Chapter 29

Arjun closed the door immediately: Kamina Kahin Ka! Is Rathore Ko Toh Main Chodunga Nahi!! Saala Samajta Kya Hai Khud Ko?...

He almost ran to his room.

Outside-

Rathore was the only one who still had his sanity.

Shree: Arjun sir, bina shirt ke kyun ghum rahe the? Aur achanak kyun aise bhaag gaye?

Rathore pointed at the girls: usne expect nahi kiya hoga ki koi ladki hogi isliye. Anyway tum ek kaam karo na Shree, yaha meri jagah par khade ho jao

Shree(confused): kyun sir?

Rathore(sternly): jitna kehta hun utna karo!

Shree: okay sir

They exchanged places. Ayesha looked at Sameer suspiciously wondering why he had done that. She didn't have to wait long. The door opened after a few seconds as Arjun dressed himself completely and a punch landed on Shree's nose before Arjun could even come out of it. Shree shrieked in pain.

Arjun(shocked): Shree???? Oh my god! I'm so sorry!! Mujhe laga Rathore hai

Ayesha glared at Sameer who was subtly trying to contain his laughter.

Shree(pinching his nose): koi baat nahi sir, par please dekh kar punch maara kijiye, bahot bhaari hai

Arjun tried to comfort him: I'm so sorry Shree! Mujhe sach mein nahi pata ki tum ho...zyaada lagi? Khoon beh raha hai kya?

Shree(reeling back from the shock): nahi sir, bas thoda zor se laga

Arjun turned to go inside: main, main doctor ko phone karta hun, ruko tum

Shree stopped him: are nahi sir, I'm fine. Sach mein...doctor ki zaroorat nahi hai

Arjun: lekin...

Shree: pakka main theek hun sir, aap itna tension mat lijiye.

Arjun felt relieved as he turned normal. He immediately glared at Rathore.

Arjun: SAALE SAM KE BACHE!! TERI TOH!!! (Sameer ran from the porch and Arjun followed him) SHARAM NAHI AATI TUJHE!! BACHE KO DHAAL BANATA HAI!! BUZDIL, KAYAR, DARPOK, FATTU!!!

Shree: bacha? Main bacha hun?

The other three giggled at the prospect. Arjun caught hold of Sameer and pinned him to the ground whilst hitting him.

Liza: aaj toh lagta hai dono mein jung chidkar rahegi

Chotu: aur kitna chidegi? Chid chuki hai

Arjun was punching Sameer in the gut but he was smiling.

Arjun: BESHARAM! NALAAYAK!! Has Raha Hai?!?! SHARAM NAHI AATI TUJHE??

Sameer: jab tumne mujhe finally mere naam se pukar hi liya toh kyun dukhi hou main?

Arjun stopped abruptly as he realized he had called him Sam. His anger took a different turn as he let go of Sameer and started walking back to the house. Sameer stood in his way. Arjun glared at him and tried to move around but Sameer blocked him again.

Arjun: Hato Mere Raaste Se!!

Sameer: nahi hatunga! Aaj bilcul nahi hatunga...tumhe mujhse baat karni hogi Arjun. You're not escaping today!

Arjun glared hard at him: Go To Hell!!!

Sameer: chala jaunga...jaha tu bolega chala jaunga par mujhse muh mat fer Arjun please. Main jaanta hun maine tumhe bahot hurt kiya hai par please talk to me. Mujhe mera dost waapis chahiye.

Arjun balled his fists. The rising tension was being witnessed by everyone. Chotu attempted to go forward to break them up.

Ayesha stopped him: nahi Chotu, inhe ab apni bhadaas nikalni hi hogi warna baat aur bigad jaayegi.

Sameer: Arjun...

Arjun gritted his teeth: Roshni agar meri zindgi mein nahi hoti toh woh zinda hoti, yahi kaha tha na tumne? Yaad hai? Is Admi Ko Main Apne Team Mein Nahi Le Sakta. Yaad Hai? SIKANDAR EK WAHEM HAI, ROSHNI KA KHOON MERI WAJAH SE HUA, YAAD HAI???

Tears formed in Sameer's eyes.

Arjun: Baat Karte Ho Dost Ki!!!

He somehow controlled the urge to push him away and swerved to the side. He was almost at the porch when Sameer spoke.

Sameer: yaad hai (Arjun stopped in his tracks) sab kuch yaad hai. tumhe jitne taane maare, jitne ilzaam lagaye the sab yaad hai mujhe...achi tarah se yaad hai mujhe Arjun aur main jaanta hun ki main galat tha. main jaanta hun ki tum kabhi bhi kisi apne ko dard mein nahi de sakte lekin fir bhi maine tum par ilzaam lagaya aur main galat tha, main maanta hun. ye jante hue bhi ki tum us waqt drugged the, maine tumhe doshi maana. Main jaanta hun maine galti ki hai. maanta hun main ki main apni dosti nahi nibha paaya Arjun.

