"Good Morning Monami" I wish her excitedly.

"Good Morning" She replies to me in a dull tone.

Wait a minute, we just became friends yesterday and she is ignoring me. Is she fine..?? I mean like such a dull good morning wish, no excitement.. we are friends now.. we are officially friends...

I am in this corridor, a corridor I don't visit often just because her room lies in this corridor.. I am here to wish her the first good morning as a friend.. and this .. this is the excitement she shows me in her tone. I am done .. I am so done...

Wait why am I behaving like that teenage guy whose crush just ignored him and now he is all over dramatic.. may be because my teenage crush never ignored me... she used to give me attention whenever I used to ask her doubts.

My phone rings pulling me out of all the overdramatic thoughts.. I noticed she was gone.. she didn't spare a glance at me after that dull good morning, my self respect must be crying somewhere in corner right now. I will also ignore her now decided.

I realised I missed the call. Karan boy.. what are you doing.. The phone rang again and the caller id flashed 'MOM'

I answered the call excitedly, I had a dull good morning wish from her but I can't do the same to the person I love the most.

"Good morning Mom, how are you"

"My son sounds excited today.. are the new cadets proving themselves worthy with each passing day that you are excited to make them stronger and challenge them more..???"

"The cadets are fine mom"

"Then the excitement is all about.."

"I just made a new friend.."

What why did I tell her this reason...

"Congratulations that is nice...I am sure you must have seen something in that person to make a friend"

I am not ready to tell her that the friend is a girl right now and she has sweeped me over my feet.

"Mom I will now take your leave I also have to get ready"

I know the next topic I need to end the call before that.

"I was going to talk about your..."

"We will talk about that in the evening mom... bye"

Saved. Marriage marriage marriage. The moment you reach 26, your parents are behind your marriage .. I have dealt with this one year successfully... but how am I going to deal with this for another two years. I have no plans of marrying before 29, why don't these people understand it. I need a promotion before tying up in expectations of another person. Being a single child is so painful, you are the only one who are expected to fulfill all the wishes of your parents. This is a tough job.

I am running late.. I need to get to the training ground.

***

I saw her just outside the training ground and there were still 5 minutes left for training ground assembly time, I can surely talk to her. I rush towards her but stop midway recollecting the insult I was served in the morning today.

She ignored me why am I running towards her... I groaned inside my head.

"Good Morning Karan" She excitedly walked towards me...

Is she calling me..?? A spark shone in my eyes as she came closer and stood near me.

"I am really sorry for the morning, I am not really a morning person you see.. especially at 6 am in the morning you can't expect me to have energy.. you were so energetic and I had not even washed my face.. hence that dull reply.."

"That is absolutely fine" I said with a broad smile.

My self respect must be cursing me right now.

"I mean I understand you might not have a habit of waking up early.."

Was that a good cover-up. Wait was it even a cover-up.

"Yes.. I actually preferred doing night shifts over morning shifts..and gladly other doctors carefully handled morning emergencies... otherwise I would have been caught sleeping in the operation theatre" She let out a small laugh after the statement.

She laughed I am gone. I stand still appreciating the way her white teeth shine between her pink lips.

"We are getting late, we need to be on the training ground Karan Sir." She pulled me out of my thoughts ..

I nod. Time to be a professional now.

"Three rounds of the ground and hundred jumping jacks now. Start."

No...no...no...no.. Faizi not now.. He might have seen me talking to Monami... or may be her hugging me yesterday. No not that case otherwise this restless soul would have jumped into room at mid night.

"Karan, Khanna Sir has prepared the week's progress report of these cadets, you have to check them once and sign them."

Professional talk. Means he is not here to pull my leg. I let out a sigh.

"All fine..Karan.."

"Yaaa... everything is fine.. I will do it once today's day is over.."

"Great." Faizi leaves.

I got saved. It is not like that I don't love him but when it is about pulling my leg which he gets a chance to do often or he decides to make it up whatever.. I dislike him to the core. But when I get an upper hand a chance to pull his leg .. that day seems like the best day to exist. I guess he teases me because I ger irritated easily.

I will tell him about Monami and me becoming friends after the day is over. He will tease me but he deserves to know that.

***

At the night after I leave Faizi's room informing him about my and Monami's friendship and he teases me to his content, at which I blush hard but keep a stern face I bump into Monami.

It is her.. My face lightened up, I hadn't seen her after the training ground in which I had to scold her a little because she was not lifting weights properly. I can't mix my personal and professional life.. I am committed to my work.

"Hi, Karan"

"I didn't see you after training ground."

"Actually there was some issue in my admission form... so I was with the admission department ... looking at it."

"Ooo... that is fine.. I thought you were angry at me for what happened at the training ground." I grinned.

"Karan I call you Sir at the training ground and as a trainer you have full rights to scold me.. I will never ask you to mix your personal and professional life .. nor will I do so.. on the training ground we are trainer and cadet and what happens there remains there.. outside the training ground we are friends and what happens as friends remains as friends.

" Thank you for understanding Monami" Her beautiful words bring a genuine smile on my face.

"Good night Karan.. Indeed to wake up early again tomorrow.."

I wish her good night and walk towards my room to retire for the day.

As I enter my room I see the progress reports on my table waiting to be signed.

I guess the day will be a little longer

I go through the progress reports of each cadet and stop at Monami's. She is doing great she is better than the rest, nothing can stop her from being my best cadet if she continues like this. I admire how brave she is despite going through so many problems in her personal life she is performing great on the ground not letting it affect her performance. Also she is so understanding.. the way she keeps her personal and professional life separate is just...just... perfect.

Stop she is making me fall harder each day. She has the all qualities I want in my woman.

Karan signs the remaining progress reports and retires for the day.

___________