Next morning.
BC called for an assembly and announced that Captain Rajveer had not died in the accident but had been injured and was being treated at the nearest hospital. He would return soon. Relieved, all the cadets went to the mess.
Pooja let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank God, Shahrukh's network is still intact. He is the only teacher who isn't trying to cut off our connection to this academy."
Yudi added, "I agree. Rajveer sir is the best teacher in this academy. He never scolds you if you don't understand a topic right away."
Alekh said, "He never insulted or taunted me for being a prisoner. He always treated me like a normal cadet, never judging me by my past." He folded his arms over his chest stoically.
Huda joked with a smirk, "Captain Rajveer seems like a cockroach to me. No matter what happens, he always comes back alive. We should ask him to teach us his secret to survival next time."
Naina, who had been silent until that moment, stood up abruptly and glared at Huda. "Enough! Mind your tongue, Amardeep Huda! Even after learning about your true nature, I stayed silent. I thought I should give you a chance to change your ways, but not anymore. If anything happens to Rajveer sir from now on, I won't spare you. Your own mother won't recognize you after I'm done with you," she growled angrily, unleashing her vampiric aura.
Her friends and the other cadets in the mess shuddered at her presence. Even Huda felt his skin crawling and bones rattling from her intense gaze. He never imagined that someone as beautiful as Naina could be so terrifying.
Alekh was the only one who noticed her every word. He frowned and asked, "Naina, what do you mean? What has Huda done?"
Naina glared even harder at Huda, leaning forward so that only her friends could hear. She asked tauntingly, "Shall I tell everyone what you did the night before Independence Day?"
Huda's eyes widened in shock, and he paled instantly. He never thought anyone knew about that incident.
Ali frowned in confusion and asked, "Wait, what happened the night before Independence Day, Naina?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Huda said, getting up from his chair.
Naina replied confidently, "Hmm, I'm sure the video footage I have would reveal everything, and after that, you won't even have to say a word." She didn't actually have any footage, but Huda didn't know that.
Huda's face turned pale, and the rest of their group realized that whatever Huda did that night must have been worse than they thought.
"Let's go, guys. We're getting late for class," Naina said, straightening up and ignoring Huda. The group trusted Naina more than Huda due to his past actions. Naina's statement made them disbelieve him all over again, and whatever trust Huda had gained was lost in that moment as they followed Naina out without sparing him a glance.
…. - ….
"Lieutenant Bunty Chaubey, why did you reveal my location to Cadet Naina? What were you thinking?" Rajveer scolded as he hastily got dressed to leave the hospital.
"No offense, sir, but Cadet Campbell is terrifying. Her blood-red eyes scared me to death. However, she did save my life by getting me to the hospital on time, or I would have bled out," Bunty replied thoughtfully. "By the way, she seemed really worried about you. I think she..." he smirked and raised his eyebrows at Rajveer with a knowing smile.
Rajveer glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense! She only cares about me because I'm related to her distant batchmate." Rajveer lied. He did not want to reveal Naina's true identity to anyone, as she had trusted him with it.
"Are you sure? I mean, a girl snuck out of a highly secure military academy, trekked through the jungle, and risked her life to find you. Is that all because you're her relative's batchmate?" Bunty challenged with a smirk.
"If you're done discussing irrelevant matters, can we leave now? We have a suspect to interrogate," Rajveer reminded, rolling his eyes.
Bunty nodded and followed Rajveer out of the hospital. As they walked towards the interrogation room, Rajveer couldn't help but think about Naina. Bunty's words had hit a nerve, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to Naina's actions than just him being Naveen's best friend or her relative. He wondered if he should confront her about it, but then he dismissed the thought. He didn't want to put her in any danger, especially since she had already risked so much to help him.
As they entered the interrogation room, Rajveer put all thoughts of Naina aside and focused on the task at hand. They had a suspect to interrogate, and he needed to get to the bottom of this case as soon as possible.
…. - ….
After interrogating the goon and reviewing the CCTV footage from the Fresher's ball, Rajveer was shocked to discover that it was Huda who had been working with the terrorist group. Determined to confront him about it, Rajveer returned to KMA.
Upon arriving at the academy during lunch hour, Rajveer headed straight to the mess hall, hoping to gauge Huda's reaction to his presence. However, he was surprised to see that Naina and her friends were seated together at one table while Huda was sitting alone at another table, looking dejected and ignored by the "Fantastic Five." Suri Ji and Dr. Shalini were observing the situation from a nearby table, clearly intrigued by what was happening.
"Hello, cadets!" he greeted them from the doorway of the mess.
All the cadets in the mess stood up upon seeing Rajveer. Except for Huda, everyone appeared happy or relieved, while Huda looked extremely displeased. Rajveer remembered Bunty's statement about Naina's feelings for him, so his eyes went straight to her face. However, he found her looking at him with narrowed eyes instead of happiness or relief.