Arjun answered in a fit of rage: TUMHARE MAANNE SE MERA DARD KAM NAHI HOGA RATHORE!!! JO RAATEIN MAINE AKELE KAATI HAI WOH KAM TANHA NAHI HOGI!!! JITNE SAVERE MAINE AANKH NA KHULNE KE LIYE MINNATE KI HAI WOH BADAL NAHI JAAYEGI!!!

Tears flowed from his eyes: pata hai mujhe ki tum puri duniya se lad rahe the, Bina kisi sahare ke. Main beete hue kal ko nahi badal sakta lekin aane waale ko toh kar sakta huna? Please mujhe maaf kar de. I'm sorry. Main vaada karta hun tujhse ki tujhe akela nahi chodunga...

Arjun: Vaade Toh Pehle Bhi Bahot Kiye The Tumne Rathore! Unhe Nibhaana Toh Dur Ki Baat Hai, Tumne Kabhi Peeche Mudkar Bhi Nahi Dekha!! (he tried to control his anger) aur waise bhi, tujhe itni mehnat karne ki zaroorat nahi hai, maine dosti ke bagair jeena seekh liya hai. 5 saal kaafi hote hai insaan ko used to hone ke liye.

Arjun turned to leave but Sameer caught his hand. Arjun was about to blast on him but stopped when he saw him falling on his knees.

Sameer(cracked): zaroorat us waqt thi, tab nahi kar paaya. aaj nahi hai fir bhi karna chahta hun. Maaf kar de mujhe yaar please. Ek mauka de-de mujhe. Tujhe apne dil ko sukoon dene ke liye jo saza deni hai, main sehne ke liye taiyaar hun. Kyunki main jaanta hun ki chahe tu kitna bhi nakaar le lekin aaj bhi tere andar mera Dost chupa hai jise tu baahar laane se katrata hai. agar nahi hota, toh mere pyaar ko bachane ke liye, tu apne pyaar ko kurbaan nahi karta dost.

Arjun's eyes started stinging. He stiffened his body to gain further control.

Sameer: bas ek mauka de mujhe please...

He wasn't able to speak further as he broke down right there. Arjun looked the other way to control his tears but they betrayed him. Sameer's sobs kept falling on his ears. Unable to take it any further he looked back at him and that was the last straw. His hand automatically went forward. It took Sameer a few seconds to realize what he had done but when he did...his hand automatically took Arjun's as he took it for support to stand up. The two friends embraced each other without wasting another second.

The team rejoiced as they shed tears of joy. Shree and Chotu whistled in celeberation.

Sameer: I'm sorry

Arjun parted slightly: it's not okay, par maaf kiya maine tujhe...dobara agar vishwas nahi kiya na toh taange tod dunga teri!!

Sameer: chalega!

He hugged him again tightly.

Ayesha: damn!

Liza: kya hua?

Ayesha: ab inke jhagde band ho jaayenge, ab office mein humara entertainment kaun karega?

The trio rolled their eyes.

Shree: Damn you Ayesha! Kabhi toh thodi emotional ho jaa! Dekh Chotu bhi roya aaj lekin teri aankhon mein agar koi glycerin bhi daale  na toh bhi tujhe rona na aaye

Ayesha: kyun emotional hou main? Emotional hokar na...(pointing at the two ACP's) ye sab hota hai. aur mujhe meri life mein itne tension ya complications nahi chahiye...thank you

Liza: tera kuch nahi ho sakta

Ayesha: maine kab kaha ki main kuch karne ki koshish kar rahi hun?

They felt like banging their heads on the wall.

Liza: sorry meri maa, galti ho gayi, ab kuch nahi okay?

Ayesha: ha jiske liye aaye the us par concentrate karte hai.

Before either of the three could realize what she meant, Ayesha called out to them.

Ayesha: Oh Pati Dev!!! Oh Devar Ji!!! (the two of them parted with smiles and approached the team) Rona-dhona baad mein continue karna...pehle ye toh bataiye ki mere pati dev ki bhabhi kaun hai?

Sameer found a new enthusiasm inside of him and he jumped: Ha!!!! Kaun Hai Woh Ladki!!! Mujhe Dekhna Hai!!!!

Arjun laughed as he saw him so excited: Sam relax!

Sameer: nahi! Mujhe us ladki ko dekhna hai? kaha hai woh? Tumhare room mein hai? (he corrected himself before Arjun could answer) main bhi kaisa sawaal kar raha hun? Obviously tumhare room mein hi hogi warna tu...

