!" Yudi says brightly, "We've got definite competition for Mr Fresher right here!"

Huda smirks, completely confident, "Oy both of you stop dreaming, we all know that I'm the one that's going to be Mr Fresher," he tells them arrogantly.

Ali refuses to make a comment, Aalekh and Yudi exchange looks that say they'll do everything they can to stop it from happening.

**

Raj was trying to get ready in his room when he heard a knock at the door. He went to answer it eagerly, thinking that perhaps Shalini had changed her mind. She had somehow managed to get Naina into the academy without him seeing her, and he knew that if he tried to go and meet her early, he wouldn't be allowed to. There was only half an hour to go now before he could see her, and he was trying to remain patient.

However he opened the door to find Pooja Ghai there, already fully dressed and ready for the night but looking completely miserable.

"What's wrong, Cadet Ghai?" he asked her, "Do you need something?"

"Is Naina here, Sir?" she asks him, "I wanted to talk to her about something!"

"Now?" Raj asks, very surprised.

"Yes, I've got some interference in my network signal at the moment and Naina is the only one that can clear it up!" Pooja tells him a bit desperately.

"Well Naina is with Dr Shalini in her room," Raj tells Pooja, "You can find her there."

"Thank you so much, Sir!" she tells him, and rushes off before he can say anything else.

Raj just shakes his head in disbelief, hoping that whatever the problem is, it's cleared up before the ball starts.

**

Hearing the knock at the door, Shalini peers around it to make sure that it's not somebody who shouldn't be there.

"Cadet Ghai, come right in!" she tells Pooja brightly, "We're just getting ready."

Pooja enters and Shalini closes the door quickly behind her.

"Is Naina here, ma'am?" Pooja asks, and Naina comes out from the other room when she hears her voice.

"What's wrong, Pooja?" she asks her, seeing the look on her friend's face.

"I can't go to the ball!" Pooja wails, "I can't! I had thought that… but no!"

"Relax Cadet Ghai," Shalini tells her, "Or else you'll ruin your make up."

"I thought it would be fine," Pooja says with a sigh, "Ali and I were just going as friends… but now I'm feeling so nervous, and I keep thinking, am I betraying Rohit by going with another boy?"

"Pooja, whether you and Ali are going as friends or something else, you're not betraying Rohit in any way." Naina tells her sternly, "Rohit was the one who betrayed you by leaving you when you needed him, and you don't owe him anything."

"I know that…" Pooja whispers, "I really do… it's just…Rohit was my first love, it's hard to let him go… and Ali… he's so different, I don't know how I should act around him in this situation."

"Act exactly the way you would always act around him," Naina advises, "And trust me, you know Ali is going to be more nervous than you are."

Pooja giggles slightly at this, "You're right, he is more shy than me." She agrees.

"Well if that's all, Cadet Ghai, then we have to finish getting ready." Shalini tells her.

"Of course ma'am, sorry for barging in like this!" Pooja apologises, "And you're both looking absolutely wonderful!"

She rushes out of the room as quickly as she had come, and Naina and Shalini both smile.

"Well, shall we continue getting you ready?" Shalini asks Naina, who nods.

After all, they don't have much time left.

**

By now the boys were waiting downstairs for their dates, having all agreed to meet in the entrance before the ball. Huda's was the first to arrive, he had finally chosen a girl called Sonali to go with, mainly based upon her looks of course…

As soon as she arrived he complimented her in his typical Huda style and then winking at the others, left to enter the ball.

This left Ali, Yudi and Aalekh. Ali looked like he was about to faint with nervousness and hadn't been able to say anything for the past five minutes.

"Seriously bro, why don't you relax?" Yudi asked him, "At least you know the girl you're going with, you can't seriously be scared of Pooja. What about me? I don't even know what this girl looks like!"

Aalekh turned and looked like he was going to leave.

"Where are you going?" Yudi asked him, "You can't leave! If you leave then Neelu won't let me go with her friend!"