'Why does she look annoyed instead of happy? I mean, she risked so much to save me last night, yet she's not happy to see me here. Dear God, girls are confusing,' he thought to himself.
The cadets greeted him and inquired about his health. Huda even made some snide comments, but Rajveer noticed that Naina stayed silent. He approached her and sat in the chair in front of her. "What is it, Cadet Campbell? You don't seem happy to see me," he asked in a teasing tone.
"From what we saw on the news, it was undoubtedly a massive accident, sir. Shouldn't you be in the hospital at the moment? How come you're roaming around freely instead?" Naina asked, raising her eyebrow. Rajveer chuckled while blushing slightly at being caught.
Dr. Shalini walked over and glared at him. "The cadet is absolutely right. Did you escape from the hospital, Captain?" she inquired angrily.
"Um... you know what? I'm feeling very sick. I think I'll go and rest in my room. Bye, everyone," Rajveer said, and they hurried out of the mess. From the way he was dragging his feet and barely moving his shoulder, it was evident that he was in real pain.
Dr. Shalini shook her head in disbelief. "Unbelievable!" she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
...-...
...-...
...-...
While Dr. Shalini was dressing Rajveer's wounds, he felt very shy and kept his t-shirt in front of his chest. This was the second time she scolded him that day. Suddenly, Naina entered the room holding a tray.
"What are you doing here, Cadet?" Dr. Shalini asked, curious.
"Sir had run away from the hospital, so I don't think he ate anything properly or took his medicine. One shouldn't take medicine on an empty stomach. That's why I brought food," Naina explained.
Dr. Shalini smiled and finished dressing Rajveer's wounds. "You're right. Okay, I'm done here. Cadet Naina, these are the medicines he's supposed to take after food. Make sure he takes them all," she instructed Naina with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am," Naina replied.
Dr. Shalini left, closing the door behind her. Naina approached Rajveer and put the tray on the coffee table. "I made grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for you. Hope that's okay?" she asked nervously, admitting that it had been years since she last cooked.
Rajveer was grateful for Naina's care and effort. "Thank you, Cadet Campbell. I appreciate it," he said with a smile. As he started eating, he casually mentioned, "By the way, I'm not that badly hurt."
Naina didn't buy it. "In case you didn't notice, you're still topless, and I can see your wounded back through the mirror behind you. I also have a photographic memory. What I see or read once, I never forget. And I remember seeing a LOT of injuries on your body last night," she said dryly.
Rajveer was embarrassed and blushed harder. He couldn't believe he was having a casual conversation with his female cadet while sitting there shirtless. He quickly put down his food and tried to put on his t-shirt, but Naina stopped him.
"Don't wear this one. There's blood on it. I'll get you something clean to wear. Finish your food," she said, taking the t-shirt from him and heading inside.
While recalling Bunty's words, Rajveer observed Naina's actions and thought to himself, "Does she really have feelings for me? The way she got angry when I didn't take care of myself, risked her expulsion to save me, and even cooked for me... but how can I let this happen? If she truly loves me and the truth comes out, she'll end up hating herself."
Naina returned with a new shirt for Rajveer, which she had bought for him. "Here, wear this shirt. It's soft and will be easier to put on and take off without irritating your wound," she said while handing him the shirt.
Rajveer examined the shirt and seemed confused. "This isn't my shirt. Where did you get it?" he inquired.
Naina made a face and quickly replied, "How am I supposed to know? It was in your closet. I think you forgot that you had it," as she helped him put the shirt on to avoid any further questions.
Rajveer immediately realized that the shirt was new and not his. He could tell from the freshly ironed creases that it was an expensive brand and much softer than what he usually wore. "Did you buy this?" he asked directly.
"Nope," Naina replied, trying to change the subject. "Are you finished?" she asked, hoping to move on.
Rajveer smirked, aware of her attempt to avoid the question. "Yes, I'm done. Thank you," he said with gratitude.
Naina was concerned about the amount of salt she had used in the meal. "Was the salt okay? It's been a while since I cooked," she confessed as she handed him his medicine.
"Do you not cook at your new place?" Rajveer asked curiously, reluctantly taking his medicine and making a face at the bitter taste.
Naina chuckled and handed him some water to wash it down. "No, we have a chef," she replied. "Anyway, you should rest now."
"Thanks for everything, Naina. But you should focus more on your mission than my well-being," Rajveer told her softly.
Naina understood what he meant. "Trust me, sir, I would like nothing more. But I can't seem to help caring more about you than the mission these days," she said, her frustration clear in her voice. "But don't worry, it's my problem, and I'll handle it. Just think of me as your guardian cadet, I guess," she finished with a shrug.
Rajveer was stunned, realizing that she was struggling with her feelings just as he was struggling to accept that someone cared for him and loved him. He gave her a kind smile in response, and Naina left.
...-...
