Chapter 33

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 33 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Riya: main toh kya huh? Shayad aapko yaad nahi toh bata du ki aap akele nahi hai, mujhe sachayi batane waale aur bhi hai, Shree, Chotu Ne Mujhe Sab Bata Diya!

Arjun: kaunsi sachayi? Kya bata diya?

Riya: Sakshi Ke Baare Mein!

Arjun: Sakshi ke baare mein? Lekin maine tumhe bataya toh tha ki ETF mein aayi hai

Riya: bataya tha, lekin sirf ye ki woh aayi hai, Ye Nahi Ki Aap Dono Ek Dusre Ke Saath Flirt Karte Hai!!................................

Arjun is stunned for a moment: kya? Flirt? Tumse aisa kisne kaha? Kya bataya un logon ne?

Riya: Yahi Ki Woh Aap Par Line Maarti Hai Aur Aap Kabhi Use Kuch Bhi Nahi Bolte!

Arjun exhaled deeply, that’s what she was angry about. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried or laugh.

Arjun: are baba…

Riya: baat mat kijiye mujhse!!

Arjun took her hand in his: Riya aisa kuch nahi hai, ha woh flirt karti hai lekin main usse kuch kehta nahi hu iska matlab ye thodi hai ki main enjoy kar raha hun?

Riya: acha? Jab main aapko compliment deti hun toh aap mujhe taana maarte hai aur uska line maarna bhi aapko gawara hai?

She turns her face. He hooks his index finger under her chin, making her look at him.

Arjun: aisa kuch bhi nahi hai Riya, main tumhe isliye chedta hun kyunki mujhe tumse baat karna acha lagta hai, usse mujhe baat nahi karni, isliye react nahi karta

Her anger reduces a little. She still looks at him suspiciously.

Arjun puts her fears to rest: sach mein Riya, tum toh meri hona? Woh thodi hai?

With that, the remnants of her fury dissolve. Her expression softens. Arjun smiles.

Arjun: ab chalo gussa chodo aur mujhe ek pyaari si Riya waali smile do

Her lips curve automatically making his heart skip a beat. She hugs him and he squeezes her close in assurance. His lungs started breathing again mv “paagal! Tumhari jagah bhi koi le sakta hai bhala?”

But that was not the end. Shree had paid last time to ignite a fight between them, and he would pay for it this time as well, along with Chotu.

The juniors were engrossed in paperwork the next morning when Arjun arrived in the conference hall with his cutting.

Sakshi: good morning Arjun!!

Arjun ignored the wish: tum logon ki chaar case ki reports baakhi hai!

Ayesha(irritated): case tha sir, uske baad hi report banayenge na

Arjun: acha? Mujhe toh laga tumhari pen mein koi jadoo hai, jo report likhne ke baad case banta hai

They engaged in a glaring battle. Arjun snapped out of it. He had more important things to do.

Arjun: Chotu!

Chotu: ji sir?

Arjun: chaaro case ki report tum akele banaoge kal subah tak!!!

Chotu almost fell from his chair: KYAAA?!?!!? Lekin sir…

Arjun: Shree! My cabin now!

Shree started sweating as he stood up fearfully mv “hey bhagwan meri raksha karna” He turns to leave along with Arjun when he stops at the door.

Arjun turns his face: aur yaad rakhna, mujhe tumhari handwriting aur grammar dono ache se pata hai, samjhe ya samjhau?

Chotu gulped in fear: ji… ji sir

Arjun leaves with Shree following him.

Ayesha: inko kya ho gaya?

Chotu cries out: mummy!!!

Liza: tu fikar mat kar Chotu, hum teri help…

Chotu: Nahi!!! pagal ho gayi hai? suna nahi sir ne kya kaha? Woh meri handwriting aur grammar dono jaante hai, agar tum logon ne help ki toh pakka pakda jaunga

Ayesha: par Chotu tum akele kal tak kaise karoge? Aur case aaya toh investigation ke time likh bhi nahi paoge

Chotu: jo bhi ho Ayesha, karna toh padega hi warna Arjun sir mera transfer kar denge, main time waste nahi kar sakta (picking up all the papers) desk par jaata hun, toh shaanti se kaam hoga

She had barely nodded when he ran off.