"Relax," Aalekh told him, "I'm going for a drink, I can't do this without some dharu."

"Aalekhbhai…" Ali started to protest, but the look Aalekh gave him quickly shut him up.

"Hey guys!" a cheerful voice announced and they all turned around to watch Pooja walk down the stairs.

Yudi looked impressed, Aalekh had a small smile on his face and Ali had forgotten how to speak again.

"Pooja you look great!" Yudi told her, "I think we've got a definite contender for Ms Fresher right here!"

Aalekh nodded in her direction, "Nice, Punjaben." He told her.

Pooja smiled at both of them then turned to Ali, "How am I looking, Ali?" she asked him.

Ali tried to speak but still couldn't get anything out.

"Don't worry about him…" Yudi said with a smile, "He'll tell you as soon as he's recovered properly."

Pooja looked a bit shy for a minute and then grabbing Ali's hand, led him towards the party, waving at the other two. "See you later, guys!" she told them.

"Well that leaves us then," Yudi said, "Where the hell is Neelu and our friend? If they don't turn up then we'll have to go in together."

"I'm not that type of guy." Aalekh tells him, completely deadpan.

"Neither am I!" Yudi says quickly, "But whatever happens I will definitely attend this ball, no matter what!"

Luckily there was no need for them to go in together because right at that moment, Neelu and her friend turned up in a taxi.

"Sis, where were you?" Yudi asks her, "We were about to be late."

"Chill, bro." she tells him, "There's still more than fifteen minutes late before it begins, and I've brought you your date, haven't I? Anita, this is Yudi and Yudi this is Anita."

"Oh," Yudi said, trying not to look the girl up and down. "Well it's good to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." She replied, "Is there going to be alcohol at this party?"

"Well yes…"

"Let's go then."

Yudi gave a nervous glance to Aalekh over his shoulder as he followed the girl inside.

Well no matter what, at least he had a date.

Neelu and Aalekh looked at each other measuringly.

"I'm Aalekh." He told her, managing to speak without the tapori lingo for once after all those lessons with Naina.

"Neelu," she told him, "You're cute, but don't even think about getting fresh with me or trying to control what I do tonight because Neelu decides for herself what it is that she will and won't do."

"Fine with me," Aalekh replied, "And don't expect me to do any of that formal dancing stuff… because I don't."

Shrugging they both walked in together, and immediately headed towards the bar.

**

Meanwhile Ritu Mishra was waiting outside her room for her date, wishing that she hadn't needed to be in this situation in the first place.

He turned up exactly on time, probably as a result of all that military training.

"Shall we go, Dr Mishra?" he asked her, sounding just a bit bored.

"Of course, Major." She told him, and then decided that a bit of flattery wouldn't hurt. "You're looking very dashing tonight."

He just grunted, and then turned to look at her too.

"You don't look bad either." He announced, as if it cost him quite a bit to say it.

Ritu cursed the military and wondered why there couldn't be more eligible men in this academy. If she hadn't had to go to keep an eye on things then she never would've agreed to go with Major Nair in a million years.

**

Raj had already been ready half an hour before the ball began, wearing a suit and the shirt that Naina had bought for him. He had forced himself to wait for the other fifteen minutes, eventually turning up at Shalini's door a minute early.

He knocked and she opened it, peering around.

"Can I come in yet?" he asked, sounding a bit frustrated.

"Well…" Shalini checked her watch, "You are a minute early, but we're both ready and my date will be arriving any minute now so I suppose you can."

"Thank you so much," Raj told her a little sarcastically and then stepped inside, looking around for Naina.

When he saw her, he forgot all of his earlier annoyance.

According to the colour scheme for the night she was dressed in red, the top half of her dress fit her tightly, it had thin straps which then criss crossed over at the back. The skirt while it was quite long, almost down to her ankles, was a full one, moving while she walked. Her earrings and necklace were simple, and she was wearing the golden bangles he had gifted her.

