Chapter 7

Arjun quickly climbs up the front steps and rings the doorbell. Within seconds, the door opens and before he could register anything, a figure throws herself into his arms...

Riya: Arjun sir!!!!!!

A pleasantly surprised Arjun smiles and wraps his arms round her whilst stumbling a little for balance.

Riya: aap theek toh hona?

Arjun: ha Riya, main bilcul theek hun...ab agar tumhari permission ho toh main apne hi ghar mein andar aa sakta hun?

Embarrassed, Riya moves away from him: woh...ha... aayiye

He enters inside and closes the door behind them.

Riya: aap fresh ho jaayiye, main kuch khaane ko laati hun, I'm sure aapne kuch khaaya nahi hoga. Kehte hue kitchen mein chali jaati hai...

Riya was cooking when Arjun hugs her from behind. A smile creeps up on her lips

Arjun: thank you!

Riya: kis liye?

Arjun: mujhe bachane ke liye aur kis liye?

Riya turns of the gas and turns. Her arms wound around his neck: ji aisa hai ki woh aapke liye nahi balki humare pyaar ke liye tha

Arjun leans: acha hum kya alag hai?

Riya: hmm... dekhna padega...kahi Jail se koi aur toh nahi chut gaya?

Arjun pulls her closer: toh dekh lijiye na madam kisne mana kiya hai? (winking) jitna dekhna ho dekh lijiye, mujhe koi problem nahi hai

Riya blushes : Arjun stop!!!!

They laugh as their forehead touch each other's in a loving manner. He kissed her forehead, then her lips and embraced her tightly.

Arjun(confused): Riyu?

Riya: hmm?

Arjun: ye tumhare haathon se soap ki itni zyaada fragrance kyun aa rahi hai?

Riya: kyunki maine 10-15 baar unhe sabun se dhoya

Confused he steps back: kyun?

Riya: kyunki...(disgusted) mujhe unhe kachre ke dibbe mein daalna pada!!

Arjun(shocked): TUMNE KACHRE KE DIBBE MEIN HAATH DAALE?!?!?! TUMNE!?!??! Aisi Kaunsi Majburi Aa Gayi Thi? It's like... like Mere Paas Toh Muhavra Bhi Nahi Hai... Why Would You Do That?!?!? Aur Woh Bhi Tum?!?!

Riya: kyunki agar main aisa nahi karti toh aap abhi tak jail mein hote

Arjun: kya matlab?

Riya: Matlab Ye Ki Woh Card Kachre Ke Dibbe Mein Tha!! Aur... Aur (sheepishly) isliye maine haath daala

Arjun just stares at her.

Riya: aise kyun dekh rahe hai aap mujhe?

He tries to control his grin: tumhara kachre mein hath daalna Juliet ka zehar peena jaisa hai Riya... mujhe toh yakeen nahi ho raha hai

Riya sternly use dekhti hai: mujhe samaj mein nahi aa raha hai ki aap mujhe compliment dekar thank you keh rahe hai ya fir comment maar rahe hai

Arjun laughs: compliment hi de raha hun.

Riya: fir theek hai, ab aap baahar jaiye main khaana lagati hun.

Arjun: jaldi, bahot bhook lagi hai

Riya blinks slowly: ha, bas 5 minute

Arjun leaves. Riya soon comes and they have a peaceful meal...

ETF office-

Everyone is seated in the conference room

Shree: sir ab Sakshi ka kya hoga?

Rathore looks at him as if he would burn him down. Afraid, Shree shuts up and looks away.

Ayesha helps him out: uske puchne ka matlab tha ki Sakshi abhi bhi ETF ka hissa hai ya nahi

Rathore sighs: Mujhe nahi pata aur na hi karna chahta hun!...

At the moment the watchman enters and salutes: sir!

Sameer: kya hua?

Watchman: sir, jab aap log nahi the tab koi office mein ghus gaya tha

His statement shocks everyone.

Sameer: aise kaise koi ghus gaya? Kya Kar Rahe The Tum Log??

Watchman lowers his head: sorry sir, paar woh aage ke gate se nahi aayi thi. Main round maarte hue peeche pahuncha toh woh dustbin ke paas thi, maine awaaz lagayi, uska chehre par scarf bandha tha aur mujhe dekhkar woh peeche ka gate kud kar bhaag gayi

Sameer(shocked): Kud Kar Bhag Gayi??

Watchman: ha sir

Ayesha: theek hai tum jao...hum dekh lenge

The watchman salutes and leaves.

Shree: sir, court mein sabut dene bhi koi ladki aayi thi

Chotu: aur uska chehra bhi dhaka hua tha

Liza: kahi ye wahi toh nahi?

Sameer(annoyed): really?? Acha hua tum logon ne bol diya...warna mujhe toh pata hi nahi chalta

The trio silence themselves

Ayesha removes her phone and calls up someone

Sameer: kise phone kar rahi ho?

But she only gestures him to shut up: hello?...ha main ETF se Ayesha Rathore bol rahi hun, mujhe ya jaanna tha ki humare ilawa Arjun sir se milne koi aaya tha kya?...ha puch lo...(disappointed) acha theek hai, thanks! ( call disconnect)

Sameer: Ayesha kya chal raha hai tumhare dimag mein?

