PART -1
KMA:
It is the last day of the cadets Naina, Pooja, Ali, Aalekh, Huda and Yudi in the KMA. They were different people with different dreams, different aspirations but one goal. To be a perfect soldier and KMA was the best place for that.
A TRIP DOWN THE MEMORY LANE:
(BY RAJVEER SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
Naina Singh had come to this academy with only one dream – to know the truth about her brother's death and to prove him innocent. She, along with her mentor, Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat had embarked upon a journey – a journey into the past in the quest of TRUTH.
Rajveer had not supplied her immediately with all the information that she wanted. Instead he had tried her, put her to test but when he saw that she was not to be deterred on any account come what may, he helped her only too gladly to fulfill her dream, even at the cost of his own life.
He still remembered how Naina had scolded him once he was out of the hospital. In that moment all the unsaid emotions between them flowed out unrestrained and Rajveer had promised to himself that he would never leave Naina alone.
Rajveer still remembered the spark which he had noticed in her eyes during their first meeting. A spark, which told him that this girl would go far.
There was also a pain in her eyes – the pain of losing a dear one, someone very close to the heart. Her pain pierced his heart to the core causing the old wounds to bleed – bleed profusely. Not that the wounds had healed any time. Rajveer could never forget the one he had lost. But just by looking at Naina he felt a stabbing pain in his heart. Deep waves of empathy washed over him and as the girl wished her good morning; he couldn't refrain from flashing a smile at her.
SMILE – It had become a very rare occurrence in Captain Rajveer's life of late. But something happened that day.
Her big, black eyes with a slight upward slant and the beautiful eyebrows were the first thing which caught his attention. Her frank and straightforward nature and the faith in her eyes reminded him of someone. But he wondered if she was always like this? Did she trust each and every person who came her way? He will have to groom her to keep her emotions under check; Rajveer had thought and immediately found himself proved wrong.
Huda and Yudi came there with the intention of joining them. Almost as if in a flash, Naina underwent a change. As Rajveer watched, he felt some sort of shutters being drawn across her eyes and she looked at the other two with a distant look. They were strangers and they felt it too. She had closed herself to the outside world, but her piercing look penetrated deep into the hearts of all those at whom she looked. Huda and Yudi mumbling a good morning to Rajveer and almost ran away from there. Naina was then back to her normal self and she remained in this normal state only in the company of her Raj sir and Dr. Shalini.
The fact that Naina trusted him the most gave Rajveer supreme joy and he didn't mind sharing the honours with Dr. Shalini. She was a friend after all.
In the evening when Rajveer was roaming in the grounds, he overheard two people talking.
1st Person: I'm warning you; don't mess around with that girl.
2nd Person: Are you crazy Yudi? Mess around with Cadet Naina – Naina Singh Ahlluwalia. Have you taken me to be a Ravan – the demon king with ten heads or what. Look, I have got only one head over my neck and I'm very much fond of it and want it to stay there.
Rajveer was amused. But he also was enlightened. Now he knew why he felt such a deep empathy with Naina. The bond which they shared was too strong to be broken. He would have felt the pull even across the globe. And the name of that bond was NAVEEN. NAVEEN SINGH AHLUWALIA – Rajveer's best friend. KMA topper. A great soldier and a great friend. A martyr who had been branded a traitor.
NAVEEN SINGH AHLUWALIA: Naina's elder brother.
Rajveer sat in his chair and rocked to and fro. Along with the chair, his mind was also rocking from past to present and then present to past until everything got jumbled up for him.
He had become habituated to the heartache which was his constant companion after Naveen's death. Now that he knew who Naina was he understood the language of spark in her eyes. She was here to prove her brother innocent and her faith sparkled in her eyes. It set Rajeev's heart and soul on fire. And he promised to himself that he would help her at any cost. Though he had promised Naveen…………
Rajveer knew a lot about Naina because Naveen could never stop chattering about his younger sister. A black belt holder in karate and a sharp shooter; she had won many prizes at the national level and had got the chance to prove herself at the international forum when she was selected to represent India in an international sports meet. She had attended the meet and had been successful.
Naveen had been literally jumping up and down in the room which he shared with Raj when he heard the news. He wanted to buy a gift for her and asked Rajveer to accompany him to the mall and Raj had agreed.
But even before Naina could come back, tragedy struck. Naveen died and was branded a traitor. The gift which a brother had so lovingly bought for his sister remained in Rajveer's possession.
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