It was the first time that Raj had ever seen Naina either with her hair pinned up or wearing this much makeup. It made her look glamorous, it made her look…

He suddenly realised that he hadn't taken a breath since he saw her and hastily took one, not wanting to fall unconscious on Shalini's floor.

"Naina, you look…" He was unable to continue the sentence, because he wasn't sure he would be able to find the right words to describe how she was looking right then.

"Beautiful, I know!" Shalini cut in, "Well she should, considering that I helped to get her ready, now you two kids go and have a fun evening, I'll be there after my date picks me up."

"You don't want us to wait?" Raj asks her, still with his eyes fixed upon Naina, who has begun to blush under his gaze.

"Nope, I'm sure he'll be here soon." Shalini reassures him, "Well Captain, offer your wife your arm and go enjoy yourselves."

Raj immediately held his hand out, hesitating only for a second, Naina placed her hand in his and stepped forward. He then bent his arm, placing her hand in the crook of it and they made their way outside.

"Naina, you really do look beautiful." He told her, "Not that you don't always… but tonight…" he realised he was stammering a bit and decided that he had probabably better stop there before he made a fool of himself."

Naina just smiled, "You look good too." She told him a bit shyly, "I've never seen you in a suit before."

"I think the shirt really suits me," Raj told her, "It was a great decision to buy it."

Naina nods, a smile on her face and they walk towards the entrance of the fresher's ball.

Neither knows what the night has in store for them.

But right now it seems like things couldn't go any better.

Hai..Raj.Tumari issi ada pe toh hum marte hai.

awesome...too raapchik...lovely... 👏 do post the next part soon.. me waiting for the next part eagerly.. 😊

awesome part yaar 😊 it was amazing 😊 😊 waiting eagerly for the Freshers ball 😊 😊 and Ritu and Nair 😆 😆 plz cont. soon 😊 😊

awesome part yaar 😊 it was amazing 😊 😊 waiting eagerly for the Freshers ball 😊 😊 and Ritu and Nair 😆 😆 plz cont. soon 😊 😊

hey too good

really enjoying ur ff

pl continue soon

its awesome, 👏 👏 too gud. 👏 👏 U r d best 👏 👏

hey buddy eagerly waiting for next part plz plz plz plz plz update soon

Sorry guys no update tonight... Andrea's caught up at work. Hope you understand!

Still holding onto Raj's arm, Naina follows him to the entrance of the fresher's ball where quite a few cadets are still hanging around outside. Most of them come up to compliment her and Raj, leading Naina to smile slightly, feeling embarrassed. Seeing her expression, Raj leaned over and whispered to her, "This is nothing, wait until you see the score meter inside?"

"Score meter?" Naina asked him, wondering what on earth that was. She hadn't been listening to many of the cadets' conversations about the fresher's ball, having mainly studied in her room for this week due to all the commotion.

"Wait and see." He told her, and they entered the fresher's ball area, pausing at the top of the stairs as a round of streamers were sent up and they were announced. Everyone started clapping, and Naina was beginning to feel even more unsure about this, but Raj gave her a reassuring smile and then descended the stairs together.

Making their way to the score meter, they stood there expectantly until their scores came up on the screen, finding that they had a ten out of ten.

"Not bad," Raj told her with a grin and Naina found herself grinning back, "Well shall we go and say hello to everyone?"

"Of course," Naina told him, "I can't wait to see how they all look… well except for Pooja who I've already seen."

"So she found you then?" Raj asks, "And everything was sorted out?"

"Yes, it was just a bit of nervousness," Naina tells him, "She'll be fine now, I'm sure."

They made their way first to where Ali and Pooja were standing along with Yudi.

"You're all looking wonderful," Raj told them, "I hope you're enjoying yourselves so far."

