Chapter 22

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 22 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Riya: ek tyre fate toh galti, 2 fate toh gunah…………………….

Arjun freezes momentarily: tumhe neend aa rahi hai, bakwas band karo

Riya: acha? Main apna purse lene aayi tab tak aap jaa chuke apni bag lekar lekin jab hum neeche aaye toh aapka koi ata-pata nahi tha, aapki car bhi wahi khadi thi, aur fir aap gate se right mudne ke bajay, left mude kyunki taxi stand us taraf hai aur hum waha gaye

The car screeches to a halt as Arjun stares at her.

Riya smiles: aapne hi kaha tha na sir, ki baarikiyon mein itna nahi ulajhna chahiye ki naak ke neeche rakhi cheez na dikhe

Their eyes lock with each other. Just then, Riya’s phone started ringing, breaking their trance.

Riya: ha Rathore sir?

Rathore: pahunch gayi?

Riya: uh nahi sir bas, abhi pahunch jaungi

Rathore: hmm, Rawte tang toh nahi kar raha?

Riya: nahi sir

Rathore: ok, text me when you reach

Riya: sure sir, good night, thank you

Rathore: good night Riya, take care

Call disconnect.

Arjun looks away. He grips the steering wheel and restarts the car. The rest of the journey passes in silence. He stops outside the gate of her home.

Riya: thank you sir, good night

She had just stepped out when Arjun called her.

Arjun: Riya

She leans on the window sill: ji?

Arjun: tumne bola kyun nahi?

She smiled: kyun? aap koi rakshas hai kya? Jo mujhe khaane ka plan kar rahe the?

Arjun shook his head: tum nahi sudhrogi

Riya: aur sach kahu toh mujhe laga ki shayad aap mujhse ya fir Rathore sir se badla le rahe hai aapse paperwork karwaane ke liye

Arjun: toh tumhe lift nahi deta….(he finally faces her) tumse baat karni thi

Riya opened her mouth to say something but a yawn came out.

Arjun: jaao, jaa kar so jao

Riya: Arjun sir

Arjun: hm?

Riya gazes into his eyes: aaj aapko haste hua dekh kar bahot acha laga. Sach kahu toh yakeen bhi nahi hota ki us darinde ne use cheen liya. I hope ki kisi din, aapki khushi laut aaye… good night sir! kal milenge

And with that she walks down the pathway of her garden and into her home leaving Arjun with the emotions she had invoked with just two sentences.

Arjun mv “koi uska naam bhi le toh use bhi saath-saath jala kar raakh karne ka man karta hai, nafrat hoti hai logon se, har jagah jhuthi tasalli dene aa jaate hai par pata nahi kyun jab tum kehti ho, toh sacha sa lagta hai, koi tumhe chot pahunchaye toh wahi aag firse jalti hai, tum paas hoti ho toh apna sa lagta hai (he sighs) aakhir ye kaisi kashish hai Riya? ki duniya ko samajhne waala, khud ko hi nahi samaj paa raha hai?”

Next morning-

Rathore and Chotu were in the conference room when Riya arrived.

Riya: good morning!

Rathore: good morning Riya

Chotu: tujhe aisa lag raha hai ki meri morning good hai?

Riya(taking her seat): kyun, kya hua?

Chotu pointed to his dark circles. She giggled.

Riya: are mera Chotu! Coffee lau?

Chotu: subah se 5 cup pee chuka hu, ab thodi der baad

Riya arches her eyebrow hearing 5 cups but gives him a thumbs up.

Riya: Rathore sir, file de di sir ko?

Rathore: ha and he was actually very happy ki humne itni jaldi ache se report taiyaar kar li

Riya: chalo koi toh khush hai, by the way Shree nahi aaya abhi tak?

Chotu: aaya tha na, Arjun sir ne use bulaya tha, ab tak waapis nahi aaya

Riya: oh kyun?

Chotu: bhagwan hi jaane

Riya: ok, main desk par chali

Chotu: nahi ruk jaa! Shree bhi nahi hai, main kya karu? kya kaam hai tujhe jo desk par jaana hai?

Riya leaned and whispered: are samjha kar re, koi kaam nahi hai, neend aa rahi hai, jhapki maarne jaa rahi hu (aloud) tere saath baith kar sirf gappe ladate rahungi, ekto woh Kalki Devi waali report bhi ab tak khatam nahi hui, bye!

Saying so, she leaves the room. Chotu purses his lips to control his laughter. Rathore glares at him.

