Chapter 30

Arjun opened his eyes to an angel the next day. Riya was by the dressing table, drying her hair. The sun rays softly lit her white, asymmetric, floral dress. His lips curved into a smile as the sleepiness wore off.

Arjun: Riyu

Riya turned: good morning

Keeping her towel aside, she walked to him.

Arjun complained: kyun uth gayi tum itni jaldi?

Riya: Arjun 12 bajne waale hai

Arjun(shocked): kya?!?!

He checked the wall clock. It was true. He lazily hugged her hand.

Arjun: kyun subah ho gayi itni jaldi?

Riya giggled: Arjun uthiye na?

Arjun: nahi, tum so jao firse

He attempted to pull her back on the bed but she protested.

Riya: Arjun chaliye na, mujhe baahar jaana hai!

Arjun: kyun baahar jaana hai tumhe?

Riya: please chaliye na, bhaagne ke baad kahi ghumi hi nahi main. Itne dino se Mumbai mein hun fir bhi apni favourite jagaho par nahi ja paayi

Arjun was still not in a mood to let her go but then decided against it. She deserved her freedom.

Arjun: kaha jaana hai tumhe?

Riya: mujhe na...pehle movie dekhne jana hai, fir thodi shopping fir...main aapko mere Sky patch le jaati hun, it's beautiful! Waha dinner kar lenge aur fir...ha chowpatty!! Mujhe kulfi khaani hai

Arjun laughed: pura plan bana liya hai tumne?

Riya: ha! (innocently) chaliye na

Arjun kissed her palm: jaise tum kaho

Riya kissed his cheek happily: acha aap taiyaar ho jaiye main tab tak chai bana leti hun toh aap bhi ekdum fresh ho jaayenge ghumne ke liye

Arjun nodded. Riya skipped out the room humming softly to herself as Arjun dressed up for the day. Riya was more cheerful than usual, chattering excitedly with him, talking about this and that as they roamed the city. Arjun silently listened to her, giving her random inputs now and then, teasing her at times and enjoying the look on her face.

She had worn her heart on her sleeve, elated at the fact that she didn't have to keep running and hiding for her life. Arjun was more than happy, to have her by his side. He hadn't seen her as the old carefree Riya since she had returned. Now, it felt like the child in her had awakened again.

Time went faster than sand slipping through one's fingers. Riya dragged him to her favourite restaurant at sunset.

Arjun: are Riya itni jaldi kaun dinner karega?

Riya: oho Arjun (she pulled him into the premises and into the elevator) aap chaliye toh sahi, yaha par aane ka yahi sabse acha time hai.

Arjun: kyun aisi kya khaas baat hai is jagah mein? Besides the fact ki tumhe bahot pasand hai?

Riya: thodi der rukiye, sab pata chal jaayega

The elevator dinged at its destination. Riya pulled him along and entered the restaurant. It was then that Arjun realized that it was a rooftop one. A canopy hung from the ceiling. Floral vines adorned the single wall. The view was stretched out to the sea and the sun dipping in it. Cool breeze blew all around. It was no surprise that Riya loved the place.

A waiter greeted them: good evening ma'am, bahot dino baad aayi aap. In fact, If I'm not wrong saal se zyaada ho gaya

Riya smiled at the familiar face: are pucho mat, itne complications haina. Kahani shuru hogi toh mera dinner reh jaayega aur aapki double shift lag jaayegi

The waiter laughed: table for two, this way ma'am

Riya: mera waala free hai?

Waiter: ha, ma'am.

He lead the couple to her regular place and left after giving them a menu.

Riya: kaisi lagi?

Arjun: tumhare jaisi...bahot hi khubsurat

Riya smiled: kaha tha na maine? Aur waise bhi, highlight toh baakhi hai abhi

Arjun(surprised): aur kya baakhi hai?

Just then a young boy in his twenties entered with a guitar and went to his place in the center. Riya gestured towards him.

Arjun looked at him: live singer?

Riya nodded with a twinkle in her eye: aur uski awaaz bahot achi hai, main jab bhi yaha aati hun na 3-4 ghante chale hi jaate hai

Arjun: I'm not...surprised

In the meanwhile Riya caught the singer's eye and waved at him. The singer was pleasantly surprised to see her after such a long time and waved back enthusiastically.

Arjun(surprised): tum jaanti ho use?