"Oh yes Rajveer Sir," Pooja gushed, "Our talk time here is going very well so far. Ali and I are having a great time but poor Yudi has lost his connection."

"Where's your date, Yudi?" Raj asked him, looking towards the young cadet.

"Over by the bar I think…" Yudi told him, "Well, at least for a few minutes I had a date."

"Don't worry," Raj replies, "The time will come when you'll have so many girls waiting to go out with you that you won't know who to choose."

"Do you really think so, Sir?" Yudi asked him brightening up immediately.

"Of course, Yudi, just wait and see." Naina added, "Girls can't resist a guy in uniform."

"Of course you would know about that Ma'am," Pooja joked, "It was lucky for our Rajveer Sir that you couldn't resist him."

Naina blushed at this, while Raj laughed, only a little bit embarrassed.

"Well we'll let you go now," he told them, "Go and enjoy your night cadets, you're earned it."

"Thanks Sir, you and Naina have a good evening too!" Pooja told them, Yudi and Ali echoing it, as Raj and Naina walked away.

Huda and his date were already on the dance floor so they thought it would be best not to disturb them, but when Aalekh spotted the two of them he came over from the bar.

"Wow Aalekh, you look great!" Naina told him, even as Aalekh still pulled at his collar self consciously.

"She's right, Cadet Aalekh, I wouldn't be surprised if you become Mr Fresher tonight." Raj tells him.

Aalekh just shrugs at this, "I don't know about this whole Mr 'Fresh' thing," he tells them, "What's the point of it all?"

"No point really," Naina replies, "It's just one of those things."

"So where is your date?" Raj asks him.

Aalekh points back at the bar. "There," he tells them, "Yudi's sister."

Both Raj and Naina look where he's pointing in disbelief, neither of them had really imagined that Yudi's sister could be like that. It seemed like they were complete opposites.

"Well why don't you dance with her?" Naina suggests, and Aalekh shrugs again.

"I don't know anything about this ball dancing," he tells them, "If they put on some normal music I'll come and dance."

Raj hid a grin at the mention of 'normal' music.

"Don't worry Cadet Aalekh," he tells him, "Once Brigadier Chandook has arrived and led the first dance, they'll change it to some faster music."

It was then that they heard the streamers go off again and looked up to see Ritu walk in with Major Nair. She was wearing a gorgeous red sari while he was looking very stiff in a suit. Naina wasn't sure whether she should find it amusing or feel sorry for Ritu.

When they reached the score meter, Ritu scored ten while Major Nair only scored a seven. Raj guessed that the students controlling it probably would've put it even lower if they hadn't been so scared of him. Major Nair looked like he would prefer to be anywhere rather than here.

The pair of them walked over to Raj and Naina, Major Nair already scowling.

"Damn stupid idea for an event," he told them, "Are we trying to make them into soldiers or film stars, everybody dressed up as if they're going to become models…"

"Oh come on Major Nair, even you must have had a fresher's ball in your time," Raj told him, "It's a last opportunity for them to relax before the training becomes really hard."

"You know what they say though, Captain Rajveer," Major Nair replied, still scowling, "For a soldier, arram, harram hai."

Luckily everybody was saved from having to reply by the arrival of Brigadier Chandook and Dr Shalini, who after receiving their scores from the score meter, walked over to the microphone and declared the fresher's ball to be officially started.

As the ballroom dancing music started and most cadets sighed in disappointment, Raj extended a hand to Naina, bowing down to her slightly.

"Well Naina, shall we go and join them?" he asked her, his hand still out. Naina placed her hand into his, and Raj closed his fingers over hers, leading her to the dance floor. Both of them were too busy to notice the brief look of anger on Ritu's face before she turned to Major Nair smiling sweetly.

"Let's go," he announced shortly, and without waiting for her, started moving towards the dance floor. Ritu followed him, glaring at his back.