Arjun’s cabin-

Arjun sat in his chair. Shree stood silently in front of him. Sweat trickled down his forehead.

Arjun: 500 push-ups

Shree: KYAAAA?!?!!?!?!?

He glared at Shree. Having no other go, he starts with his push-ups.

A case arrived a while later providing a little respite to Shree but Chotu knew the more he stopped, the more trouble he would be in. However, he could not stay away from the case either. They solved the case by evening after which Shree and Chotu both had to finish the tasks assigned to them.

Next morning-

Rathore and Arjun arrived from a meeting with the commissioner at around 10 am. At Shree’s station, Ayesha and Sakshi were consoling and comforting him while he whined and whimpered. A few steps away, Chotu was sitting on his desk with dark circles the size of his own body.

Rathore: ye sab kya ho raha hai?

They turned. Chotu is horrified on seeing them, he still had 15 minutes worth of work left. He frantically increased his writing speed.

Shree: sir woh…. mere… mere haath dard kar rahe hai sir, bahot zyaada

Rathore: kyun?

Ayesha looked at Arjun accusatorily: kyunki Arjun sir ne usse 500 push-ups karwaaye kal aur Chotu saari raat office mein baith kar unke kehne par 4 case ki report akela likh raha tha taaki woh use abhi submit kar sake

Rathore turns to Arjun but he doesn’t show an ounce of emotion on his face.

Rathore: What?!? Lekin kyun? aur Rawte! Reports itni bhi urgent nahi thi aur thi bhi toh sirf Chotu akela kyun? aur Shree ke saath…. ye pehli baar nahi hai, chal kya raha hai tumhare dimag mein?

Arjun: ho gayi tumhari wakaalat?

Rathore: dekho Rawte tum…

Chotu screamed: HO GAYA!!!!

He shut the file and dropped it on the other three. He ran with them to Arjun.

Chotu: ho gaye sir

Arjun took them and left.

Rathore: Rawte!

He doesn’t respond. Taking a deep breath, he turned to the victims.

Rathore: Chotu tum ghar chale jao, aaj chutti le lo, jao

Chotu: thank you sir!

Rathore: Shree, woh tech expert ke bagair kaam toh nahi hoga but tumhe field ki chutti de sakta hun aaj

Shree: thank you sir!!

Rathore nods: zara aana mere saath.

He nods.

Rathore’s cabin-

He gestures to Shree to sit while he does.

Shree: ji sir?

Rathore: ye sab kya hai? ye dusri baar Rawte tumse…

Shree: dusri nahi sir, teesri baar

Rathore: kya?

Shree: ha sir

Rathore: kab?

Shree: sir woh pehli baar toh aapne dekha hi tha aur fir dusri baar uh… ha woh Ganpati murti ki chori hui thi na? uske baad… sit-ups karwaaye the

Rathore: tab bataya tha kis liye?

Shree: mujhe toh nahi bataya sir par dusri baar jab Ri ne dekha toh usne help karne ki koshish ki, toh sir ne kaha ki woh mujhe saza de rahe hai

Rathore: kis baat ki?

Shree: bhagwan jaane sir, Ri ne bhi pucha, sir ne use kuch nahi bola, fir case aa gaya toh nikalna pada par fir baad mein unhone apne 500 sit-ups khatam karwa hi liye

Rathore nods: theek hai tum jao

Shree: ji sir

He leaves.

Rathore scratches his chin mv “saza? Kaisi saza? Kis baat ki? Pehle sirf Shree aur ab dono? In dono ne aisa kya kiya ki unhe khud bhi nahi pata? Aakhir chakkar kya hai?”

However, it wasn’t that easy to crack the ACP Arjun Rawte, was it? His questions remained unanswered like the others.

It was a fresh morning, when Riya arrived at the new ETF office. She gazed at the glass building for a few seconds, impressed by the amount of budget the government had decided to spend. She walked in and took the elevator.

She stepped out on the 8th floor. The office finally looked like an office. It was no longer dimly lit with makeshift architecture. It was bright, white and urban in its interiors. It looked more like a corporate set up now. Most of the main hall was occupied with desks where people were working along with laughing and chatting at the same time.

She took her own sweet time, walking around the place, taking in the beauty of the place while seeing what was where. She was brought out of her thoughts by a sharp female voice.

