"this is the pattern I suspected on gujrat borders....
I think these are illegal trucks crossing borders and the locals are helping them..."
Naina reported her CO.

"I will study them captain....
Good work...
You might need to investigate this further....
I will form a team soon and will inform you."

He dismissed her and she left the cabin.
She was going towards the mess when she saw him standing at the corridor with some fellow officer
Talking and laughing...over something.

Her heart skip a beat everytime she see that smile....
It suits his face so much
Carefree , no baggage.... He is such a happy person ,she noticed in past few days.

In contrast of her rajveer sir
Who was always carrying a backpack of guilt,regret and pain.
She wonders if things would have been different , then rajveer sir had been like this too
A normal person with less misery and more joy

Her walk slow down in it's own Accord.
Watching him is addictive
It's like taking drugs
You know it's not the natural peace but still you hold on to its effect because it's soothing and pleasurable.
She know this is not her rajveer sir
But her eyes definitely tricks her brain, and she just keep looking at those temples and shining eyes...
She keeps satisfying the craving of her eyes to see that Happy smiling face

Even if it's an illusion...
But she wants to know how it would have been to see him like this.
With less tragedy and more normalcy

________

And there she goes again
He talked to himself in the back of his head.
While simultaneously he was responding to ajit...

He had seen her from his peripheral vision.
It has become normal for him in past one month for her to stare at him compulsively.
He will get more surprised now if she will not stare at him.
It would have been creepy if anyone else would have been doing this
But her constant gaze is not at all uncomfortable for some unknown reason.

She is harmless for sure.
Just unable to take her eyes off from him.
She just seems to be immensely melancholic.

he is observing her behaviour from last few days.
She is aloof... Distant from everyone

She talk to only her small group of friends
That is captain alekh pooja and huda
He has even many time noticed them covering up for her.
As if they know very well that why she is always strange around him.

The four seems to be in a strong knitted bond.
And she always fall towards them as if they are her comfort zone.

As the days went by he even made a note that the other three captains also feels a pull towards him which they definitely try to cover very well... Unlike naina....
They are more in controlled.

But what is it
Why does he attract this group so much.

__________

"Ek kam diya tha tujhe
Kya hua uska"
He asked captain Adil Khan on call

"Sale
Army ke liye kam karta hun
Tera personal secretary nahi hun"
He punched back....

"Isi din ke liye paal pos ke bada kiya hai tujhe.
Aise jawab dete hain apne bap ko"
Said rajeev with a boyish grin on face.

"Fuck off"
Adil replied

"On a serious note
I really need the background check on her.
She is stalking me dude"

"Complaint kyun nahi karta....
Or talk to her directly na"
Adil suggested.

"Complaint nahi kar sakta....
I can't explain it yar.. she is not dangerous....
Just a mystery I need to solve."

"Rajeev
I need more time
I did dug up something....
Let me complete my hunt....
Is weekend milte hai udaypur mein....
I will be done by then."

______________

A week later

"So what do we have"
He asked as he stuffed his mouth with burrito.

"We have a very interesting story"
He replied as he put bagel in his mouth.

"I am listening "

"Have you heard of captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia"
He gave a start
To which rajeev narrowed his eyebrows trying to think.

"He was accused of being a traitor I guess"
He asked for adil's confirmation
And Adil noded in a yes.

"She is his sister"
Adil completed and rajeev gave a thoughtful look

"Ok go on"
He signal him

"She joined army to learn his truth and clear his name... Which she did a few months back."

"She was best cade passout from KMA
Which brings us to the second segment of the story.

"Captain Rajveer Singh shikhawat
His brother's best friend, and one of the faculty....
Who was also investigating captain Naveen's case."

They found common grounds to associate with eachother and started working together on Naveen's case.
Apparently they got involved and rumours say that they were inseparable.

Rajveer lost his life in this quest .....
And naina was devastated...."

That's it.
He concluded

And all this time rajeev was listening attentively....

"Ok.... But still the question remains
Why is she so obsessed with me"
He wondered and saw answer on adil's face

"What is it ... Is there more"
He asked

"Yupp
The climax of the story"
He said as he showed him a picture on his phone

"Why do you keep my pic on your phone".
He joked and saw the picture clearly

"Ye pic kab ki hai
I don't remember"

"You don't remember because it's not your photo
This is captain rajveer....."
Adil completed

And Rajeev saw him in disbelief....

"Get out "
He replied in shock and amazement

And Adil opened up his beer can

"Shitt man
He is my clone ....
This explains everything"

"Yupp it does...
This captain rajveer was a celebrated teacher in kma and intelligence officer."
Adil added.....

"So what are you gonna do now...."
He asked

And rajeev still in amazement answered

"I have no idea boy"

________

Naina and pooja are laying awake on their respective bed separated by a small cot in between.

Pooja - are you ok naina
She finally asked being overwhelmed with her concern

Naina - I am ok
She said without any expression

Pooja - I know you are struggling because of captain rajeev
You need to get a grip naina....

Naina - I know
I am trying pooja ...
She said with sheer helplessness in her voice
He is not my rajveer sir.
And no one ever will take his place ...
It's just that my eyes want to see his face again....
And when I see captain rajeev ,I know he is not my rajveer sir but still it feels  like just one more glance ....and then I will look away ...

Pooja reached out for her hand and naina took her hand allowing pooja to comfort her...

"Go to sleep....."
Pooja said as she knows there are no words of condolence she can say to ease her friend's pain.

_______________