"What do you mean? How can you be so sure" Raj closely examined the photo in his hand but was unable to see how Naina connected the dots
"Well, it's pretty obvious...just look at the picture" Naina placed her hands on her hips, frustrated
"Naina, I am looking at the picture," Rajveer turned around to picture to show to Naina, "And there is absolutely nothing there which suggests what you are saying"
"Who made you an intelligence officer" Naina took the picture from Rajveer's hand, "You can't even see what is right under your nose"
"Not fair Naina...now you are just insulting me"
"I know...I am the one doing it," Naina said cheekily as she pushed her tongue to the right side of her face making her right cheek puff. Rajveer gave her a sarcastic smile which clearly said that he was neither amused nor entertained.
"Look here" Naina pointed to Lt. Mathur's ring on the picture, "It is the same ring"
Rajveer took a close look at the picture and could see the resemblance between the two rings but that was not enough to convince him.
"Common Naina...there can be more than one ring that looks like that...it does not necessarily mean that they knew each-other"
"So what are you saying, Cadet Vidiya and Lt. Mathur having the same ring is just a coincidence?" Rajveer shrugged his shoulder as if to say 'that is a possibility'
"Naveen always said that coincidences are a myth-they don't exist, especially not once this big" Naina said but Rajveer still was not entirely sure. Being an intelligence officer, he was used to having and acting only after gaining imperial proof. He was not the one to jump on spur-of-the-moment instincts–that is not to say that he did not believe in gut feeling but simply that he was used to having evidence stronger than a ring to support his hunches. Naina could guess Rajveer's hesitation and could guess as to the reasons why.
"Look here" Naina once again pointed to the ring and Rajveer paid deep attention to it, "The design on the ring is old...probably about 80 years old...It was probably made in pre-independence India. I highly doubt that such rings with these design are made in contemporary times"
Rajveer looked up surprising at Naina: "And how exactly do you know so much as ring designs"
"Well there is still a lot you have to learn about me Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat" Naina said with a slightly crooked smile, her tone undeniably flirty. Rajveer could not control the blush that threatened to attack his cheeks when he heard her words and her tone. Naina wanted to laugh looking at Rajveer trying to control his blush and hide his smile but guess he probably would not appreciate her laughing at his condition.
"Naveen knew about my interest in old-style Jewelry so when he was assigned an assignment whose family had an heirloom–a ring to be specific–that was passed down generations, he knew he had to tell me the next time he called me. When he told me this, I distinctly remember saying 'Naveen, you better warn Lt. Mathur to keep a close guard on that ring. Who knows, maybe the next time I am in India, I might steal it.'". Naina looked at Rajveer's eyes and saw that he was keenly observing her. He looked convinced by Naina's argument. "I am as sure of that fact that Cadet Vidiya's ring used to belong to Lt. Mathur as I am of the fact that we cannot survive without oxygen"
"I believe you. As you said, this is too big of a coincidence to be just a coincident" Rajveer handed the picture over to Naina and she placed it back in her folder.
"So what do you want to do now? How do you want to approach this?" Naina asked, taking a seat on the couch. Rajveer sat across from her, folded his hands in his lap, and leaned forwards towards Naina.
"I do not think we should tell Cadet Vidiya anything at the moment" Rajveer said and gave Naina a small reassuring smile "She is just a cadet and whoever we are dealing with is very powerful so..."
"So dragging her into this would be insensible and irresponsible. Us telling her anything will do nothing right now except put her at risk" Naina completed Rajveer's sentence while nodding her head as if she was lost in deep thought. If she had looked up at Rajveer at this moment, she would have seen pride, amazement, and another emotion which can only be described as care, reflecting from his eyes.
"Naina, you realize that dragging Cadet Vidiya into this would be a mistake so how can you act so nonchalantly towards the fact that you being here puts your reputation–and more importantly your life–at risk"
"I can say the same thing about you...if someone were to find out you were looking into Naveen's case, even you might risk your reputation and life. Plus, I have one more reassurance that Cadet Vidiya does not have" Naina said and saw Rajveer's eyes reflecting confusion at her last sentence. She, without a trace of hesitation, reached out and placed her hand on the coffee table–on top of his. Rajveer closed his eyes, as the warmth from Naina's hands traveled up his body, warming his every limp. After a while, Rajveer opened his eyes only to find Naina gazing at him with emotions so deep and profound, it made him nervous.
