"You are a saviour Cadet... itne sare exam papers check karne hai or time itna kam... Thanks Rajveer for volunteering.. I can trust you only in this matter... It's just a mock paper but still make sure nobody cheats" his teacher said, relying on him as he is one of the best cadet in this academy.

"No problem ma'am it's not a big deal.. I'll handle everything" he assures her.

As soon as he enters in classroom all the girls sighs in pleasure to see him as their examiner for the day.. he chuckled to himself.. he loves this this attention, he started to distribute sheets when he again heard that melodious voice.

"May I come in sir" he saw Naina.... So she is also here, intresting.

"You are late cadet" he said in authority, she was startled to see him there as examiner.

"So..sorry sir.." she said timidly, lowering her eyes scared. "Wo raat ko.. padhte huye der ho gayi....... Isiliye subha..subha der se uthi..".

Damn she is too innocent "come inside.. and take your seat" she went on her seat in hurry almost stumbling "sambhalke.." he exclaimed.

She got embarrassed, and started to fill blocks in her answer sheet to avoid further embarrassment. He shook his head at her clumsiness. Throughout the exams his attention was mostly on her, observing her antics, her expressions were mixture of nervousness then whenever she remembers her eyes glints...then almost at the verge of crying whenever she can't remember in short it was fun to watch the roller coster of her expressions.

After the bell rings, she placed her exam sheet on the desk in front of him and rushes out of the class, without sparing him even a glance, as if some paranormal force is after her... She is one intresting thing, he chuckled.

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Few days later, he was going towards the staff office to submit paper when he saw someone sitting in a corner, her figure was shaking. He went near her, and was shocked to see Naina crying. He touched her shoulder to gain her attention...

"Naina.....why are you crying" something was breaking inside him watching her cry.

She looks at him with her puffy eyes "I...I...will ...fai...fail" she said hicuping.

He sat beside her "aisa kyu keh rahi ho.... Taiyari thik se nahi hui...".

She shook her head "m..mujhe kuch samajh nahi araha... Exams to kya
...I wil not be..able to pass this mock test" she was sobbing.

He sighed and got up "meet me after classes in room no. 411" he left commanding her.

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He heard the knock on door, he saw Naina standing there "andar aoo...." She comes inside taking slow steps "who are you?" She got startled.

"Me..sir..me Naina...app.bhul gaye..." She said meekly.

"I am asking you again...who are you?" He ask in seriously and not in teasing manner.

"Sir, it's me cadet Naina, 1st year student....... apne mujhe bulaya tha...... Remember" tries to remind him.

"Janta hu.... You came in this academy to be a soldier...like this.." she was confused at his behaviour "army me reh kar apni country ko serve karna chahti ho, iss tarah?.... you have zero ounce of confidence... Iss attitude ke sath you will not only fail but also will be kicked out of this academy"  he stated making her sad.

He looks at her sullen face.. "naina ek insaan ko apni zindagi me kuch bhi karne se pehle apne andar confidence lana hota hai... Apne aap Ko dekha hai.. mujhse baat karte waqt bhi...kitni dari hui lag rahi ho... Com on me tumhe kha nahi jaunga... Take a breath"

She relaxed after talking to him "ao baitho...or mujhe btao kya samajh nahi araha... I'll help you" she looks at him great fully. She starts to put her doubts and he explains her after an hour she looks more relaxed.

"Thankyou so much sir, apne aj meri bahot help ki" his heart fluttered at her genuine smile.

"Rajveer.... You can call me Rajveer" he left saying this to her.. leaving her heart thudding.

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"Rajveer..." She calls him from behind.

He stops in his tracks and saw her innocent face, he smiles at her.... Rare, he never smiles this often, what's with her? "Hi... what's up?".

"Hi..... Wo actually, I need some help... With..... " She hesitates "I have some doubts... Regarding, arms and ammunition... Will you help?" She looks at him expectedly.

"Sorry Naina but am afraid, I am committed to Captain Shergill for now, I promised to assist him in his drill" he gave her a sorry look, her face fell... Shit, he shouldn't have said like that "umm... How about tomorrow? Early in the mornings...?".

