"So you've been this bad mouthed always, or today is a special occasion?"
Neil asked me when his punch hit my nose and I swore the tenth time in this sparring session.

"Thank god you didn't meet me back at KMA. I wouldn't have survived without cursing there. And I'd be fighting with you instead of teaming up with Stuart and picking on our Juniors and Daniel."
I said laughing.

"I've heard this name Daniel. Is he the one who burnt down Ghost Rider's room?"
Neil asked still guarding his face.

I let all my defences down and stood with my mouth open.
"How the fu.. the hell do you know that?!!"

"Told you I kept an eye on you. Now guard your face before I give you a black eye."
He warned me sweetly.

I lifted my hands up but I knew I'll be getting beaten today, because I couldn't get over the fact that Neil knew about the incidence and thought Dan did it.

He placed two punches on my face and a clever third on my gut all of which I poorly defended.
While he planned to place a fourth, I faked a punch to his face and planted another on his gut with other hand.
He got tricked and got a light hit.

He moved a few steps back and continued talking.
"You didn't answer me. Is he the one?"

"No. Infact nobody knows who it was. But if you were to find the reason behind Tom Ryder's defamation, you're looking right at it."
I said chuckling pointing at myself.

"You definitely hated him."
Neil said laughing too.
"Ryder got so famous that everyone calls him Ghost Rider for this fire episode. He has been mocked so many times because of you, James."

"I really feel bad for him. Everyone who meets him, laughs before saying sorry for laughing."
I agreed.

"Are we fighting or cracking jokes? Get serious!"
That was Charles who happened to pass by when we both were 'talking' instead of fighting.
Great.

"Yes instructor Charles."
We said in unison and straightened up.
Atleast I was in no mood to get screwed.

We started sparring seriously, giving each other nice hits. But that happened till Charles kept his eyes on us.

The moment he left gym, we both pulled our guards down and stood few feet apart.

"Start talking."
Neil said interested.

"It was third term. Our field camp was supposed to be held in two days. But it rained followed by snowfall. The temperature dropped down drastically. Beta was thinking of postponing our camp but Major Tom insisted that we go ahead as per the schedule. He was our camp I/C and wanted to finish it soon. Beta agreed and we, in bone chilling winters, went for a three day field camp. On the last day, my batchmates lauded me into asking permission for a bonfire from him. He said no at first but later on gave in, warning me to be careful. We were indeed very careful throughout. The fire felt so good in that cold. After staying up for hours more than we were supposed to, we sprinkled water and put the fire out. Heat gone, boys were in a hurry to go back, someone kicked a still red log that landed on Major Tom's tent. No one had a clue till we saw orange light coming from one end of our camp. Ryder ran out screaming 'fire! fire!' . We all rushed and threw water and mud and killed the fire. But his whole tent had turned into ashes. He looked at us with red eyes and we knew we're gone. We stayed out the whole night getting rogered while he slept in one of our tents. Next day we returned to KMA half conscious only to find Beta steaming. We all prepared to die. But he wasn't angry at us. He smoked Ryder right in front of us for being so careless. I guess that's how Tom Ryder became famous as Ghost Rider because no other officer ever woke up in the middle of the night to find the roof over his head gone, screaming for help. We laugh with our bellies in our hands till date as we remember his ghost face when he came out."
I was laughing before I could even finish.

Neil was standing with a huge smile on his face.
"You are crazy, do you know that? What happened next?"

"Ryder marched all of us into the ground and asked us who did it. Getting no answer, he rogered us again. By then instructors had reported. They came to our rescue and assured him that they'll take it from here. Nobody blurted that instructors were with us during the bonfire otherwise they'd be smoked deeper. We all kept that secret to ourselves earning our Senior Instructor's trust. On the way back, I talked it out with SI and begged him to save our asses back at KMA, because I knew it isn't over. He agreed.
We were in shreds from the overnight session and then Ryder's post humiliation session. After he left, SI kept his promise. We were there in the field for another six hours - but not screwed much. Also, he let us go one by one and have meals and drinks unlike usual punishment days where they'd make us visit hell and back - hungry and thirsty.
Ryder calmed down by evening and dismissed us. Later that night we got the orders to stay back in hostel for next 36 hours."

