Chapter One

He climbs in her window in the middle of the night, so silently that she doesn't even wake up.

It's only when he's shaking her awake with one hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming that she realises he's there.

"Shh," he whispers to her, careful not to wake up Pooja where she lies sleeping in the next bed. It's only when Naina nods her head that he removes his hand from her mouth.

"I don't know how much time I have here," he tells her seriously, "So listen carefully to what I need to tell you…"

/

Two months later…

Huda has finally won.

Three days before they graduate from KMA, Naina finally comes to see him in his room. Just as he'd predicted she would all those years ago.

He has never given up asking her to marry him, he has done everything in his power to win her over and finally it has worked.

She stands there quietly for a moment, just looking at him, her hands clutched tightly together as if she is nervous. Finally she speaks.

"Huda I'm ready to get engaged to you." Naina says simply and he jumps in the air punching his fist, yelling out "Yes!"

Huda hugs her then and Naina hugs him back she feels loose in his arms, as if she is slipping away from him.

"But you'll have to wait for me, before I can get married there's some things I need to do." Naina tells him, her expression serious.

Huda nods eagerly, no matter what it is that Naina needs to do he is prepared to wait, after all, he's waited for two years already.

"Oh tikh hai Phoolan, just let me call up my mummyji, we can hold the engagement after graduation." There is no way he is going to give her time to change her mind.

She just nods quietly and turns to leave.

"Rukho Phoolan," Huda calls out, a doubt forming in his mind. "Tum khush ho, hai na?"

"Of course I am, Huda," she replies, a smile coming to her face, "Why else would I finally agree?"

He is bursting with so much happiness that he wants to share it with someone, so he rushes into the room next door to find Aalekh practicing his English homework.

"I've won, Qaidi!" he calls out joyfully. "Phoolan finally mere hogayi!"

Aalekh looks up in surprise as soon as Huda rushes into the room.

"What do they say…Congratulations." Aalekh tells him, without any change of expression. "But if you've won, then who's the loser?"

"Oy Qaidi, main bohot khush hoon, mera saath panga mat lo…" Huda starts to say and then stops at the look on Aalekh's face, for once he is completely serious.

"Kya matlab?"

"Leave it," Alekh says with a shrug. "There's nobody else left to compete with, is there?"

Huda just stares at him, wanting to pretend that he doesn't know what Aalekh is talking about.

"I don't care," Huda replies, "She's said yes and she's happy to marry me, I don't need to have won against anyone. Phoolan isn't a bet to me."

Aalekh shrugs and packs up his books.

"Oy, where are you going ?"

"To tell your dulhan congratulations," Aalekh replies, and is gone.

And Huda is left thinking, has he really won or is it just that he is the only one left? All of his rivals are gone, and in the end has he won Phoolan or been given her?

With Captain Rajveer and Captain Abhimanyu gone, only he remained…

Huda has finally won.

So why is it that he feels like he is only getting a consolation prize?