Rathore: seekho use kuch

His eyes widen: ji sir

On the other hand-

Riya enters the room to find Arjun at his desk and Shree doing sit-ups.

Shree groaned in pain: 233… 234… 235…

Riya(shocked): ye, ye kya ho raha hai?

Shree: Ri!!

Arjun glared at him: Shree!!! (Afraid, he continued) 500 sit-ups

Riya: par kyun?

Arjun: meri marzi

Riya: sir aap kya, sir dekhiye toh sahi bichare ko… saans bhi nahi bachi sir, us din bhi aap usse push-ups karwa rahe the, Shree ruko!

He stops in relief.

Arjun: Shree!!

He restarts.

Riya: Shree ruko!

He stops.

Arjun: Shree!!

He sits down again.

Riya: Shree ruko kaha na!

Arjun: Shree khabardaar jo ruke ho toh 1000 karwaunga

Shree(horrified): Nahi!!!!! main, main karta hun sir

Riya: Arjun sir ye kya ho raha hai? (he doesn’t respond) are, aap kyun karwa rahe hai ye toh bataiye

Arjun: uski saza hai

Riya: saza? Kis baat ki saza? Aur us din…

Arjun: us din bhi usne galti ki thi aur aaj bhi ki hai toh use saza mil rahi hai, aur kuch?! Ab jao!

Riya: lekin sir kis baat ki saza?

Arjun: tumse matlab?

Riya: Arjun sir jab tak aap batayenge nahi tab tak, woh apni galti sudharega kaise?

Arjun: tum beech mein mat pado! Ye mera tareeka hai

Riya: hey maa Durga! Arjun sir, aisa kaunsa tareeka hota jo saza bhugatne waale ko ye bhi nahi pata ki saza kis baat ki hai

Arjun glares at her: mera tareeka!

Riya sighs: Arjun sir aap…

Just then Chotu barges into the room. He freezes seeing Arjun’s presence. His eyes pop on Shree’s count of sit-ups.

Chotu: sorry sir

He raises his eyebrow: sorry kehne ke liye aaye ho?

Chotu: nahi sir.

Arjun (sternly): toh fir bako!!

Chotu: woh sir, Rathore sir ne bulaya hai, ek case hai

Arjun mutters curses under his breath. He looks at Shree who still hadn’t stopped due to the fear of his wrath.

Arjun: count yaad rakhna warna case ke baad 0 se

His jaw drops to the floor before he does. Arjun leaves. Riya and Chotu rush to him.

Chotu: Shree!!

Riya: Shree ye sab kya hai?

Shree(whining): aah! Mujhe nahi pata, mere pair…. mumma!!!!! (he hugs them) bachao mujhe is khadoos se, koi toh bachao

Chotu: dekh, jaldi chal, warna is khadoos ke baad Hitler ka bhi saamna karna padega

Shree wails: mere saath hi sab kuch kyun hota hai?!!? Ri!!!!!!

Riya: shaant ho jao Shree, tu chal, hum kuch karte hai baad mein, chal abhi

Reluctantly, he nods.

Conference room-

Rathore barks at them: kaha reh gaye the?

Riya: woh sir Shree ka pair fisal gaya toh halki moch aayi hai

Arjun: acha? Moch aayi hai, lao Shree (flipping the marker) main mod deta hun

Shree screams, understanding the underlying meaning: NAHHIIIIII!!!!!

Rathore glares at all of them: Shut up! Both of you! (shaking his head) ek resort ke andar uske owner ki laash mili hai, hume solve karna jaana hai, apne extra pair ke kapde saath le aana, hume ek do din rukna pad sakta hai

Chotu: sir extra toh ek hi hai, dusre din kya karenge (Rathore glares at him) manage kar lenge sir!

Rathore mutters under his breath and leaves. The others follow.

Parking lot-

The ACP’s were waiting for the others, clearly annoyed.

Riya: Shree tum mere saath chalo, mujhe thoda kaam hai

Shree moved his head to nod before realising she would be going with Arjun.

Shree: nahi! nahi Ri…(glancing at the bosses) tu chinta mat kar, main apne pair ka khayal rakhunga

Riya: Shree chalo kaha na

Chotu mumbles: are mujhe kyun sir ke saath akela chod rahe ho?

Shree(whispering): are main hun na, Riya main nahi jaa raha Arjun sir ke saath

Riya whispers: Shree, chalo kuch nahi hoga, jaisa kehti hun waise karo, Chotu ek din adjust kar le

Rathore(sternly): tum logon ki Khusur-phusur khatam ho gayi?