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It was about to get dark.... And amongst all that other voices playing in background....

Gushing waters... The sweeping leaves.... And their own foot steps as they were hiking along the vicinity of sikander lake.... Like professionals....at least that's how they started it.

"naina.... Its the fourth mark..... We have to cover up 5 more to reach point 6910....
Speed it up will you...."

She. Was panting..... As she settled with her head leaning on the strong branch...
Gazing at him busy figuring the routes.... While she was exhausted.... But barely aware of it..

It had been quite after a long time that they were together as a team.
A mentor and a protegee.

It was almost like that mentorship program..... Where amidst of all the cruel oppositions... And fiasco's.... They managed to cherish a few moments of pure bliss..... In each other's company.....

Though it lead to a hurricane in both their lives.....the time they had spent together was ethereal...unforgettable... They Managed to imprint.... deeply on each other's heart........

Many things changed after that...... That bliss was almost forgotten under piles of prejudices, fears priorities and blames.....

But now after a long time..... They Are together..... No wonder they haven't yet realised what they mean to each other..
.. He has.... But not in a way he would be comfortable about it.... And she knows that something has changed.... After the time they bonded over appraisals again.....
She has been feeling some butterflies in her tummy ever since then...
But she has always been stupid enough to flamboyantly deny......assuming it to be an indigestion and nothing else.....

Now those butterflies....are howling inside her tummy as she gazes at him....with doe like eyes...
His chieseled jaw line....
Sweatbeads gathered on his brow... His manly countenance..... And how he scolds her mildly... "move it cadet singh.....we have 10 miles to cover...."

He scolds again...
She frowns....

"sir bus.... I am tired...."

He raises his eyebrow.
"cadet singh..... This doesnot suita soldier.... Come on get up getup.. Quick..." as she leans further.....sitting on the ground........

"sir please just five minutes more..." she pleads.."wese bhi we are hiking since morning....its like my legs would revolt against my entire body now...."

She frowns.... And he nods in a negative.... Sighing at her antics.....
But supresses a smile... At the fact that this tough girl has learnt to. Admit.... That she even. Needs to rest sometimes...
.. He sits beside her.....

" sir ek baat puchu... "
She. Gazes.... With her curious eyes..... And he eyes her in an anticipation....
"as expected....."
He sighs..... Tiredly...
She...... Fumbles.... Still looking at him...... Like a kitten...

"pucho.... Lekin ek shart par...."...
He smiles.... Sensing that she still hasn't looked away....

"kesi shart...."

"i will decide to answer it only if i find it interesting....." he purses his lips....

"aap ki bachpan ki sabse interesting memory kya he..." he was rather amazed..
.that she had asked. Such a random question...... She had always been to the point..... Asking about relevant stuff.....

"why do u ask that cadet singh...?"

"pata nahi..... Its just that..... Despite of u being such a jolly person..... Its always like u hide a part of yourself inside....its like we don't know u at all....." her soft gaze.... And innocent curiosity.... Melting his heart..... Almost making him feel an urge to unlock some hidden closets..... But then he restricts himself...... Why does she ask this today....

But her eyes.... Genuinely... Interested.... To know the person sitting infront of her better....

He couldn't resist...
"meri orphanage me ek shaks. The.... ..... Jo hamesha saal me. Bas ek hi baar milna aaya karte the.....he was in army.....and i used to be so fancied by his presence...... But was too scared to talk to him..... Unke aate hi chup jata tha.... .... Kuch saal bad..... When. I was 12....the orphanage authorities shifted me to an army school.... Tab mujhe pata chala.... Ki mere 5 saal ki umar se.... Wo mujhse milne aaya karte the...
He wanted to adopt me ..... Aur bas kuch mahine pehle unki ek mission me death ho gai..... Par he was the one who enrolled me in army..... "

She was looking at him..... No judgement.... No questions...just enchanted by the fact.... That he was always attracted to where he was destined to be.....

" pata nahi..
Ab sochta hun to bada ajeeb lagta he..... Jis insaan ko saal me sir eek baar mila karta tha..... Wo hi mere jeevan ki prerna ban gaye.... I never remember how my parents looked like..... Par col. Shetty..... Unka chehra aaj bhi mere aankho ke samne aata he....... Esa lagta tha... Jese unse koi rishta he..... Unhone apna sara kuch ek orphan ke naam. Kar diya..... Jis se unhone kabhi baat bhi nahi ki... Ye baat abeeb bhi he aur dilchasp bhi...."

She sighed....... And he chuckled....
" Ab tum batao...."

She hesitated....