"I have you here with me" Naina squeed Rajveer's hand and gave him a smile, "I know you will always protect me...stand by me. That's why I am not scared of being here. That's why I am not scared about losing my reputation or life. Cadet Vidiya, on the other hand, does not have the same reassurance. She is vulnerable."
Rajveer's breath caught at his throat hearing Naina's words and his chest tightened in pure joy. It was not a confession of love–not in the literal sense anyway–both of them knew that what Naina just said was deeper and more meaningful than any 3 words. They both shared a meaningful eye lock and at that moment when both their eyes held each other Rajveer tried to tell her what he has felt for the past couple of years, without using any words.
Naina was the first to break the eyes lock and as soon as she did, Rajveer started to awkwardly look around the room. Naina silently smiled at his awkwardness. She knows he was shy so she did what she thought would be best for the situation–she changed the subject
"Anyways, you were also going to tell me something?" Hearing this, Rajveer came out of his dreamland and briefed Naina on what Bunty had informed him of. Naina was, expectedly, very surprised hearing this.
"Who could have enough security clearance to seal Dr. Ritu's file and why?" She questioned
"I went to headquarters to talk to Colonel Chandra about that. Now that we know that someone extremely high up in the food chain is also involved, we have to be incredibly careful about who we talk to and who we ask for help. So, getting that file might talk a little longer" Rajveer said "Don't worry though, we will find out what is happening and who is behind everything"
Naina nodded in affirmative as if to say that she fully trusts him.
"Well, now that we have both finished telling our stories, should we go to the Mess. I am starving" Naina said and Rajveer loudly laughed hearing Naina's complaining tone.
/
A few days passed with no real showstopping events occurring. Pretty soon Naina found herself getting used to–and linking–the everyday routine of a Military Academy. She enjoyed teaching her classes and the Cadets enjoyed having her as a teacher. She was also spending her free time with Gunny and Shalini as she truly enjoyed their company. If Gunny was curious about why Naina needed to talk to Rajveer so urgently a few days ago, he did not ask her and for that she was grateful. She loved to join Shalin in pulling Gunny's leg and teasing him. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized how alike he was to Naveen. Both were just as mischievous. They were both extreme gentlemen for whom country and duty took a front seat to all other priorities. There was one big difference though: Gunny was nowhere near the flirt that Naveen was. In fact he was really shy, if the blush that crept up his face whenever Cadet Vidiya walked in the same way, was of any evidence.
Rajveer and Naina had decided that the best thing to do at the moment was to just keep their eyes on Dr. Ritu and Cadet Vidiya. To observe Vidiya's actions and emotions, Naina could often be found with the group of cadets–helping them study, talking to them, or enjoying a meal with them. Naina was very fond of the 6 cadets and saw their potential every day. She thought that if Naveen were there, he would agree with her. He would probably say that 'these cadets were the future of the Indian Army'.
However, for Naina, the best part of her day was not the teasing sessions with Shalini and Gunny, nor was it the conversations with the Cadets. What Naina enjoyed most about her routine was the secret meetings and coffee with Rajveer every night. Over the past days–or rather nights–they had really gotten to know each other. Naina could easily see why Naveen considered Rajveer to be his best friend and why everyone loved him so much. He was easy to talk to; She could not remember the last time she had shared so much of her life and emotions. He was kind, gentle, fair but yet determined and fierce. Naina knew that he was brave. She knew that there was something extremely special about Rajveer the day he had come to her house and told everyone the truth. Her late-night coffee conversations with Rajveer were allowing her to see a different side of Rajveer–an emotional, caring, and tender side. She was well aways that she had begun to care for him in a way she had never cared for anyone else before.
However, peace cannot last forever. After a couple of seamless weeks in KMA, major Nair came back and things went back to being hectic.
/
Naina was walking out of her class when someone bumped into her.
"Excuse you," She said before she looked up to see who the person was
"Is this the way you talk to the Vice Principal of the academy you work at Miss...," Nair said as he looked towards Naina with nothing other than disgust.