Riya: are nahi, main regularly aati huna toh isliye

Arjun: oh

The waiter arrived for their order as the singer set up his place. He adjusted his mike and sat on a high chair with the guitar on his knee. He checked the tuning and started...

Singer: aaj ka pehla gaana main yaha maujud sabse khubsurat ladki ko dedicate karna chahunga, hope you like it!

Riya blushed and the singer's smile widened seeing her face as he started singing a romantic melody. Arjun raised an eyebrow at her reaction.

Riya: aapke paas pen hai?

Arjun gave her his. Riya took a tissue and wrote a loving thank you on it and gestured the waiter to give it to the singer.

Arjun raise his eyebrow: so basically, tum dono ek dusre ko jaane-pehchane bagair ek dusre ke saath flirt karte ho

Riya laughed: something like that, par aap chinta mat karo, sirf healthy flirting. And winked

Arjun: unhealthy ho toh bhi mujhe koi problem nahi hai, I've seen way much of your martial arts to worry

Riya teased him: ha isliye aapne Kushal ko mere peeche lagaya tha aur fir, Shirke ke ghar par Sakshi ke saamne itna hyper ho gaye the

Arjun(defensively): woh alag story hai. tum khud dari hui thi, Kushal ko maine sirf isliye lagaya tha taaki tum koi naya kaand na karo aur rahi baat Shirke ke ghar ki toh uska jawab tumhare maathe par jo nishaan haina wahi de raha hai, agar main nahi pahunchta toh?

Riya: par pahunch gaye na? fir kyun tension le rahe the?

Arjun: Riya tumhare sar se khoon beh raha tha, what do you expect me to do? Thaal lekar aarti utaru main Sakshi ki?

Riya: aap bhagwan ki aarti utariye wahi kaafi hai, uski jaisi chudail ke peeche waqt zaaya karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai aur aap ye bataiye ki aap case kab kar rahe hai ha? ab ho gaya na sab kuch?

Arjun tried to tease her: are abhi toh tumne kaha ki uski jaise chudail ke peeche waqt zaaya karne ki zaroorat nahi hai toh phir case ki kya zaroorat hai, waise bhi us par already ek chal raha hai fir charge-sheet banne ke baad attempt to murder ka bhi charge lag jaayega

Riya glared at him and picked up the butter knife: chup-chap agar aapne us par case nahi kiya na toh main jaa kar uska murder kar dungi, fir mujhe jail se baahar nikalte rehna, samjhe aap?

Arjun eyes widen hearing her threat: are Riyu...main toh...main toh mazak kar raha tha. case karunga na main, bilcul karunga. Kyun nahi karunga? Tumhari baat main thodi taal sakta hun?

Riya: good!

She replaced the knife and suddenly remembered hers: Oh shit!

Arjun: kya hua?

Riya(worried): mera khanjar? Woh toh...

Arjun: Riya relax! tumhara khanjar mere paas hai, ghar jaa kar le lena

Riya heaved a sigh of relief: thank god! Agar kho gaya hota toh meri toh band baj jaati hai

Arjun: ha uske bina tum logon ko maarogi kaise?

Riya gets hyper again: maine Chetan aur uske admiyon ko maara tha!! unka...

Arjun curses himself for the joke: oh God! Riya relax! Hyper hokar apna mood mat bigado..

Riya(worried): lekin...

Arjun: maine kaha na sab mujh par chod do, shaant ho jao. Sab theek hi hai aur ab chodo un kamino ko hum kyun unke baare mein baat karke apna waqt zaaya kar rahe hai?

Riya: ha par...

Arjun took her hand in his: Riyu...main hu na?

Riya smiled: hmm

They enjoyed their dinner then, without worrying about anything that had happened in the past and anything that would happen in the future. Reaching the last stage of Riya's plan they went to the beach and sat there in the moonlight in each other's embrace.

Arjun: Riya ek baat karni hai tumse

Riya: ha kahiye na

Arjun: tumhe nahi lagta ki ab tumhe sab ke saamne aa jaana chahiye? As in officially you know?...team ke saamne?

Riya's face fell: I...I don't know Arjun. Mujhe nahi pata

Arjun: tumne toh kaha tha ki tum unhe miss karti ho, yaha tak ki us din Rathore ki awaaz bhi sunna chahti thi, toh fir ab kya hua?

