Chapter 67

Bloomie

@bloomie

Surprise! early update

Anyway, I'm sure you guys remember me asking for your preferences about the next story. If it should be the TS or one of the OS. Based on all responses uptil now, the majority vote has gone to the TS The Homecoming. Toh bhai audience poll sweekar ho chuka hai. Pehli wahi post karungi. (After Humsafar :P)

Back to this story, enjoy the update!

Part 66 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Vikram: Riya…

Riya: Vikram sir, IPC Section 84!!............................

They all stared at her in shock.

Rathore: excuse me! Tum mujhe pagal bol rahi ho?

She looked him straight in the eye: ha!

Rathore stared, dumbfounded.

Vikram: Riya…

Riya: main unhe bachane ke liye nahi keh rahi hun, main sach keh rahi hu. Roshni ki maut ki wajah se ye shuru hua, he acted irrationally immediately after that, Arjun sir ko bachaya toh sahi lekin unhe aage bachane ke liye unhi ko blame kiya. Jaan buchkar unki baatein na maan na, fir ye sochna ki mere hone ki wajah se woh Sikandar ke paas jaa rahe hai, impulsively mujhe kidnap karna, maarne ki koshish karna aur fir khud mujhe chodna? He Is Cognitively Dysfunctional Due To Trauma!! Unhe pata bhi nahi hai ki woh kab kya kar rahe hai. Unhe sirf Roshni ke aakhri shabd sunayi dete hai.

Vikram squinted: that doesn’t sound very serious

Riya: my attempt to murder isn’t serious enough of a consequence for you?

Vikram is dumbstruck: I… main…

Riya: He Freaking Hallucinates Blood!

Rathore is stupefied. How did she know? Did he tell her? Why didn’t he remember it?

Chotu(angrily): Tum Unhe Kaise Bacha Sakti Ho?

Riya: Chotu…

Chotu: kuch nahi sunna mujhe!

He stormed out of the room.

Rathore: Riya…

Riya: You Are Mentally Unsound To Have Your Opinion Considered So Shut It!

Vikram: Riya tumhe pata bhi hai tum kya kar rahi ho?

Riya: main wahi kar rahi hun jo sahi hai (looking at Rathore) victim main thi, main jaanti hun maine kya dekha

Vikram’s gaze darted between the two of them. Honestly, he was confused. He knew Riya wouldn't forsake justice just for the sake of sentiments. At the same time, he didn’t feel like letting the whole thing go for medical reasons. It was a serious breach. At the same time, he did not want the team to break. After all, he had chosen those stars together for being as perfect as they could be. Yet, he couldn’t allow this.

He looked at Arjun but he was just staring at Rathore and Riya with moist eyes and a flat face.

Shaking his head, he uncapped the glass of water and drank the whole thing. Tapping the empty glass, he continued to think.

The silence continued for the next 15 minutes. Finally, Vikram took a deep breath. Placing the glass on the table, he leaned forward.

Vikram: theek hai Riya

Rathore’s eyes widened in shock while she felt relieved. He had not thought any of them would agree. Hell! he hadn’t even thought that Riya would try and defend him after everything he put her through.

Vikram announced: ACP Sameer Damsingh Rathore shall be sent for psychological intervention. He will be demoted. Jab tak tum theek nahi hote, tab tak tum duty se suspended ho. Uske baad inquiry conduct ki jaayegi. On the basis of which tumhe saza milegi on charges of abduction and attempt to murder. ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte will take over as Chief and SI Riya Mukherjee as second-in-command. Written orders tum logon ko chutti ke baad mil jaayenge.

Ayesha, Shree and Liza did not know how to feel. They couldn’t understand anything. They couldn’t even process that Rathore’s screws had gone for a toss.

Vikram dismissed them. His head had started aching.

Chotu was waiting outside. He came ahead seeing Shree come out.

Chotu: kya hua?

Shree: Vikram sir maan gaye

Chotu(angrily): kaise maan gaye?

Barring Arjun, the others walked out. Rathore lowered his gaze and left without sparing anyone a glance.

