Happy Independence day.

Ye dil aur dhadkan kal bhi rangeen thi aur aaj bhi he..
Ye rang tirange ka kabhi utar nahi sakta...chahe main rahu ya na rahu..

And....

Mela khatam
Khela shuru.

Naina has not been completely sane since marriage. Same is the case with Sujal. Both did whay they felt right but in real both have been hesitant when it comes to step down in paradigms pf married life. Naina is skeptical about Sujal while Sujal is nonchalant to Naina. Naina is just a name for him. She is stranger to him the way he is to her. There is nothing between them. Nothing..

Both have vague idea that they had met two years ago in Chattisgarh. That meeting was complete random. Neither Naina had thought she'd have to do what she never dreamt of nor Sujal had any idea that he'd help her the way he did.

It was May perhaps. Naina remembers that month. Completely drenched with sweat. She had been here on secret mission. Her team consisted of four commandos. It was strange that she had gotten that mission but in real she had begged for that mission. Naveen had been in Telangana then and he had no idea that Naina was putting her life in danger so easily. Something had prompted her to ask for that mission. Her past track record was good if her recent joining was to be ignored along with her young age. But in the end she had clinched the mission so here she was. As a part of team of five..

Mission had been done away for good. It was successful except Captain Raje had a fracture in thigh and Naina' shoulder had been grazed by bullet. These were minor problem. Real problem was all other four people from her team had been left two hours ago. She was to leave around two in morning but dressing took time and stopping blood was a real task.  She got late and now here at 4 in morning she was stuck in This naxalist area. If she was able to go out of village the main problem lied in crossing village and reaching for airport. Captain Anand who was leading mission would have left with rest of team. Naina was left here for good....

There was this problem...standing tall. And Naina had no help. But she had to move otherwise it would hamper things more. So she somehow had come out of village and was now going towards Raipur.

She had to take lift from a person who was driving this truck of vegetables. It had helped her in reaching main dantewada. And looking at all tight security the plan had been changed. Raipur was out of question now. Naina could not go Raipur with a new band aided wound on her shoulder. Raipir was freaking 400 km away. The easiest way out was to move through odisha. Around 200 km east there was this helipad in Sunabeda. But crossing border was again an issue. Naina was in deep waters and was stuck badly..

Either she has to return safely or wait here and there for days...for the time the security goes bit loose which seemed impossible. Naina had to move now .and right now.

She waited at highway..Changing her attire. She was now a local Chattisgarhi Tribal girl. It was their back up plan. To move as a tribal. People will not question them.

The next lift was provided by a new Swift Desire whose driver was looking as a businessman. Naina had been suspicious of this guy until he told her that he was here to personally check progress of his some important business deal. And he had seen through her sham at once. He had recognized her that she was not a tribal woman.

'I know. You are not a tribal woman. So you can stop searching for words that barely exist in your dictionary!'

Naina had taken aback...But she still kept silence. It was not good to take risk.

'I am Sujal Grewal. If i am not wrong you must be from police or army? I can see scratches on you wrist and fingers. Your nail is broken. And that tie of yours is twisted. You must have been involved in some fight. I presume I am right as you are not speaking. So...What happened? Mission failed or you are only survivor?'

'How do you know so much about army and stuff?'

'I manufacture ammunition. So...basically I know kis chij se kaisi chot lagti he! I know what is the size of bullet wound if its of Ak 47. I know stuff.

So....about your escape? Kya huya?'

'Mujhe flight leni he Kolkata ke liye. And...Its impossible.'

'Yeah security is tight.'

Then there was silenec. Naina had been feeling like an idiot for not running along time. Her one extra care of her wound had landed her in trouble.

'Yaha se char km par ek local check post bana rakha he in logo ne. They will be checking us. You can pose as my secretary. But uske liye...you have to change. Waki..I will handle.'

Sujal' helping had had seemed so wrong that time..but that was only option available. Last and only option. She had changed in a formal attire..but her heart was thumping badly..

