Rajveer

I climbed down from my jeep in a secluded area where I had called Chaubey to meet me.

When Chaubey messaged me in the morning to inform me that the address which Naina gave in the academy was not her address, I called him here, asking him to bring the information he had been able to collect on Cadet Naina Singh.

Once I saw him at a small distance from me, I walked to where he was standing.

"Chaubey, are you sure that the address mentioned in Cadet Singh's form is not her real address?" I asked again to confirm.

"Yes, Sir. I am sure. I have even gotten her correct address," Chaubey replied to me and gave me the note containing Naina's real address.

His confidence made me sure too because I know how efficient Lieutenant Roshan Chaubey is in his work. He is one dedicated army officer and is also loyal, reliable, and trustworthy.

Reading the note Chaubey handed to me, I found Naina was from Nainital. I frowned, wondering why she lied about her hometown.

"Ok, Chaubey. It is Saturday today, so I do not have any classes or drills with the cadets. I am going to Cadet Singh's house to inquire more about this. When I am gone, it is your responsibility to look over those triggers," I informed Chaubey.

"Do not worry, Sir. I will take care of everything here. And about those triggers too, you have the access card, and you know no one can get inside without that access card," Chaubey replied.

"Yes. I know Chaubey. It is impossible to get there without the access card, and I always keep the access card with me.

"But still, this is the matter of national security, and we must not take this lightly," I reminded Chaubey, and when he nodded, I climbed into my jeep and started driving to Naina's house.

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Standing in front of Naina's house, I rang the doorbell.

I do not know what to expect, but I feel like I will find at least something in her home. If there were nothing here, she would not have lied about her address.

An older man opened the door and I noticed him getting somewhat conscious as he looked at my army uniform.

"Yes? What can I do for you?" The man spoke a bit stiffly, and I wondered why he was reacting this way.

"Hello, Sir. I am Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat. I am from KMA, and I am here to verify Cadet Naina Singh's address," I lied smoothly and saw the man getting surprised first but later, he sighed, looking defeated.

"Yes, I am Naina's father, Sudhir Ahluwalia. Please come inside," He stepped aside, motioning me to enter the house.

Once inside, I saw a woman standing in the middle of the room, looking at me cautiously.

Mr. Ahluwalia introduced her to me. "This is my wife, Ira Ahluwalia. Please sit down, Captain Rajveer."

Nodding at him, I sat down on the couch and looked around.

But I stilled suddenly when my eyes fell on a photo frame placed on the table beside the couch. There were other people in that photo too, but my eyes only focused one person in that photo.

That person was none other than my late best friend, Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia.

Seeing that photo, something clicked on my mind, and every piece fell into its place.

The weird way Naina introduced herself, the reason she looked so secretive, the reason behind her joining the academy, and the reason behind her lying about her address.

At that moment, I realized I had indeed been right about Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia joining KMA with an ulterior motive. Her ulterior motive is to prove her brother's innocence.

I jolted out of my reverie when I heard Mr. Ahluwalia's voice.

"Yes, Captain Rajveer. That is my son, Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia, who was declared a traitor by your army. And she is my daughter and Naveen's sister, Naina Singh Ahluwalia, who has joined the academy to prove her brother's innocence. What will you do now, Captain? Will you report this in the academy to get my daughter expelled?" He asked me rather rudely.

"I do not know why you are thinking like that, Sir. I am just here to verify Cadet Singh's address. I have done that, and now I will take your leave. And I assure you that I will not be reporting anything in the academy. My job is only to verify the address, nothing else," I reassured Naina's parents.

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Third Person's POV

Both Sudhir and Ira were surprised, hearing Rajveer.

They usually get a nasty response when people, especially army officers, get to know about their son.

The way Rajveer talked with them gave a new hope to them that their daughter might have an ally inside the academy.

"You know Captain Rajveer, we have heard a lot about you from our son. Whenever he used to come home from the holidays, he always talked about you. My daughter also told us about you when she knew about you being in the academy.

"But she also told us she is not sure if she can trust you. She said to us she is not sure whether you too think of Naveen as being a traitor or not.