Chotu: Riya, kyun kiya tumne aise?

Ayesha: Chotu, unhone sabse behtar raasta nikala

Chotu: raasta? Raasta Nahi Excuse Hai Ye!

Liza(tearfully): Chotu samajne ki koshish karo…

Chotu: kuch nahi samajna mujhe! Tum logon se zyaada main jaanta hun unko! Mere trainer the Rathore sir aur wahi kehte the ki criminal ko kabhi bhi

He stopped short seeing Arjun come out. The others turned to see what stopped him. Arjun stood in front of Riya.

Riya’s neurons were firing. Already, Chotu was angry. She knew Arjun would be sad and shocked. What if he was going to get angry at her saying why she hadn’t told him when it was Rathore? What if it made him hate Rathore? What if he got angry at her for saving him? Or worse what if he got upset with her for disclosing it without telling him first?

However, Arjun had another thought also running through his mind.

Arjun: dur rehna mujhse (her eyes widened in shock) warna koi aur bhi maar dega

Riya: Arj…

He left before she could let even a word from her mouth. Her eyes moistened. Tears streamed down her face in the next instant.

Shree placed a hand on her shoulder: Ri!

Sniffing, she quickly wiped them off.

Riya: tum log ghar jao, chutti ke baad milenge

Shree: par Ri…

Riya: bye!

She left, keeping her head down. Chotu followed. The other three looked at each other.

Canteen-

They were sitting with coffees and milkshakes but lost in their thoughts. Liza played with her straw. Shree nudged her. She looked up questioningly. He gestured towards Ayesha. Liza turned to see her staring at a wall in the distance.

Why wouldn’t she be hit? She secretly crushed on him. Never had it occurred to her that he would do something like this.

Liza sighed. None of them had thought, something like this would occur in ETF. She placed her palm on Ayesha’s.

A tear betrayed her. She looked down, gripping Liza’s hand. And a flow started. Her shoulders shook as she tried to stop the torrent of sadness.

Liza: please sambhal khud ko

She gave her a side hug, helping her to gather herself.

Shree: socha tha chutti milegi toh maze karenge lekin yaha toh (sighing) mujhe toh abhi bhi yakeen nahi ho raha hai. Upar se Arjun sir aise keh ke chale gaye. I hope unke aur Ri ke beech deewar na aa jaaye. Udhar Rathore sir toh surrender karne ko taiyaar hai (rubbing his temple) Saala samaj mein nahi aa raha ki ho kya raha hai?

Liza: jaise koi bura sapna ho

Shree: bas khuli aankhon waala. Rathore sir aise kaise kar sakte hai?! Karne ke baare mein soch bhi kaise sakte hai?! Sar fat raha hai mera.

Liza: agar… agar woh surrender karne ko taiyaar hai toh, toh iska matlab toh yahi hua na ki unhe apni galti ka ehsaas hai

Ayesha: lagta toh hai par unhone jo kiya, kya use galti maana jaa sakta hai? agar Riya ma’am ko kuch ho jaata toh?

Shree: hume toh pata bhi nahi chalta. Hum yahi sochte rehte ki woh Vikram sir ke kaam se gayi hai lekin fir unhone khud Riya ko chod diya

Ayesha took a sip of her coffee to soothe her nerves: aur ma’am jo keh rahi thi? Rathore sir ko sadma laga hai?

Liza: ho sakta hai. I mean unhone first-hand experience kiya. She must have seen some signs. kabhi-kabhi sure shot depression ya PTSD nahi hota bas choti-choti baatein hoti hai jisse insaan trigger ho jaata hai, baukhla jaata hai, dar baith jaata hai aur fir usse ladne ke liye ya khud ko bachane ke liye kuch impulsive kar leta hai. Jaise ki agar ghar mein domestic violence ho toh bache bade hone ke baad bhi unchi awaazon se darte hai, bhale hi woh mazaak main kyun na ho. You know, flashbacks, random hallucinations, stuff like that especially jab insaan stress mein ho.