'Aapko bilkul bhi nahi bolna he. Ok? I'll handle questionnaire. Main jo bolu aap bas wohi karna.. theek he?'

Naina had nodded. When that check post arrived..her breath had hitched in her throat.

'Bhaiya koi problem?' Sujal had asked those people..

They muttered something to each other. And then one of them came forward.

'Kaha jana he is raste se Sahab! Lagta to nahi is ilaake ke ho?'

His face was scratched with some past wounds. Scars so visible on his left cheek and he was chewing on tobacco.

'Ha. Main aur meri dost aaye the idhar ek documentary banae. Permission nahi mili he. To socha thoda ghoom lete he. Lekin kya Ye rasta Bijapur nahi jata, bhaisahab?'

That man looked at him suspiciously. Naina was praying to all gods for she was ready to die for her country but involving someone else with her was not right.

'Sahab. Dantewada me ho aap. Road par likha nahi dekhe kya?'

'Dekha tha na. Rakesh mera assistant he jo..usne bola tha ki dantewada se hi right lena he. Aap batao..kya hum log galat raste par he?'

That man with scrutinized gaze assessed them..

'Sahab rasta to sahi pakde ho..lekin ilaaka galat he. Aapko malum he ki ye ilaka naxali logo ka he.'

'Ha. Hum khud narayanpur ruke the. Bataya to local logo par ek film banani thi. Ek guide bhi rakha the sath. Lekin jab permission nahi mili to wo chala gaya.'

'Accha...' And then two people had come to the car...

'Aap ek baar apna saman dikha denge?'

And they had searched his car. They got nothing except two mobile phones,charger and cash and cards. Naina had been wondering what Sujal was doing with cards.

And then one of them had comw forward with gun in his hand. Naina had died right there. She had not wanted to have an innocent' blood on her hands..

They took Sujal out. Talked with him for few minutes and then he came back. He gave them some cash and they then let them go. Actually they turned them back.

'Thank God!' Naina had breathed in...when they came too many kilometres ahead of that area.

'Thank god nahi thank me. Wese aapko bata du ki ab aap odisha nahi jaa payengi. Yaha se Raipur hi only option he.'

'That doesn't matter. Thank you so much for helping me.'

'Mention not. By the way un logo ka kahna tha kal rat yaha 8 naxalists maar diye gaye. Aur un 8 me ek local leader bhi tha. Mujhe aisa kyu lagta he ki aap ka hath he isme!'

Naina stared at him..

'See..Mujhe koi problem nahi he. I believe in war and Peace. Peace ke liye bhi jung chhedni padti he. Aur wese bhi this is my business.

Wese man na padega. Aapko dekh kar lagta nahi ki aap aise kam kar skati ho!'

'Aapko bhi dekh kar nahi lagta ki aap itne safai se jhooth bol lete ho.'

'Agar aise jhooth nahi bolunga to meri company doob jayegi. Mujhe sach ko jhooth ki chashni me dubo kar pesh karna hota he..warna log sach par vishwas nahi karte..'

Naina had laughed and nodded...

That incident was two years back. Sujal had helped her in reaching raipur. In fact he himself had dropped her. She had shaken hand with him. They had gotten to know each other' name nothing else..because rest of the ride she was sleeping..or sitting with eyes shut.

That was perhaps another dimension. Another world where both had met casually and believed each other. No drama followed. It was simple back then.

But when they see each other there is so much complexity between them. Naina has nothing to talk with him and Sujal barely takes in her presence. Except few professional talks about her transfer..there has not been casual talking. In bharatpur too...Sujal talked only Kashish. Complete madness he spread there. And now in Delhi...Both live like two strangers. They were strangers too .two years back..but here an invisible wall is there...which always stop them from acting normally.

Its been four weeks to their marriage after all. What is there to hurry....

The relation, the facade, the agreement has been only there to prove motives. When both has got what they want or at least the hope there barely remains a scope of scooting closer for a conversation.