Naina was engaged in conversation with the Cullen family, so she missed dinner at the mess. Huda had convinced their friends to throw a celebration in Rajveer's room to commemorate his safe return. An hour later, Naina was discussing recent events and how she was managing with her family when Pooja returned looking anxious.
"Sorry, guys, I'll talk to you later," Naina said before hanging up the phone. "Pooja, what's going on? You seem stressed," she asked with concern.
Pooja then explained how Rajveer had suddenly fallen ill while they were partying in his room.
"Did you guys let him drink?" Naina inquired.
"Uh, Huda made him have a glass," Pooja admitted guiltily.
"Are you insane? He just recovered from a life-threatening accident. He's on high-powered medication. You should never combine such medication with alcohol!" Naina scolded.
"Sorry, yaar. We were just so overjoyed that Shahrukh is okay that we forgot," Pooja apologized.
"Okay, I'm going to check on him in his room. If Lolita ma'am comes, deal with her, okay?"
"Sure, don't worry. Take care of him," Pooja replied as she assisted Naina in exiting through the front door.
Naina arrived at Rajveer's cabin and could hear the conversation between Huda and Rajveer from more than sixty feet away. She stood in front of the door and surprised Huda when he opened it. Rajveer was trying to steer Huda towards the right path, but Huda was adamant about going in the wrong direction. Naina refrained from harming Huda because she knew he needed to find his own way. Huda glanced behind before leaving.
"Are you okay, sir?" Naina asked as she entered the room.
"How much did you hear?" Rajveer asked angrily.
"I'm sorry, but I overheard everything," she confessed.
Rajveer gave her a suspicious look. "Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia, why do you not look surprised about this matter?" he asked.
"It's Cadet Campbell, sir. And I'm not surprised because I knew he was the one who attacked Lt. Bunty that day. He always uses a particular deodorant. That day when I came to your room, I smelled it. But I had no proof," she explained calmly.
"You could have mentioned it to me!" Rajveer shouted in anger. "Youth these days get manipulated by terrorist organizations so easily. People like Huda take half-truths and betray their own country without realizing it," he ranted.
"Why don't you let me meet that goon face to face? I'm sure that seeing his teammate, he will respond predictably," Naina suggested.
Rajveer turned towards her and nodded his head after considering the idea. "Hmm... I had to take permission from headquarters first, but it could be arranged," he said excitedly.
"Okay then. I'll take my leave," Naina said before turning to leave. Suddenly she paused at the doorstep and said, "By the way, my name is Naina Campbell. Naina Singh Ahluwalia died six years ago. NEVER EVER address me by that name again."
Rajveer was confused by her statement and stared after her as she left.
... - ...
Rajveer escorted Huda to the headquarters and forced him to face the goon. As Naina had anticipated, the goon divulged everything, leaving Huda shaken to his core. Upon their return to the academy, Huda remained withdrawn and lost in thought, though he still managed to make snide remarks.
Naina stormed into Rajveer's room to check if he had taken his medication, only to find him standing in front of his cupboard looking puzzled. "Good afternoon, sir. How did Huda react to the truth? And what are you doing?" she asked curiously.
"Cadet Naina, how many clothes did you purchase for me, and where are my old ones?" Rajveer grumbled.
"I told you how I snuck into your room to investigate, right? Well, I accidentally spilled something on your clothes, and to conceal the truth, I had to destroy them. I bought you new clothes to replace the ones I ruined. I'm really sorry about that incident," Naina explained, half-lying. She had indeed destroyed his clothes, but not because she spilled anything on them. She had given in to her bloodlust and ended up destroying them while trying to get used to his scent.
Rajveer sighed. "It looks like I'll have to teach you all how to be spies and how to investigate someone without their knowledge," he joked.
Naina sheepishly smiled at Rajveer and asked, "So, how did Huda take the truth?" while she checked the packets of medicine he had to take. "You didn't take your medicine yet," she added.
"Huda was traumatized by the truth, and he might do something extreme. Please keep an eye on him if possible. And how did you know I didn't take my meds?" Rajveer asked.
"I have a photographic memory," Naina replied as she handed him the medicine and a glass of water.
Rajveer scowled at the medicine, clearly hating the idea of taking it. "Why do you keep insisting on this medicine? Did you mix something in them?" he asked, trying to deflect.
Naina gave a victorious smirk. "I have ALL of Naveen bhaiya's diaries, and in almost all of them, I read about your hatred for medicine and the tantrum you throw to avoid taking them. Like I told you before, photographic memory," she explained.
Rajveer grumbled sulkily as he took the medicine and water from her. "I hate taking these damn things," he muttered under his breath, feeling like a child being forced to take medicine by his mother.
As he reluctantly took the medicine and water from her, he grumbled sulkily, "You're annoying, you know that?" He also cursed Naveen under his breath for documenting his aversion to medicine in his diary.
Naina just smiled up at him sweetly, pleased to have successfully convinced him to take his medicine.