"So, today, I want to ask you, Captain Rajveer. Do you think that my son and your friend, Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia, was a traitor?" Ira questioned him directly.

Rajveer could not decide on what to tell them. He wanted to say to them he never thought of Naveen as being a traitor. Wanted to tell them that ever since he heard of Naveen being declared a traitor, he has been trying to prove his best friend's innocence and will keep on trying until he succeeds in doing so.

But he knew he could not tell them this. If he tells them anything of this sort, there will be questions, and he will have to disclose many other things which cannot be disclosed to civilians.

"My work here is done. So, I should take your leave," Rajveer said, and quickly standing up and nodding at Naina's parents, he walked out of the house.

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Naina paled when she heard her father on the other end of the line.

Captain Rajveer had been to her house, and he now knew about her being Naveen's sister.

'He will now report it to Brigadier Chandok, and I will be thrown out of the academy. I will never be able to prove my brother's innocence now,' she thought, feeling as if all energy has been drained out of her.

Hanging up the phone, she kept staring ahead, unable to figure out how to handle this situation.

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Rajveer reached the academy and climbed down from his jeep. He was then about to go inside the academy when he heard a voice.

Frowning at who could be out of the academy just an hour before the lights out, he walked to where the voice was coming from.

Reaching there, he was surprised to see Naina kneeling on the ground and crying.

"I am sorry, Naveen. I will not be able to prove your innocence now. I will not be able to get your honor back. I will not be able to get our family's honor back. I am sorry. I lost before even starting," Rajveer heard Naina speak, and his heart went out to her.

He knew she is saying all this because she must have received a call from her home informing her about his visit.

He knew she must be thinking he will report to Brigadier Chandok about her being Naveen's sister leading her to being expelled from the academy.

He was about to go to her and reassure her, but she suddenly stood up.

"No. I will not lose this time. I will not let this system drag me down. I will fight, and I will win. Your sister will not give up on you so easily, Naveen. Never." Saying that, she wiped her tears and walked towards the academy, not noticing Rajveer in the corner with a small smile on his face.

Rajveer knew she will go to his room now to confront him, so he too quickly walked inside toward his room wanting to reach there before her.

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As Rajveer had expected, Naina stormed inside his quarter, her eyes spitting fire.

Once inside, she closed and locked the door.

"Have you already reported to Brigadier Chandok then, Sir? Have you told him that I am a traitor's sister? Have you all decided to throw me out of this academy?" She asked him, her face showing all the anger she felt for him at that moment.

"Cadet Singh, I--" Rajveer started, but Naina interrupted him.

"What, Sir? What did you want to hear? Did you want me to beg you not to tell Brigadier, or did you want me to request you to help me stay in this academy? Well, guess what. I will not request or beg for anything.

"Do you know what the worst thing in this situation is? It is that my brother considered you as his best friend. He always praised you and your honesty.

"But today, I am sorry to say, but this system has also corrupted you. My brother must be so ashamed of you today," Naina finished speaking and her words fueled Rajveer's anger.

'How dare she?' He thought and walked towards Naina.

He clutched her arms and brought her very close to him.

Naina hissed in pain and tried to remove her arms from his grip, but he clasped her arms more tightly.

"Done speaking, Cadet? Now you listen to me and listen very carefully.

"Naveen was, is, and will always be an integral part of my life. He was my only best friend, and not for one second, I have doubted on him.

"Ever since he was arrested on a charge of being a traitor, I have been collecting evidence to prove him innocent, and I am still trying to prove him innocent.

"Let me tell you, Cadet, that I will not rest until I prove my late best friend's innocence.

"So, don't you dare say all those things to me," Rajveer finished, and shoving Naina back roughly, turned away from her.

Naina lost her balance and hit her hand on the edge of the table.

Her hand hurt, but she did not heed to her pain. The only thing she focused on was how Rajveer Sir told her that he believes in Naveen's innocence.

Although he had spoken those words angrily, they still warmed her heart. No one else has ever believed in her brother's innocence, and no one else has ever defended her brother's honor.

"I am sorry, Sir. I did not mean to hurt you. I did not know you too believe in my brother's innocence. I know it is my fault. I should have asked you first before accusing you. I am sorry," she apologized sincerely.