" kya... "

" apne bachpan ki koi interesting kahani.... Me bhi kahan janta hun tumhe.... "his eyes intense......

" pata nahi..... Esa koi interesting wakiya to he nahi nai".... She shrugged.....

"that's not fair..."he groaned.....

" me hamesha se kahaniya sunne me khoyi rehti. Thi....... Bhaiyya jab chuttiyon me ghar aate the..... Tab mano duniya badal jati. Thi..... Pata nahi....muje lagta he.... Ki insaan do zindagi jeeta he.... hamari real zindagi and those stories wali zindagi in jahan kabhi bhi kuch bhi ho sakta he.... "

She said.... And he smiled..... They were talking like friends..... Soulmates.....

" Chalein..." he said reluctantly.... Still gazing at her with glittering eyes.....

She extended a hand.... And he pulled her.... In a jerk..... To himself.....

She landed closer to him... And his breath hitched......

He gathered their bags... And they walked..... Not aware that their fingers are still entwined.....

They kept talking.... Bantering about random things......

Giggling.....

"sir..... Aap sach me. Unhe bhaga kar shaadi karne wale. The.." he was narrating how he had planned to elope with his girlfriend who also happened to be a senior's daughter.....

"haan.... Par end moment pe pata chala.... Ki wo sare love letters.... Jo. Me. Use book. Me daal ke diya karta tha... Wo kabhi. Use mile hi. Nai.... She was actually in love with my batchmate...
Aur me usse apni shaadi ke sapne dekh chukha tha..."

He laughed.......

" fir... Unhe pata chala....tab kya hua.... "
" use pata chala hi nai.... Usne bhaag kar shaadi zarror ki.... Par mere us batchmate ke sath...under implementation of the plan... Jo mene apne liye banaya tha"

"ohh.... Poor you.... Par aap ne kabhi usse kuch kaha nahi...."

"kese kehta....... Meri. Bhi kuch self respect thi yaar...." he frowned..... And his cute frown made her chukle.....

"haan par wo love letteres teen alag alag ladkiyon ko mile.... Aur teeno se peecha chudate chudate... Mera court marshal ho. Jata.... Aur pata he ye khurafat kiski. Thi..... Naveen ki" he frowned angrily....

And they both laughed. And laughed.....

Not realizing how that laughter melted..... Into softer feelings.... In the night...

"i can't imagine you juggling between three girl cadets......aap sakshaat huda ke avtaar the.. Apne academy days me...."

She laughed harder...

"oh... What do you mean..... Cadet singh... Aap apne senior ko flirt keh rahi ho" he faked anger...

"jee nahi.... Me wahi bata rahi hun.... Jo aap the..."
She bantered. ...... He got so childishly angry that he threw some water on her....and she reciprocated......

They were fighting cutely.... With the bottle.... And soaking each a other wet.... Laughing their heart out...
"aah...sir baas baas.... .." she pleaded tired of the teasing.....

"say sorry...." he said cheekily....

"no....".... He again indicated towards the bottle..... "accha okk... Sorry sorry..."
She leaned on him..... With her head on his shoulder

And the sounds and chuckles silenced..... While their fingers still entwined together...... Darkness and cold...
Swirling wind.... And wasps... Making sounds....

They were lost in eachother..... In some other world. Full of stories.... And fantasies and ecstasy.. Lost all track of time place and person.....

She raised her hand to brush off the leaves on his forehead.... Reminding him of one such intimate moment between them...but unlike that night.... Today.... Her eyes reflected same feelings as his....

Her fingers running on his chin...sliding on his jawline... While he sighed... Closing his eyes....

She didn't know.... What made her rise on her toes..... And now their noses were only a millimeter apart....

It were his fingers resting on her waist.... Pulling her close...... While she fisted his sleeve..... With an innocent grip.... Wanting to stay closer...

Their curious noses brushed against each other..... And fingers... Playing with his squarish ones..... She brushed her lips softly on his..... And he gasped..... Opening his eyes....

Looking at her..... In a divine form..
Her quivering lips....her closed eyes...
And like her.... He too lost the track of reality.... And got lost in his land of stories and fantasies.....
. Unable to distinguish between them and reality.... Or perhaps he bought her theory of people having two lives.... And he is living his other one.... Where he is allowed to do anything....where logic and reason doesn't work..
. .

He cups her face..... And pecks her lips.... Once... Twice thrice...and it wasn't long before they were kissing deeply....... Sucking each other's lips.....

Playfully rolling and twisting tounges....

Only until he released her to grasp a breathe... Did he not realise...what just happened....
Their minds still clouded by the leftover feeling of each other's lips... That flavour... That softness and delight