"It's Dr., not Miss...Dr. Niana Oberoi."
"Looks like the academy stopped caring about discipline. Why else would they hire someone with so little manners? Someone who does not know how to talk to authority figures" Naina blood boiled listening to his voice and looking at his eyes, which were looking at her with a mix of disinterest and disgust.
"I do have manners Maj. Nair" Naina said "I just thought that the Vice Principal of such a grand Military Academy would know how to walk straight without bumping into others"
"How dare you?" Nair roared and pointed his fingers at her
"Look you might have time to waste in a futile argument in the middle of the hallway, but I don't. So if you could please...Move"
/
Later that day, she was sitting in the mess, enjoying her dinner with Shalini and Gunny when she saw Rajveer and Ritu walk in. She could not stop her heart from beating a little faster when she saw them together. She told herself she was just acting crazy. She knew Rajveer felt nothing for Ritu–maybe except hate–and that becoming her friend was his plan to keep a close eye on her. But still, Naina could not help the pang of jealousy she felt whenever she saw them.
"I heard you had quite an encounter with Maj. Nair today" Ritu said approaching the table and sitting down.
"Hmmm," Naina said, "I met him all-right"
"Please tell me you did not do anything" Gunny was by now well aware of Naina's nature and her inability to control her tongue and emotions around others.
"I did not do anything stupid," Naina said, refusing to meet Gunny's eyes
"That is not what I heard" Ritu added with a little smirk
"Naina?" Gunny questioned looking at her suspicious
"What? I said I did not do anything" Naina looked at Gunny and could see that he was clearly not believing her "I just said something"
"What did you say?" Shalini was disappointed that Ritu knew about an event that happened in the academy before her so she wanted Naina to spill everything.
"Well...he bumped into me and had the guts to call me mannerless so I might have said something to the effect of 'I expect a military person to know how to walk"
Shalini bursted out laughing, Gunny looked at Naina with a disappointed look but his eyes glistened with mischievous approval while Rajveer just shook his head with a small smile.
"It's not my fault. I just can't tolerate people who think they are better than everyone when in fact they are worth less than mice living in a sewer"
"Well, then you are definitely not going to like the news I have" Shalini said in a hushed tone as if sharing a national secret, "Maj. Bhargav is coming to the academy in about a week and a half to conduct an investigation and from what I have heard he is more entitled and has a bigger ego than anyone else."
Hearing Maj. Bharghav's name, the blood drained from Naina's body and everything, from the tip of her head to her toes felt cold. She looked at Rajveer, who also looked shocked, but gave her a reassuring smile.
/
That night, Rajveer and Naina were sitting in Naina's room having their daily coffee together. Rajveer noted that since Dr. Shalini made that announcement, Naina had been really quiet.
"Thinking about Major Nair, aren't you?" Rajveer asked and Naina nodded in affirmation.
"He is the same person who was in charge of Naveen's case. We lost Naveen because for Bharghav, a promotion was more important than the life of a fellow officer. And now, that same person is going to be under the same roof as me. I don't know how to act, I don't know how I should be acting, and I don't know how I will end up acting."
"Whatever is going to happen Naina, we will face him together. He does not know who you are and he cannot find out. So the only thing we have to do is keep your emotions in check. Granted that is not the easiest task, but I am here with you every step of the way" Rajveer reached out and squeezed Naina's hand.
"I have never been this stressed...not even during my dissertation review and exams" Naina leaned back and pressed the bridge of her nose and groaned in absolute fatigue.
"I am pretty sure being cooped up in KMA has not helped your anxiety and tensions. How about we go out tomorrow–as friends I mean. Catch a movie...have some good food" Rajveer suggested, feeling a little awkward and shy. Naina smiled at this thoughtful attempt to cheer her up and divert her mind.
"Will that not affect your plan regarding Dr. Ritu?" Naina questioned thinking that if Ritu found out they had gone out together, it would raise her suspicion and ruin the plan.
"Well I am not going to tell her that we are going to dinner together and you are not so I can't see how she will find out. Plus, Choubey is here and he can watch her through the cameras while we are away.
"Well then...It's a date" Naina said and blushed when she realized what she had said, "I mean...in a two frie...friends...outing kind...kind of date"