Shree nodded: Also, Riya kabhi galat hoti nahi hai I mean, woh impulsively act karne waalon mein se nahi. woh har cheez soch-samaj kar karti hai. Lizard sahi keh rahi hai, usne kuch toh dekha hoga isliye unhe seedhe jail nahi bhej rahi. I’m sure usne is baar bhi wahi kiya gaya and honestly speaking, come on yaar, woh Rathore sir hai. Woh aise kyun karenge? Kuch toh gadbad hogi na?

Ayesha: kiya toh hai (she took a deep breath) isliye khud admit kiya. Aur kanoon sabke liye ek hai.

Liza: oh god! Mere dimag ka dahi ho raha hai. Hum kya kare?

Silence set in.

Shree(thoughtfully): bharosa

The girls looked at him questioningly.

Shree: Rathore sir par ki woh jaan buchkar kisi ka bura nahi karenge, bharosa ki woh apni galti sudharenge aur bharosa ki Riya ne sahi decision liya hai. Woh justice ko face karenge and he will come out clean.

He held out his hand. Ayesha and Liza looked at each other and put their hands on top.

Ayesha: bharosa

Liza: ki hum ETF hai aur hume koi nahi tod sakta

Shree: oh ya that too

They smiled collectively, returning to their drinks in hope of a pleasant future for the team. That the worst was behind them.

On the other hand, Chotu was in a taxi going towards home. He was fuming. He could not understand why everyone was supporting Riya’s decision. Even the damn commissioner! He had respected Rathore like a mentor and now the entire image was crumbling down.

No! He wouldn’t have it. He simply couldn’t fathom the middle road. How can someone be right and wrong? It was always right or wrong! or, a big fat OR! That is why right and wrong was wrong. The two can never co-exist at the same time. It is either legal OR illegal. It is either criminal OR not criminal. Guilty OR innocent. The same way, right OR wrong. No ands worked there.

Rathore’s house-

He opened the door with his keys and went straight to the kitchen. Grabbing his bottle of Old Monk and a glass he went to his room. As he poured himself a glass, his gaze faltered to the photos on the wall. Most of them were laughing or smiling faces of him, Arjun and Roshni. His eyes moistened.

He took a huge swig of his drink and let his tears fall.

Riya’s house-

Riya was lying in her parent’s bed with her mother’s chain around her neck. Her fingers fondled with the pendant.

A gunshot rang in her head as her mother fell in a pool of her own blood.

Startled, she sat up straight. Taking the chain off, she stared at it.

It had always comforted her. She used to use it when she missed them because it was one that her father had gifted on one of their anniversaries and she never took it off. The only time it left her neck was when they were supposed to burn her. Rajiv had given it to her on her 18th birthday saying, “Ye hum dono ka pyaar hai tumhare liye, hausla hai, ki chahe jo ho jaaye, hum humesha tumhare saath rahenge. Tumhare paas, tumhare saath, tumhari himmat bankar.”

It used to remind her of their love and more importantly their love for her. This was the first time she was getting restless because of it.

Why wouldn’t she? The only person alive that she loved the most was slipping away from her. For the second time! In the same week!

She was now second-guessing if she did right by telling the truth. If she hadn’t told Arjun she had been abducted then none of this confrontation would have had to happen.

She clutched the chain to her heart.

How could she? What was the point of love if there had to be so many lies in it? She had been taken against her will. She had been backstabbed by someone she trusted. She was afraid. She wanted that shoulder to lean on. Was it too much to ask for?

She jumps hearing her phone ring. A flicker of hope rises in her heart. Could it be Arjun?

She lunges to grab it, only to be disappointed. She was in half a mind to reject it but then wiped her tears.

Riya: hello?

Rathore: Riyaaa!!!

Riya squinted: are you… are you drunk?

Rathore: drunk? Nahi toh… main toh, sirf aadhi bottle pi hai

Riya sighed: Rathore sir, you’re drunk!

He complained: NAAHII!!!