On the dance floor Raj paused at an empty spot, turning to face Naina and joining their hands, Naina placed hers on his shoulder, and this time when Raj placed his hand on her waist and brought her closer, she doesn't pause or look uncomfortable, but just gives him a sweet smile.

Raj can feel his breath catching in his throat again as he looks at her and he holds her hand tightly in his. As the music starts, they move quite slowly, and Raj notices Naina occasionally looking down at her feet, checking her movements.

"Don't worry," he whispers in her ear, "You're doing great."

"Are you sure I haven't stepped on your foot yet?" she asks him, and grinning, he brings her even closer towards him until barely a few centimetres are left between them.

"If you do, then my feet can handle it." He assures her jokingly, the music is so slow that it doesn't leave them much room for improvisation, but he's content to just waltz with her at the moment. He loves the feel of her hand in his, the way her other hand rests on his shoulder lightly, comfortably. And where his hand rests upon her waist, warm against the fabric…

"You really are looking beautiful tonight," he tells her, "I mean it's completely to different to how you normally look… not that that's not nice too." He adds hastily, not wanting her to think that he doesn't like the way she normally dresses.

"It's nice to have a change occasionally," Naina tells him, "I'm glad that Shalini talked me into getting this dress, she told me that…" and suddenly Naina stops and blushes, realising that perhaps she shouldn't tell Raj exactly what it was that Shalini had said.

"That what?" Raj asks her curiously, but Naina just shakes her head, not willing to tell him.

The dance ends and when some faster music is put on the cadets all make their way to the dance floor. Naina notices Yudi's sister dragging Aalekh there and is surprised when he actually begins to dance quite well. She looks across at Raj to find him smiling with approval.

Huda and his date are also dancing, and Ali, Yudi and Pooja are all dancing in a group with some other cadets. Naina supposes it's probably better that way, Ali won't feel so awkward and Yudi won't feel left out of the fun. Still, she wonders whether eventually those two will ever properly recognise what it is that they feel for each other.

Her eyes search for Dr Ritu and Major Nair, and she finds that they've already left the dance floor and separated, Major Nair going to sit in a corner and Ritu having stopped a waiter, picking up some drinks and downing them quickly.

Brigadier Chandook and Shalini come over to join them, and Shalini compliments them on their dancing.

"I had no idea you could dance so well, Captain." She tells him, "Or has your wife been teaching you?"

"Actually he was the one who taught me," Naina admits, "Otherwise I've never really danced like that before."

"A soldier has to be able to dance well," Brigadier Chandook tells her, "There's so many formal balls to attend that you get used to it, eventually you'll get used to it as well Mrs Shekawat."

And for the first time Naina realises that perhaps from now on she will be accompanying Raj to all of his different postings, she will be attending formal balls with him, she will be experiencing all of these things with him by her side.

And the thought gives her a feeling of quiet happiness, as if she's finally found safety in life, sanctuary. Because even they have to move around often due to his postings, in the short time that she has been here, there is something about Raj which seems to her like…

Home.

Naina glances up at him then with an expression almost of realisation on her face, but Raj is already talking to Brigadier Chandook about something else and doesn't notice.

And when he turns to face Naina, he finds her gazing at him with such a look on her face, that he feels a sudden rush of blood to his heart, and it's beating so fast that he can barely hear anything over it. Then Naina smiles, looking more relaxed and comfortable than he's ever seen her before.

"Why don't we go and get some drinks?" he suggests, and without him even having to make a gesture, she places her hand on his arm and they move off in the direction of the bar.

**

Naina is sipping her drink slowly, knowing that she's not used to drinking alcohol. She notices that Dr Ritu has already polished off about six or seven, but doesn't seem too affected. She's a bit worried about this but figures that having to attend a ball with a partner like Major Nair would drive anybody to drink.

It's then that the announcements about Mr and Miss Fresher are made. Miss Fresher is awarded to Huda's date Sonali, and he pulls up his collar as if he was the one who had won instead.