Riya: main unhe miss karti hun Arjun par...aapko pata hai aapko kidnap karne ke baare mein khud ko convince karne ke liye mujhe 1 hafta laga, uske baad hi Mumbai aayi woh bhi tab jab mujhe pata hi nahi tha ki aap bhi mujhse pyaar karte hai. maine socha ki boss hi toh hai, thodi help hi toh maangne waali hun aur aap utne bhi khadoos nahi ho ki kisi ko madad na kare, ek pal ke liye toh ye bhi socha ki aapko main yaad hongi bhi ya nahi...(she took a deep breath) main kya jawab dungi sabko? Shree? Chotu? Rathore sir? Rathore sir ko fir bhi shayad zyaada farak na pade lekin Shree aur Chotu? Unki nafrat sehne se toh behtar hai ki Riya Mukherjee ek closed chapter rahe (tearfully) jo Xora ke saath hi is duniya se khatam ho gaya. Aur waise bhi, kya pata unhe main yaad hun bhi ya nahi? Main nahi chahti ki main koi ateet ka bojh banu kisi par.

Arjun patiently listened to her as she poured out her heart and then softly wiped her tears.

Arjun: Riya, woh tumse kabhi nafrat kar hi nahi sakte, tumhe pata hai jab woh saare doctors pakde gaye the tab tumhara waala doctor bhi encounter mein goli ka shikaar ho gaya tha. you' should've seen their faces Riya...in fact Shree ne toh mujhse ye tak puch liya ki agar woh doctor corrupt na hota aur genuinely tumhari treatment karta toh kya tum humare saath hoti (Riya looked at him surprise)ha Riya, aur Rathore? Jab hume khabar mili ki tum nahi rahi toh sabse zyaada uske aansu nikle the. Office mein ab itne saare log hai, desk holders, Ayesha, Liza sab aaye lekin aaj tak tumhara locker usne kisi ko haath tak nahi lagane diya. Tum jis chair par baithti thi us par Chotu koi na koi saaman rakhkar use occupy kar deta hai taaki koi aur na baithe, Shree toh roz ek cup coffee Rathore ke taste ki peeta hai kyunki tum unhe badal diya karti thi. Woh tumse bahot pyaar karte hai Riya, woh kabhi tumse nafrat nahi karenge. Jitna haq mujhe hai, utna hi unhe bhi toh haina?

Tears rolled down her eyes as she hugged him tightly. He let her calm down for a few minutes and then kissed her forehead.

Arjun: aaogi na?

Riya nodded: ha, main aaungi aur...aur agar woh mujhse naraaz bhi ho jaaye toh bhi unke saath reh kar hi unhe manaungi

Arjun smiled and hugged her: that's my girl!

It was almost midnight when they decided to go back home. After all, the next day was going to be big. The boys would probably kill Arjun when they would come to know that he had been hiding Riya all along... either way, what would happen was not in his hand, so he decided to focus on his lady instead who still hadn't been tired of chattering. He applied the brakes as he reached home. They walked with her holding his arm.

Riya(suddenly): OH SHIT!!

Arjun(surprised): ab kya hua?

Riya: I'm sorry

Arjun (threateningly): Riya if you say ki tumne kisi aur ka bhi khoon kiya hai ya fir koi Aur Bhi Hai Jo Abhi Tak Baakhi Hai Ya Fir Tum Koi Lead Bhul Gayi Ho, I Swear Main Tumhe House Arrest Mein Daal Dunga!!!

Riya: nahi, nahi aisa kuch nahi hai

Relief washed over Arjun: fir theek hai, bolo kya hua?

Riya: woh maine aapko kal kaha tha na woh hua nahi

Arjun(confused): kya kaha tha?

Riya: are jab aapne Raana ko maar diya fir aapne mujhe phone kiya tha, tab maine kaha tha na ki hum aaj shaadi kar lenge, toh hum bhul gaye na shaadi karna, isliye sorry

Arjun: Riya usme na ek choti si problem hai

Riya: kya?

Arjun removed the keys of his house: pehle hume tumhare death certificate par se naam nikalna hoga warna humare marriage certificate mein kaise lagega? Main bhoot se toh shaadi nahi kar sakta na?

Riya slapped his arm: Arjun!!!!

Arjun laughed as he opened the door: are toh galat kya kaha...

A voice from inside: Finally!!!

Arjun stopped in his tracks but it was too late. The door was open, Riya was beside him and there in the living room, the ETF was waiting for them. The boys and Riya each more shocked than the other...