She took the phone away from the ear to bear his scream(irritated): kya hai?

Rathore: Riyaaaa

She rolled her eyes: ha?

Rathore: I love you!!!!

Riya(shocked): What?!?!

Rathore: tum bahot achi ho!! pata hai main, ek second gala sukh gaya

She listened to horrific silence as he took another sip of his drink.

Rathore: tum bahot achi ho! You know mujhe pata hai. Arjun isliye tumse pyaar karta hai. maine bahot tang kiya na tumhe? (crying) I’m sorry but sachi… tum bahot achi ho

Riya tread cautiously: Rathore sir, aapne abhi mujhe I love you kyun kaha?

She might as well get answers out of drunk Rathore if he was more vocal about his emotions.

Rathore: kab bola? Oh haaaaa!! Maine bola. Because I love you bhabhi!!

Riya heaved a sigh of relief.

Rathore: tum duniya ki sabse achi bhabhi ho! I love you!!! ekdum choti si, pyaari si, choti si, Pari si, sachi si, pyaari si, choti si…

Riya sighed. She wasn’t in the mood to entertain him and definitely not a drunk him. He was the reason all of this was happening in the first place. She was about to hang up when he spoke again.

Rathore: ekdum Roshni jaisi par woh gandi nikli. Usne jhoot bola! Mujhe bahot gussa aaya. Lekin, lekin maine use kuch bola hi nahi (giggling) pata hai kyun?

Riya: nahi

Rathore started sobbing again: kyunki woh mar gayi, gandi hai woh. Bhaag gayi, darpok. Bhaag gayi mujhe aur Arjun ko chodke, gandi ladki! Dost bola, bolkar bhaag gayi. Riyaaaa usne wait hi nahi kiya. mujhe daantna tha, darpok!!

He cried for some time while Riya wondered what the hell was happening. Since when did her life get so complicated? That her boyfriend’s ex-best friend was drunk dialling her to complain about her boyfriend’s late wife.

Rathore(sniffing): tum bhi waisi ho. Lekin tum toh waisi nahi nikli. Kyun?

Riya: Rathore sir, please drink karna band kijiye aapko…

Rathore: NAHII!!! (she is taken aback) tum aisa nahi kar sakti! jab dekho tab tum mujh par manmaani karti ho, bachane ki koshish kyun kar rahi ho? Kaun apne khooni ko bachata hai? KYUN?!!?

Riya raised her eyebrow. After all this, he had the audacity to accuse her? She glared at the screen wanting to scream, “You were the one who abducted me, you freaking dammit!!” but then refrained.

Rathore: tumne mujhe saza bhi nahi karne di, tum mujhe drink bhi nahi karne de rahi (clutching his glass to himself) main drink karunga!!

Riya sighed.

Rathore deflated: par tum achi ho, Arjun ko kuch nahi hua. Tumne promise nibhaya! (kissing the phone) I love you bhabhi!!

Ok! this was getting too much to handle. Riya ran a hand through her hair to calm herself down.

Riya: Rathore sir, main abhi baat nahi kar sakti, main phone rakhti hu

His voice cracked again: tum bhi jaa rahi ho? mat jao! Mat jao na… tum toh achi hona?

Riya took a deep breath as she felt frustration building up inside her. Gritting her teeth, she spoke.

Riya: Rathore sir, mujhe kaam karna hai. agar nahi hua toh Vikram sir mujhe pareshaan karenge. Aap chahte ki woh mujhe pareshaan kare?

Rathore: NAAAHIIII!!!!

She took the phone away from her ear again.

Rathore: tum jao! Abhi jao! Vikram khadoos hai! tum jao! Jaldi jao! Jao!!!

Riya hung up. She felt as if her brain had been dipped in batter and fried in boiling oil. Throwing her phone to the other side of the bed, she wore the chain again. Clutching it, she fell on the bed and pulled the quilt over her head. Only distractions could help her now. Processing emotions can go to hell. She was not doing any of it till they decided to start making sense to her. That would teach them to harass her like this………………….....