"Well whose date is she, after all?" he asks Yudi, who is standing nearby and just rolls his eyes. "Miss Fresher had to be Huda's date, anybody else just wasn't possible."

"Yeah whatever dude," Yudi tells him, "But you're not going to become Mr Fresher."

"Lagi Shart?" Huda asks him, "5000."

"You're on." Yudi replies, "If you don't become Mr Fresher you'll give me 5000, if you do then I'll give you 5000."

They shake hands on it and turn back to watch the announcement.

"And Mr Fresher goes to… Cadet Aalekh Sharma." Suriji calls out.

Aalekh looks like he's never received such a huge shock before in his entire life, and is slow to reach Suriji, as if doubting it's really happened.

When he comes back to the dance floor, Yudi gives him a huge hug, practically picking him up off the floor.

"You're the best, Chief!" he tells him, "Because of you I not only defeated Huda today, I also won 5000!"

"Don't get so excited, bro." Neelu tells him, approaching them, "He's my date, not yours. Chal Aalekh, let's go dance."

Aalekh follows her, nodding at Naina's thumbs up as he passes them by.

"Why don't we go and dance too?" Raj asks Naina, since the music is now something that he feels much more comfortable dancing to, not too fast and not too slow.

She nods, and putting down her glass, follows him to the dance floor, noting with happiness that Ali and Pooja are finally dancing together properly although Ali looks a bit embarrassed and that at least for the moment Yudi's date has come back to him and joined him on the dance floor.

This time their steps are funkier, more contemporary, Raj spins her out and then back into him, and Naina laughs, giddy with a combination of the sudden movement and the small amount of alcohol that she's drunk. They enjoy themselves, dancing faster and faster as Raj spins her around and around, every time bringing her back to the circle of his arms.

When the dance finally ends they find themselves being clapped, and Raj takes a slight bow, gesturing to Naina to do the same. Shaking her head in amusement, she does so, and hand in hand they head back to their table. He has just pulled out the chair for her, and is about to sit down himself when Ritu approaches them.

"Naina, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your husband for one dance," she tells her, once again in a fake sweet tone, "My date isn't interested in joining me and I would hate to end the evening without dancing at least one more time."

Raj is looking at Naina questioningly, wondering if she'll mind, but Naina just nods, "Sure go ahead Rituji, you can have him for one song." she tells her, "I'll be fine here." and she smiles at Raj reassuringly to let him know it'll be alright.

Raj follows Ritu to the dance floor, beginning to dance with her even as he glances back at Naina. He's doing fine until she begins to get closer to him, and he awkwardly tries to keep his distance, feeling uncomfortable.

"You really should have told me that you were married from the beginning," Ritu tells him, "You know I had such high hopes…"

Raj begins to get even more uncomfortable, "I'm sorry Dr Mishra," he addresses her formally, "I never intended to give any hopes to anyone, and I hope that I never did so even accidentally."

"Oh but you did," Ritu tells him, and he realises exactly how drunk she really is, "And I still don't know why you hid that you were married all this time, unless…"

She leaves the question in the air between them, Raj wonders when this song is going to end, because he doesn't like either the way this conversation is going, or the way that she keeps trying to dance even closer to him. He glances back at Naina worriedly, wondering what she might be thinking right now.

But Naina is watching them with a blank expression, not revealing anything.

"I didn't hide anything," Raj defends himself, "I just don't ever speak out my private life to anyone."

"But it's your private life that we're all so interested in," Ritu tells him drunkly, "That was what I was interested in from the very beginning."

"Dr Mishra, I think you've had too much to drink." Raj tells her, "Maybe I should go and get Dr Shalini for you."

"Oh no, I'm perfectly in my senses," Ritu tells him, "And I think you know exactly what it is that I'm saying."

The song ends and Raj drops her hand, feeling relieved. He makes his way back over to Naina quickly, barely waiting for Ritu to follow him.