"You must have become a hero."
"After becoming the villain."
I added.

"Villian?"
Neil was amused.

"Yeah. Ryder's anger was not that sweet. Plus the haters get another reason to hate you more."
I sighed.

"Daniel?"
There was no surprise he understood I'm talking about him.

I took a deep breath and let that name ring in my ears before nodding a yes.

"What did he do?"
"Told me not to fall for the applaud and mind my own business instead of starting a bonfire. He was the only guy against it. Later on when whole fiasco got over, he was looked upon as if he kicked that log intentionally to show his disapproval."

"He warned you. Is he your friend?"
Neil said and I laughed.
"Anything but. He is my biggest competitor till date. It could have been him instead of me here today. He used to tick me everytime he thought I was going too far because he knew that if I screw up, I wouldn't be the only one paying the price."

"Really? Competitor?"
"Yes. He was as good as me - be it physicals, resilience tests, written exams, firing, camp performance - you name it and he'll be in top three."

"Okay. So he was jealous of you."
Neil said.

I laughed again.
"I don't think he was jealous of me ever. Not atleast till the last day. He was an ambitious cadet - volunteering for everything, not afraid of getting screwed over for something - he wanted to give his best and make the most of his training. As he said himself, he feels lucky that I was his batchmate that gave him tough competition. He used to work hard to perform better than me and so did I. None of us ever felt bad or angry for other's victory over own. It only pushed us to win in the next test."

"Then what happened the last day?"
"He walked up to Beta and said that he wants to go for Class-I trial as well. I felt respected that he said 'as well' and not 'instead of James'. By then Beta had done most of the talking here and there. Asking permission for a second cadet was like burning the whole plan down. He rejected. Dan stressed more. Before he could offend Beta, I suggested that he tests both of us and let the winner go."
"What I knew is that Colonel Reese always wanted you to be the one. You must have known this too. Still you asked for a fair chance? I'm really impressed."

"Dan deserved a fair chance - something that he never got."
I said looking down.

"Didn't Beta evaluate you?"
"He did. It was an eight hour assessment of almost everything we learnt at KMA. Both of us were neck to neck."

"Then how was it unfair?"
"The last test was a 6 mile run followed by 200 mtrs sprint."
I almost whispered.

"Damnit. Nobody can beat you in that!"
Neil said understanding what that meant.

"Dan lost both the races by a margin, and so, the whole assessment. Beta was right there. He walked upto Beta, saluted him and said 'Thank you for giving me a chance, sir.' All three of us knew why he didn't say the word fair. Beta replied calmly - I wanted you to realise where you lag behind him. He's as exhausted as you are. It sounds fair to me. If he is better than you at something that will save his life out there, I'll choose him any day. If it was you with that talent, I'd choose you. "

"Gah! He was right!"
Neil said as reluctantly as I felt that day.
"He was. That's why Dan accepted his defeat with a pinch of salt. And I accepted my victory with little less guilt. But I'm sure the bitterness between me and him is going to last long."

"I hope he tries for Class-I after five years. He'll probably make it."
Neil said impressed.

"He'll bulldoze his way here within next three years. I know him. He'll not let it affect his mind a bit. He wants to be the best and he will be."

"Never seen two enemies being so respectable for each other."
"That's because we're not enemies. We are contenders."
I said proudly.

But everytime I'll meet him, I'll talk to him like an asshole and make him feel pathetic. So that he gets a justified reason to hate me. He deserves that after all that he went through because of me. There's no place for an apology - not that he wants one.

I just knew how to pull his strings and he'd kill me over and over. Sorry Dan, but you've got to hate me harder.

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Hi!
Someone sounds familiar, right?
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Vote and comment your memories..

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Also, how are you guys keeping up?
I beg you to stay indoors because even the air outside is dangerous.
Stay careful.