Ayesha: Sameer, hum sab Arjun sir ko jaante hai, woh koi bhi baat adhuri nahi chodte toh phir court mein unhone us ladki ke baare mein pata kyun nahi karne diya? I think woh us ladki ko jaante hai aur agar woh use jaante hai toh zaahir si baat hai woh unse milne bhi gayi hogi...aapko yaad hai jab Arjun sir ko arrest kiya tha tab waha police station mein bhi ek ghunghat waali ladki aapse takrayi thi? Aur dusri baat ye ki humare ilawa aur kisi ko nahi pata ki us din kya hua toh us ladki ko kaise pata ki Sakshi ne unhe Card diya tha? Aur use dhundh bhi liya? Arjun sir ke ilawa aur kisne use ye baat batayi hogi?

Everyone looks at her with a blank look. She raises her eyebrow.

Shree: waah re! tu toh Arjun sir ki female version hai, ye sab toh Rathore sir ne bhi notice nahi kiya

Sameer Shree ko glare karta hai: tumhari baat sahi hai Ayesha, kuch toh gadbad hai...koi milne gaya tha kya usse?

Ayesha(upset): nahi...unse milne koi nahi gaya, wahi toh atak rahi hun

Liza: sir aap Arjun sir se puchne ki koshish kyun nahi karte?

Shree: are par kya puchenge? Aur kaise? Ki Arjun sir aap kisi ladki ko jaante hai jo 24/7 hide and seek khel rahi hai?

Sameer falls into thought. It was too much of a coincidence, it was hard to believe that Arjun had no clue about who that lady was. Then again, he had refused to investigate which probably meant he didn't want to disclose the facts and if that was the case, even he would not be able to get anything out Arjun's mouth. He decides to try nevertheless, atleast Arjun's reaction could tell him if he was aware of the facts or not.

Arjun's house-

The love birds were curled up on the sofa, with the TV on, to which neither of them were paying much attention. Riya was telling him about how she sneaked into the office and the watchman almost caught her but she escaped.

Arjun: tumhari aaj kal ki harkate dekh kar mujhe doubt ho raha hai ki main tumhe theek se jaanta bhi hu ya nahi

Riya giggles: The trick is not to get caught. And winks

Arjun(innocently): but I got caught without doing anything

Riya(angrily): ha woh ladki ek baar mere saamne aye na toh Chodungi nahi main use!!! Samajti kya hai woh khud ko!!! (relaxing) but acha hua ki usne aap par sirf office mein badtameezi karne ka ilzaam lagaya imagine agar usne aisa kaha hota ki aapne us par rape attempt kiya hota toh kitna ajeeb ho jaata...kyunki us raat toh aap mere saath the...fir court mein mujhe entry maarni padti, end moment par judge ke faisle se pehle (dramatically) Rukiye your honor! Ye sab jhut hai kyunki Arjun sir us raat mere saath the...fir sab sochne lagte ki aap ek hi time par do ladkiyon ke saath kaise ho sakte hai? considering the fact aapki reputation toh Hitler se battar hai aur sabko shock lagta ki is Hitler ki do-do girlfriends hai? upar se Chotu ko toh aisa hi lagta ki mera bhoot aapko bachane ke liye aaya hai...(excitedly) kitna filmy ho jaata na?

Arjun is just staring at her: tumhare dimag mein aise ideas aate kaha se hai?

Riya: mera imagination overactive hai

Arjun: ha woh toh dikh hi raha hai

Riya starts laughing and in the process her hair shift a little where Arjun sees her empty earlobes.

Arjun: are tumhari earrings kaha gayi?

Riya taken aback by the sudden question fumbles: woh...(fidgeting with the place her jewelry was) woh...achanak pata nahi kyun thodi...thodi chub rahi thi...toh maine nikal di

Arjun (sternly) : dusro ka mujhe nahi pata but you are a bad liar in front of me...sach-sach batao!

Riya: woh ...kuch nahi sir...aise hi

Arjun: Riya meri shakal par kya bevkuf likha hai?

Riya(sheepishly): woh...maine...main...

Arjun: RIYA

Riya(closing her eyes): maine de di

Arjun(confused): de di? Kisko de di?

Riya: woh...us...court mein...woh...andar sabut pahunchana tha toh...main...maine...

Arjun(realizing): Tumne Us Peon Ko De Di?!?!?

Riya lowers her head:...ha

Arjun(upset): kyun Riya? Tum...tum aise kaise kar sakti ho yaar?...

Riya: mere paas us waqt koi option nahi tha, woh maan hi nahi raha tha isliye, please aap...aap itna upset mat hoyiye

Arjun: kaise na hou Riya? Tumne...

Riya: sir woh toh dusri bhi aa jaayegi, par aap toh ek hi hona (hugging him) mere liye aap se zyaada zaroori aur kuch nahi hai

Arjun didn't know how to respond. He just hugs her back. Silence prevails between the two till the doorbell disturbs them.

Riya(annoyed): ugh!!! Do minute chain nahi hai kisi ko!!! ab kaun hai?

Arjun smile karta hai: pata nahi...tum andar jao

Riya nods and goes into her room. After making sure she was inside, Arjun opens the door.

Arjun: Rathore?

Sameer tries to enter but Arjun doesn't let him.

Sameer: are raaste se hat

Arjun: umm...nahi

Sameer: what??

Arjun: main anjaan logon ko ghar mein nahi ghusne deta

Sameer(sternly): Arjun stop it! Mujhe tumse zaroori baat karni hai

Arjun: jo bhi karni hai yahi khade-khade karo

Sameer(annoyed): Arjun Ye Kya Bachpana Hai?

Arjun: Rathore dimag mat khao mera, kya kaam hai seedhe-seedhe bolo warna mujhe aur bhi kaam hai. bye!

He closes the door...