Thank you very much for letting me borrow your husband," Ritu tells Naina, and Naina can't help but pick up on the double meaning in her words.

"That's alright," she replies slightly darkly, "I knew that he'd return to me at the end of the song." And then she turns to Raj, "Why don't we go and congratulate Aalekh properly." She suggests, guessing that he probably wants to get away from Dr Ritu as much as she does at the moment.

"Yes, let's go do that." He replies quickly, and they walk off as Ritu watches them, an annoyed expression on her face.

**

Later that night after the ball has ended and they've returned to their room, Raj is still glancing at Naina worriedly as if wondering whether she's misunderstood about him dancing with Dr Mishra, but Naina prepares for bed as normal, first putting on her sleeping clothes and then sitting down, beginning to unpin her hair. Spotting a pin that she's missed, Raj reaches out and takes it out from her hair tenderly before putting it into her hand.

"Naina, tonight…" he starts to say.

"Was a wonderful night," she tells him, "I really enjoyed myself, and I'm so happy that Aalekh became Mr Fresher, I think it will really help to build his confidence here."

Raj knows that she doesn't want to talk about what happened with Dr Mishra and decides to drop the subject.

"Good night," he tells her, lying down with a sigh. Naina slips under the covers, before turning off the light.

"Good night." She replies.

**

Perhaps it was the wine he had drunk or perhaps it was the feelings he was having trouble keeping under control, but for once Raj lost control of his actions in his sleep.

When Naina wakes up it is to find that he's thrown his arm around her waist almost possessively, his head lying close to her left shoulder.

He's incredibly warm, and his hair where it touches her shoulder is smooth and Naina takes a deep breath before she slowly gets out of bed, not actually wanting to move from where she is.

But she had made her decision last night, she knows what she has to do. She can't ignore it anymore, and she won't lose him, no matter what.

Not bothering to get dressed properly she opens the door quietly and steps out, wanting to do this before Raj wakes up.

Heading towards Dr Mishra's room she knocks on the door, waiting until it's finally opened by Ritu in her night gown, looking bleary eyed.

"Naina, what are you doing here?" she asks, her eyes narrowing.

"I thought we should have a talk," she tells her, and walks inside the room without waiting for an invitation.

Ritu crosses her arms over her chest and waits for Naina to speak.

"I don't know why you're doing it, but I know what you're trying to do." Naina informs her, "And just because Raj is too polite to tell you to back off it doesn't mean that I am."

She takes a step closer to Ritu and looks at her with a piercing gaze. "So now I'm telling you, and I hope I won't have to stay it again." She steps closer yet again, not shifting her gaze from Ritu's face. "Stay away from my husband."

Without waiting for an answer, Naina leaves the room as quickly as she had come.

Ritu stares after her, fuming about his this young girl could dare to talk to her in this way. Making a decision she pulls out her mobile phone and dials a familiar number.

"Find out everything you can about Captain Rajveer's wife," she informs the person on the other end of the line, "I want to know something that can break her."

And then she hangs up.

Because nobody gets the better of Ritu Mishra.

**

Naina returns to the room to find Raj already awake and rubbing his eyes tiredly, they had been up later last night due to the ball than they normally would've been.

"Where did you go?" he asks her curiously, noticing that she's still in her night wear.

"There was just something I had to do," Naina tells him, refusing to elaborate.

Raj nods, knowing that she'll tell him if she wants to. When he woke up he had been sprawled across the bed, he wonders whether he had done anything during the night, accidentally touched her, but Naina is smiling as she picks up her towel and heads for the bathroom.

"You look happy this morning," he tells her, glad to see her this way.

"I am." Naina tells him, and gives him quite a long look before going into the bathroom and closing the door.

Raj stares at the door after she's closed it.

He doesn't know what has happened, but he likes this new more relaxed, comfortable Naina, who is not constantly shy around him.

It gives him hope that their relationship really will succeed.

Because right now that's the thing that he wants most in the world.