Chaalbaaz #ReadersChoiceAwards Completed G

Chapter 29

Part 30 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

An evil laughter cackled in the background. Riya ran! Her legs pounded against the earth in an infinite darkness. She panted heavily while stealing glances behind. There was no one but the laughter continued to increase. Frightened beyond her wits, she put in a fresh burst of speed.

Her legs stumbled and she fell into an abyss. Her body hit the hard concrete floor. She winced in pain. The laughter ceased. The only source of light was the entrance of the shaft that she fell in. She gulped in a futile attempt to rehydrate her throat. The light hurt her eyes. She averted her gaze and tried to sit up.

A shadow blocked the light. She looked up to see something falling. A heavy weight fell on her. She gasped as her eyes travelled to it. Rathore’s blood stained body was lying on her. Her eyes widened in shock and disgust. She opened her mouth to scream when another body fell on top, followed by another and then another. One by one, the entire team fell on her.

Riya woke up with a start: NAAAHIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!

Arjun hugged her immediately: Riya, it’s ok!! shaant ho jao!! Main yahi hun!

She tried to struggle but stopped feeling his familiar touch. Breathing heavily, she collapsed in his arms.

Arjun had woken a few seconds ago, feeling Riya squeamishly turn around in the bed. He tried to comfort her but her restlessness only increased while she started sweating. He caressed her forehead, whispering comforting words but they didn’t reach her. And she finally woke up screaming her lungs out.

Silent tears streamed down her face. He caressed her back to soothe her. He raised her chin when he felt her calming down.

Arjun: paani du?

She shook her head and snuggled closer. He dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Riya: coffee

Arjun: nahi Riya

Riya: please, bas aaj, kal se aapki baat manungi promise

Arjun repeated: nahi Riya

Riya: mujhe dar lag raha hai

Arjun cupped her face: Jo physically exist nahi karta usse?

Riya lowered her head: physically hota toh maar deti

Arjun: Exactly Riya, you can’t punch or kick here, tumhari black belt tumhe nahi bacha sakti. Jo tumhare man mein hai use tumhe apne dil se ladna hoga. tabhi tum ye jung lad paogi. And main jaanta hun, ant mein jeet tumhari hi hogi

She nodded, teary eyed. He kissed her forehead and laid her on the bed. Pulling the blanket over her, he tucked her in. Arjun propped his head on his elbow and stroked her hair, lulling her into sleep.

She woke up multiple times in the night, screaming, shivering and sweating. Each time, he comforted with her sweet words, encouraging her to go back to sleep and assuring that he was going to be there. It was around 5 in the morning after Riya slept peacefully, without having scary visions and hearing noises.

When she woke up, though she wasn’t very fresh, she was feeling much better. She had been able to get a deep sleep for a small amount of time. Her gaze landed on the figure next to her who was holding her tightly. A smile came on her face. What had she done to deserve him? Rubbing her eyes, she looked around.

The clock on her wall greeted her. She squinted for a few seconds, not quite understanding. Then it hit her! Hard!

Riya sat up with a jerk: OH SHIT!!!

Arjun woke up immediately: Riya!

He attempted to take her in his arms to comfort her again but she wriggled out.

Riya: Arjun sir!!

Arjun: ha kya hua?

She pointed at the clock: 8 baj gaye!

Arjun groaned: are uske liye itna kyun chilla rahi ho? woh toh roz bajte hai (he dropped back on the bed) so jao

Riya: Arjun sir! office! Hume ek ghante mein pahunchna hai! hey bhagwan! Main alarm lagana kaise bhul gayi, uthiye

Arjun lazily opened his eyes: are, tum kyun tension le rahi ho? mere hote hue kiski himmat tumhe daantne ki?

Riya got out of the bed: Arjun sir please uthiye! Taiyaar hona hai

Arjun raised his eyebrow: Riya maana ki 6 mahine ka gap ho gaya aur uske baad bhi thodi problem ho gayi lekin thoda jaldi nahi ho raha hai?