Arjun(sharply): SAM!!!!

Sameer shut up as he realized what he was about to say in public. The rest suppressed their giggles as they understood nevertheless.

Sameer(low voice): sorry!

Arjun shook his head: idiot!

Sameer: are yaar dekh Arjun, ekto tu aise hi commissioner sir ki office se bhaag aaya, besharmo ki tarah! upar se ab tu mujhe meri bhabhi ke darshan bhi nahi karne dega?

Arjun: ha toh kisne bola tha Vishwas sir ki chamcha giri karne ko? Bol dete ki subah aayenge (gesturing towards the team) haalat dekho sab ki, upar se ab tu sabko yaha le aaya

Sameer: are inhe toh moral support ke liye laaya, main akela aata toh tu meri baat nahi maanta aur Ayesha toh waise bhi biwi se zyaada bhabhi hai toh mera toh koi chance hi nahi tha

Arjun: woh toh abhi bhi nahi hai

Chotu: Arjun sir! Please bualaiye na unhe, hume dekhna hai. Rathore sir manao na Arjun sir ko

Arjun: are...

Shree: ha sir please sir, aapne mujhe punch maara na toh uska compensation hi samaj kar...

Liza: ha sir, in fact hume toh dekhna hai ki woh kaun hai jisne itne dino tak hum sabko chakma diya

Arjun: are lekin woh so rahi hai...aur tum logon ko nahi sona kya? Tum log abhi ghar jao, aaram kar lo main kal tum logon ko milwa dunga fir jitni der tum logon ko use dekhna hai, baat karni hai jo karna hai karo, main mana nahi karunga, par abhi ghar jao, kitna thak gaye ho tum sab aur Chotu...use toh mushkil se thoda rest mila hai

Ayesha: Arjun sir sahi keh rahe hai, waise bhi hum sab thake hue hai fir saath mein zyaada waqt nahi bita paayenge

Unwillingly they all agreed.

Shree: par sir! Kal pakka okay?

Arjun: ha Shree, pakka ab jao! Good night!

Sameer stayed behind as the rest left.

Sameer: Arjun...

Arjun: tujhe special invitation chahiye?

Sameer: thank you bolne ke liye khada hun

Arjun: you're welcome...ab jaa

Sameer: and I'm sorry

Arjun: ek baar bola na maaf kiya? Ab ghadi-ghadi yaad mat dila aur bhaag yaha se isse pehle ki main juti nikalu

Sameer(bored): juti pehni kaha hai tune? Shirt bhi...

Arjun: SAM!!!

Arjun moves forward but Sameer runs away laughing. Arjun shakes his head as they disperse. The team leaves for their destinations and Arjun walks back inside. He locks the door securely. The smile refused to leave his lips. It had been such a good day. Raana was dead, Shirke was killed, Riya was secure and free and he had got his long-lost friend back.

Inside-

Riya shifted in her sleep. Her eyes opened for a split second to turn the other way but to her surprise, she was alone. He eyes shot open mv "Arjun? Arjun kaha chale gaye? She tried to sit up but then realized her state and lay there. Her cheeks turned red as she clenched the quilt. She heard shuffling at the door and turned.

Arjun entered and saw her awake: are tum uth kyun gayi?

Riya: woh...woh...darasal...um...aap kaha gaye the?

Arjun sat beside her: are woh Kushal aaya tha

Riya(confused): kyun? Is waqt?

Arjun: ha woh actually, use kisi urgent kaam se gaav jaana hai. train hai uski abhi thodi der mein aur itne dino tumhari duty kar raha tha na toh bas inform karne aaya tha ki kuch din nahi hai isliye kisi aur ko uske bajay rakh lu. waise bhi case khatam ho gaya hai, toh maine bhi chod diya

Riya: hmm, par seriously har do ghante baad ghar aakar mujhe hi-hello karke jaata tha. acha hai woh

Arjun caressed her hair: ha, purana admi hai mera. Anyway tumne bataya nahi ki tum uth kyun gayi

Riya blushed: umm...actually...main...uh...

Arjun teased her: main nahi tha toh neend nahi aa rahi thi?

Riya tried to cover up: nahi, nahi aisa nahi hai woh main toh bas...

Arjun lay down and pulled her close: main toh bas kya jaan bolo, sun raha hun

Riya lowered her eyes: main...(giving up) Arjun aap jaan-buchkar mujhe ched rahe hai

Arjun: na baba na, tumhe chedne ki galti main zindgi mein bhi nahi karunga, mujhe marna hai kya?

Riya blushed and hid in his chest: Arjun!!!

Arjun laughed as he leaned forward to kiss her. Riya melted in his arms as he showered his love on her again...