"Leave me alone, Cadet Singh. And you do not have to worry about me reporting you to Brigadier Chandok. I will never do that. Rest assured, your secret is safe with me," Rajveer told her without turning, and Naina felt more guilty.

She realized her words must have hurt him deeply. That is why he is behaving like this.

She knows she should not have said all that, but she was high on emotions and was scared and angry too.

She wanted to explain it to him but thought against it. He is furious now and it would be better to let him calm down first.

So, she decided to talk with him tomorrow after he has cooled down.

With that decision, she quietly walked out of his room, softly closing the door behind her.

Rajveer heard the door close and turned around.

He was fuming.

How dare Naina think that way about him? How dare she accuse him without even listening to him? How dare she tell him Naveen would be ashamed of him? How dare she?

He picked up a vase from the table and was about to throw it when he saw the bloodstain at the edge of the table.

He replayed in his mind everything that happened in the room since Naina entered and realized with horror that it must be her blood. She had gotten hurt when he had roughly shoved her back.

He quickly walked out of the room to search for her.

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He went to the infirmary first, thinking that she might have gone there, but the infirmary was closed.

He then went to her room, but her room was locked from outside.

He then asked the orderlies if they have seen her, and one of them told him she was seen walking towards the academy garden.

He then ran towards the garden and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Naina sitting on a bench at a corner of the garden.

She was looking up at the moon, her face illuminated by moonlight and silent tears running down her cheek. She looked so sad and yet so beautiful.

Rajveer slowly walked towards her.

"Show me your hand, Cadet Singh," he said to her and noticed her startle out of her thoughts.

"Oh, Rajveer Sir. I didn't see you coming," she said, looking at him.

"I said show me your hand, Cadet," Rajveer insisted sternly, and Naina immediately obliged.

Rajveer took a sharp breath, seeing an extended cut in her left hand, and it was slightly swollen too.

"Are you trying to hurt yourself more, Cadet? Why didn't you go to the infirmary to get it dressed?" He was still angry at her, but he could not stop himself from getting concerned too.

"I had gone to the infirmary, but since it is Saturday today, the infirmary is closed, and Shalini Ma'am is also not in the academy.

"I also could not go to my room to dress it myself because I forgot my key inside the room, and Pooja has gone out with Huda and Yudi," she informed him.

"Ok. Come with me then," Rajveer told Naina, and turning around, he started walking inside the academy, making sure Naina was following him.

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Once inside the quarter, Rajveer made Naina sit on the couch in his living room, and taking out his first aid box, he started cleaning her wound.

Naina hissed in pain and clutched his shoulder with her other hand. Rajveer felt guilty for hurting her.

"I am sorry, Cadet Singh. I should have controlled my anger," he apologized to her.

"No, Sir. You do not need to apologize. It was my fault because I told you all those things without thinking. And maybe Naveen punished me for hurting his best friend," she told him, smiling softly at him, and Rajveer's smiled back, hearing her words.

"I wish you had given me a chance to explain before saying all that nonsense. Sometimes, it only takes a moment to shatter someone, and you shattered me by saying that Naveen would be--" he could not complete the sentence and sighed heavily.

"I know, Sir, and I am sorry. I know I should have listened to you first but so much has happened in the last four years that I am scared to trust anyone anymore," Naina told him, her voice hoarse with emotions as she remembered the shunning from the society she and her parents have faced for the last four years.

Rajveer finished dressing her wound and kept the first aid box on the table beside the couch.

He then asked her. "What happened in the last four years that you were even scared to ask about my opinion?"

Hearing his question, Naina did not answer but just shook her head.

"I am not sure if I am ready to share it with anyone yet. But I am glad someone in the academy believes in Naveen's innocence as much as I do. I hope we can bring him justice one day," she replied.

Although Rajveer wanted to know what had happened to her in the last four years, he did not probe further.

"I promise you, Naina, we will prove Naveen's innocence one day. I cannot tell you when but I can surely assure you that the day will come when Naveen will be called a martyr instead of a traitor," Rajveer promised Naina, smiling softly at her, and Naina smiled back at him through her tears.