Girl: hey! Kaun ho tum?!

She turned. A girl in a kurti and patiala stared back at her. There was a scarf around her neck and a jewellery exhibition around her wrists. Riya smiled.

Riya: hi main…

Girl: hi? Tum yaha hi-hello karne aayi ho?

Riya: kya? Nahi main….

Girl: dekho, ye ETF office hai, modelling auditions agli gali mein hote hai

Riya: main jaanti hun…

Girl: toh fir yaha kya kar rahi ho? dekho! Yaha aise aana allowed nahi hai, main tumhe jail mein band kar sakti hu

Riya is amused now: jail mein? Matlab police?

Girl: hey bhagwan police nahi ETF! Naam suna hai? pata hai ETF ka full form kya hai? Emergency Task Force!

Rathore: kya ho raha hai yaha par Sakshi?

The girls turn. Riya smiles at him.

Sakshi: are Sameer dekho toh ye ghuse chali aa rahi hai, sun hi nahi rahi! Maine ise arrest karne ki dhamki di toh bhi nahi, mujhe toh lagta hai ki ye koi jasoosi karne aayi hai aur…

Riya: good morning!

Rathore beams: good morning darling!

She giggles. Sakshi’s jaw drops to the floor.

Rathore: tum jao Sakshi, main dekh lunga

She stares at the two of them.

Rathore: Sakshi!

Sakshi: huh? Ha?

Rathore raised his eyebrow. Realising, what he said, she nods and leaves. He shakes his head and puts his arm around Riya’s shoulder.

Rathore: tum toh kal aane waali thi na?

Riya: ha woh maine jhoot bola tha, kaisa laga mera surprise?

Rathore: bahot hi acha! Kya keh rahi thi woh tumhe?

Riya: ETF ka full form (Rathore giggled) so, that’s the reporter

Rathore: yup

Riya: mujhe lag hi raha tha, bina saamne waali ki baat sune, khud ki baseless kahani shuru karne ke kaam sirf media hi kar sakti hai

Rathore: well, let’s just say ki jab tak woh apni skills use nahi karti tab tak ETF mein shaanti bani rehti hai (She chuckled) waise aaj tumhara pehla din hai, so keeping up with tradition, is pehle din bhi main tumhe office ka tour deta hun, dusre floors dekhe?

Riya: nahi, saare humare hai? pure ke pure 14 floors?

Rathore: most of them, waise toh 1st floor mein canteen hai, 2nd mein training, 3rd mein shooting range, 4th mein armoury, har baar Rawte se illegally rifles nahi mangwa sakte na (she laughs), 7th par forensic lab hai, 9th par evidence room, baakhi sab mein desk holders hai, jo intelligence ki information par work karte rehte hai, thode floors khaali hai

Riya: ooh

Rathore: come I’ll show you around

On the other hand-

Sakshi goes straight to the conference room. Ayesha and Liza were talking animatedly.

Liza: are Sakshi, tu coffee laane gayi thi na? kaha hai?

Sakshi: are coffee chodo! (she sprints to them) tum logon ko pata hai Sameer ki girlfriend hai?!

Ayesha: what?!

Sakshi: ha maine use abhi dekha

Liza: Sakshi kya bol rahi ho? maana ki Rathore sir handsome hai lekin saath-saath woh khadoos bhi hai, obviously Arjun sir ki race mein nahi lekin unke paas kaunsi ladki apni zindgi barbaad karne jaayegi?

Ayesha glared at Liza: excuse me! Woh utne bhi bure nahi hai

Liza teased her: maine bura kab kaha? Maine toh bas khadoos kaha, tu kyun hyper ho rahi hai?

Ayesha: shut up yaar!

Sakshi: are chup yaar! Main sach keh rahi hun, mujhe 100% yakeen hai

Ayesha: dekho unki koi girlfriend nahi hai

Sakshi: are hai! maine khud dekha abhi-abhi Sameer ne use darling kaha

Liza’s jaw dropped to the floor.

Ayesha: KYA!

Shree and Chotu enter just then.

Shree: kya hua Ayesh? Subah-subah bhoot dekh liya kya?

Chotu: ae bhoot ka naam mat le!

Shree: tu kyun dar raha hai, darna toh humare Chief ko chahiye