Her eyes gleamed, she nodded happily in approval... He felt good watching her smile "4000 hours it is, near the lake". He left telling her time and venue.

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It was four in the morning but it's still dark outside, atmosphere was chilly outside at this time as the academy is in open area and surrounded by lush trees. There was an eree silence near the lake, she can even hear the sound of wind. She wasn't scared but she can't say that she is calm also, the vibe of this morning is a bit... Ummm, strange?

It's been 15 minutes since she arrived here but there is no sign of him, he never gets late... What's with him? Did he forgot? She sighed sadly, he must have forgotten about it, and why would he compromise his sleep for me? Who I am to him? I should leave... She decided to leave with heavy heart, suddenly she heard the rustling of leaves, alerting her.

Who might be there? Rajveer? "Rajveer? Is that you?" She asks but nobody replied... It must be the wind. She concluded when again she heard that rustling sound, now she seriously feels that she is not alone here.

"Rajveer..." She calls him again but no reply. She gulps down her saliva, and moves near the tree from where the sound came. She went behind the tree but found nobody, she took a breath of relief.

She heard a 'thud' sound startling her and making her her panic "k.k.k..kaun..hai" she shivered.

She heard some foot steps which made her paranoid, she starts to breath heavily... She screamed when something touched her shoulder... She turns with a jerk.. and found a palm covering her mouth, making her stand against the tree.

"Heyyy...stop screaming" it was Rajveer, she looks at him with wide eyes, he removes his hand from her mouth.

"Are you some ghost or vampire?" She asks fearfully.

He laughed "ahh... my bad, neither I am a ghost nor a vampire. Relax, I am not gonna bite you" she calms down "not now atleast" he said mischievously..making her eyes go wide "am just joking"

She catches her breath after calming down and realised that they standing actually very close.. though their bodies aren't touching eachother but still she is able to feel his breath falling on her face... She flushed.

"Come I'll clear up your doubts" he went near the lake to sit down.

"How come you appeard just like that...?" He quirks his brow "umm..like..!!!" She wasn't able to put her words.

"Like some ghost or vampire?" He teased her, she looks away in embarrassment "that's what I wanted to show you..... concious mind" she looks at him. "Our mind tells us to behave accordingly but being in army the most important thing is presence of mind."

"When you heard the rustling, who do you thought there was? Me" she nodded "because we were going to meet... Haina" she nods again. "But when you did not found me... Who do you think it was?"

"I though it's wind which is making leaves rustle" she said thoughtfully.

"But you did not think that, there can be a human or an animal... Or some ferocious thing". He puts alternatives.

"But when I saw there was no one... What could I have thought else..?" She defended.

"So you concluded it to be a paranormal force?" He looks at her intimidatingly, she looks down at her silly thoughts "naina, this is the situation where you need to use your consciousness... Your presence of mind, you can't just stick to the one possibility, you have to think from other alternatives too.... I was here with you all the time" he looks at her, she understood but still there was some doubts.

"Look, I was behind that tree when you heard the rustling" he pointed "when you heard the second rustling, I climbed up the tree...then, when you heard the sound of something falling.. I jumped off the tree towards the lake.... And when you heard the footsteps... I was behind you". He finished explaining, she looks at him suprised, so he was there all the time, around her.

"I was here already when you came... I was here with you all this while, when you were still waiting...being in army You need to be alert all the time Naina, specially about your surroundings... otherwise it can turn fatal... Hope you understood what I am trying teach you" she nodded, it was the biggest and most important lesson she learnt in this academy, slowly the sun started to rise as the first ray of light fell on them.

"We should leave... It's almost time for your classes" they stood up dusting their clothes "one more thing there is nothing like ghosts" then he comes near her and whispers "but am not sure about vampires..... If not real but there can be a vampire in few mens......." he said in her ear "near you" he winks at her, giving his devilish smirk making her gulp hard with heavy breath. He left chuckling at her expression.