Riya: kya bol rahe hai aap?

Arjun: are abhi tumne hi toh kaha ki taiyaar hona hai

Riya: ha toh?

Arjun: bathroom toh ek hi haina? Ab tum jaa rahi ho aur mujhe bhi keh rahi ho toh

He deliberately left his sentence hanging. Her eyes widened in shock as she turned red in embarrassment. Her throat ran dry. He was clearly having fun at her expense. He winked. Drowning in her emotions, she grabbed clothes from her cupboard and ran into the washroom without sparing him another glance. Arjun laughed behind her.

Her heart beat wildly against her chest as she locked the door. She could feel heat in her cheeks. Did he really just make that joke? She could hear him laughing outside. God! What had she gotten herself into?

The ETF team was more than happy to see Arjun and Riya walk in together. Rathore had the biggest smile on his face. Just as the door of the conference room opened he jumped out and dragged Arjun with him to his cabin.

Arjun chuckled at his reaction: are Rathore, kya hua?

Rathore: chal chup-chap!

He forced him on a chair and pulled another one for him.

Arjun: kya hai Rathore?

Rathore: kya hua ye toh bata

Arjun: kis baare mein?

Rathore rolled his eyes: tum aur Riya (Arjun raised his eyebrow) are aur kya?

Arjun sighed: kya jaanna hai tumhe? Vivek ka interrogation nahi kiya tum logon ne?

Rathore: ha woh sab toh humne kar liya, tum use ghar lekar gaye the na, ache se baat hui ya nahi? sab set hua ya nahi? ab koi problems nahi haina tum dono ke beech?

Arjun felt like laughing at the curiosity and concern of his best friend. However, he dare not laugh. Rathore would murder him then and there, relieving Riya of their life together, that was something he couldn’t afford to occur now, could he?

Arjun: ha baba, ab sab theek hai

Rathore: thank god! Mujhe toh aadha dar laga raha tha ki kahi tu usse naraaz hokar na baith jaaye. Sirf uski tabiyat kharab ho gayi toh uske paas chale na gaye ho, by the way use hua kya tha?

Arjun: Liza ne kaha na, stress?

Sameer: ab kya stress hai use?

Arjun: tum jaante hona woh kitni sensitive hai, use ubhaarne mein thoda waqt lagega aur upar se itne dino se physically bhi weak ho gayi toh shayad zyaada ho gaya

Sameer sighed: hmm, jab tak woh theek ho jaaye tab tak koi problem nahi hai. Main toh use waise dekh bhi nahi paata, samaj mein hi nahi aata ki kya karu

Arjun: she’ll be fine Rathore

Rathore: khayal rakhna uska Rawte

Arjun smiled: humesha

Rathore smiled back: anyway, please tell me ki ab tum use propose karne waale ho

Arjun chuckled: yaar teri gaadi humesha wahi par kyun atak jaati hai?

Rathore: toh aur kya karu? tere muh se kabhi kuch nikalta hi nahi, Xora ke pehle hi bata diya hota toh?

Arjun: are us time, main khud apni feelings samajhne ki koshish kar raha tha

Rathore: kya samaj raha tha? pyaar hua toh insaan ko samaj mein nahi aata kya? Waise toh puri duniya ko samjhata firta hai

Arjun: oh come Rathore, us waqt situation alag thi aur tum jaante ho. Main Roshni aur Sikandar ke ilawa kuch nahi sochta tha aur tum jaante ho Roshni se mujhe pehli nazar mein pyaar hua tha aur Riya se, humara rishta alag tarah se bana hai, mujhe toh ye bhi samajte-samajte bhi time lag gaya ki mujhe jo umeed mil rahi hai zindgi se, uski wajah koi aur nahi balki Riya hai

Rathore(irritated): theek hai! maan liya lekin ab kya problem hai?!

Arjun: problem hi problem hai

Rathore: lekin tumne toh kaha ki sab sort out ho gaya hai

Arjun controlled his laughter: ha toh? woh abhi puri tarah theek nahi hui

Rathore dropped his head in his palm: oh god! Fir wahi baat

Arjun: are main uski bhalayi…

Rathore clenched his fists: Rawte tumhe aisa nahi lagta ki uski bhalayi ye baat clear hone mein hai ki YOU FREAKING LOVE HER!!!

Arjun: are chilla kyun rahe ho?

Rathore gritted his teeth: toh kya teri aarti utaru?

Arjun: idea bura nahi hai

Rathore: Rawte!!!!

Arjun feigned innocence: ha Rathore?

Rathore is about to blast on him but controls himself. He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Thinking something, he promptly stands up and starts walking out. If the idiot wouldn’t confess his feelings, fine! He would do the job himself!

Arjun is confused. He follows Rathore while calling out to him but he turns a deaf ear. What just happened to him? Why was he suddenly acting so strange? He snaps out of his thoughts when they reach the conference room where the others were all talking and laughing whilst working on the report of the previous day.

Arjun watches in bewilderment as Rathore marches upto Riya.

Rathore: Riya!

Riya(standing up): ji sir?

Smiling, he takes her hand in his, confusing everyone further.

Rathore: I know ye atyachaar hai, in fact 3rd degree torture se bhi battar hai but I am going to have ask you to do this for me, ok?

Riya subtly glanced at Arjun in confusion but he shook his head with the same expression on his face.

Riya: kya baat hai sir? sab theek toh haina?

Rathore: uh, ha. Chodo woh sab! Tum batao pehle karogi ya nahi?

Riya: uh… ha sir?

Rathore beamed: great!! Rawte loves you! jhel lo use, meri man ki shanti ke liye

Arjun hit his head with his hand while Riya blushed red. The others exchanged shocked glances. Not because of the fact that Arjun loved her. They all knew that. It was all out in the open. But because of Rathore’s expression of it to Riya.

Rathore: please Riya? just tell him that you love him too

Riya lowered her eyes shyly: woh… main, mujhe pata hai sir aur, aur unhe bhi

Now it was Rathore’s turn to be shocked: WHAT?!!?

He spun on his heel to find Arjun leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a mischievous smile plastered on his face. In an instant, Sameer realised that Arjun had been playing with him.

Rathore: What The Hell Rawte?!!?

Arjun(recklessly): come on Rathore, you know mujhe tumhe pareshaan karne mein bahot maza aata hai

Rathore: Saale Rawte Ke Bache!! Tujhe Toh Main Chodunga Nahi!!

Grabbing a pen stand, he ran after Arjun in the entire office, shocking the juniors, and eliciting a laughter riot!

The next few days passed quickly as the ETF limped back to normalcy. Vivek had been accepted and heartily welcomed into the gang. He too understood the reason for their cold shoulder initially and let bygones be bygones. Each morning, the fresh case was solved by Rathore’s brilliance, Arjun’s theories, Chotu’s muscle, Vivek’s intellect, Riya’s research, Ayesha’s network, Liza’s accuracy and Sakshi’s well, keeping interference to a minimum.

The nights were comparatively slower as Arjun helped Riya fight with her nightmares. Slowly, but steadily, they reduced in frequency. Riya woke up less often during the night, having Arjun to cuddle with every time that she did. They reduced in intensity. Riya murmured and squirmed on the bed, not waking up. Arjun’s comforting words got through to her easily and she would fall back into deep sleep with his assurance.

Until finally after a fortnight,

Riya shifted in her sleep. Arjun woke up immediately but she had just turned to snuggle closer to him. He smiled and kissed her forehead, pulling her closer in his warm embrace. Her nightmares were finally gone!.........................................

bloomie2020-07-30 07:30:43