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...
Arjun(shocked): tum...tum log...yaha?
Ayesha(cheerfully): ha! aapne kaha tha na ki aap kal hume apni girlfriend se milayenge toh hum aa gaye. Actually, hum aapke call ka wait kar rahe the fir Sameer ne call bhi kiya par aapka phone abhi tak band aa raha tha toh Sameer hum sabko yahi le aaye, lekin aap ghar par nahi the, apparently unke paas puraani chaabi thi. Hum 4 baje se aapka wait kar rahe hai aur aap ab aa rahe hai?
Liza: ha sir, kitna time lagate hai aap?
The boys were still rooted to the ground, unable to speak a word. Unable to bear their scrutinizing gaze, Riya hid herself behind Arjun. He came back to the present when he felt her tightly holding his hand. Arjun sighed and closed the door behind them. He knew Riya wouldn't speak, atleast not now and he wondered where to start.
Arjun: tumhe yaad hai Shree, tumne mujhse pucha tha ki agar woh doctor corrupt na hota toh kya hota?
Shree's eyes moistened.
Arjun: tum sahi the...woh humare saath hoti
Ayesha and Liza looked at each other in confusion and then at the others.
Ayesha: sir ab kaunsa naya character aa gaya? Aur...aap sab ke muh par taala kyun lag gaya hai? Sameer aap bhi?
Sameer's face was totally blank. He didn't answer Ayesha but kept looking straight ahead.
Sameer: yaha aao
Riya shivered a little and tightened her grip on Arjun's hand
Sameer: suna nahi tumne? (firmly) yaha aao!
Riya timidly came out of her hiding. Arjun didn't want her to. He wasn't sure how Sameer was going to react and didn't want to take a risk. He didn't leave her hand.
Sameer: tum aa rahi ho ya main aau?
Even Ayesha realized that he was being rude, but what she couldn't understand was that why Sameer was getting so agitated. Why was Shree in tears? Why was Chotu still frozen white? What connection did...doctor! Sameer had told her about the doctor and their team mate. If that doctor was connected to the girl then that meant...
Ayesha mv "ye wahi ladki hai jiske baare mein Sameer bat kar rahe the!! Unki team mate jo Arjun sir se pyaar karti thi aur jise Arjun sir chahne lage the!
Riya let go of Arjun's hand and took baby steps towards him. Her gaze lowered with every step that she took. She stopped at a distance of a few steps away from Rathore. There was pin drop silence in the room.
Riya gathered every ounce of courage she had in her body: Rathore sir main...
But before she could complete he hugged her tightly shedding a few tears and lifting the tensed atmosphere. Arjun smiled. Shree and Chotu burst into tears and hugged the two of them tightly. Ayesha rolled her eyes and sat comfortably on the sofa while pulling a confused Liza with her.
Liza(slowly): kya ho raha hai ye sab?
Ayesha: shaant balike, shaant! Ya toh yeh log dukhi waala emotional hokar sab kuch bak denge ya fir gussa waala emotional hoke. Dono hi surto mein hume sab kuch samaj mein aa jaayega, chill kar aur baith aaram se!
It was quite a while before the group broke up and controlled their tears.
Riya: I'm sorry...
Rathore lovingly put a hand on her head: shh...it's ok. Tum sahi salamat ho isse zyaada humare liye aur kuch zaroori nahi hai
Chotu: ha par agli baar na thodi warning de dena warna mujhe heart attack aa jaayega
Riya wiped her tears: are ek hi baar kaafi hai yaar...firse nahi
A collective laughter resonated. Shree hugged Riya again, giving her a tight squeeze.
Shree: yaar, ab tu kahi nahi jaayegi! Humare saath hi rahegi! Samjhi ya samjhau?
Riya laughed: samaj gayi
Her gaze fell on Arjun who winked at her giving her a "told you so look. She gave him an appreciative nod.
Ayesha noticed the silent conversation between them: ye nahi chalega okay
Everyone turned to her.
Chotu: kya nahi chalega?
Ayesha: are dekho toh, (gesturing towards the couple) in dono ka abhi bhi chal raha hai, itna time saath mein the toh bhi man nahi bhara? ab thoda focus hum par rakhiye.
They blushed as she caught her.
Sameer: Ayesha tumhe kuch aur sawaal nahi karne chahiye?
Ayesha: sawaal karne jaise kya hai? sab kuch toh clear hai.
Needless to say everyone was surprised at the answer.
Shree: matlab?
Ayesha: are common sense hai, dekho Arjun sir ne kal kaha tha ki jo ladki Raana ki wanted list mein hai woh unke saath hai, aur jo sabut unhone humne diye the woh usine hume diye the, aur ye bhi kaha tha ki usine woh card dhundha aur Saxena ki pitayi ki, yaha tak wahi woh ghunghat waali ladki thi toh zaahir si baat haina ki jo ladki Arjun sir ke liye itne khatre mol le, Arjun sir Raana ke saamne uske liye itna protective ho gaye toh unke beech kuch toh connection hai. maine toh Shirke ke ghar par hi use dekh liya tha aur woh wahi ladki jisne pehle ACP Harshit ke saath kaam kiya tha. usi ke mock ke wajah se pichli baar woh log expose hue the jo apparently mar gayi thi. Sameer ne mujhe ye bataya tha ki Roshni ke baad ek ladki thi jise Arjun sir pyaar kar baithe the aur woh shaheed ho gayi thi. Fir woh doctors pakde gaye aur office mein woh thodi si argument ho gayi thi tab Sameer ne mujhe bataya ki jo doctor maare gaye usme se ek doctor us ladki ki treatment ke waqt wahi tha aur abhi Arjun sir ne kaha ki Shree ne doctor ke baare mein pucha toh obviously us doctor ka yaha connection hai. ab us doctor ka connection ETF mein sirf ek ladki se hai aur woh main aur Liza toh hai nahi toh bacha kaun?
She left the others dumbfounded.
Arjun was the first to speak: kya bhabhi? Kabhi itni akal apne pati ko bhi daan kar dijiye
Sameer(in a trance): ha sach mein, main links dhundh-dhundh kar thak gaya, lekin unme kabhi connection dikh hi nahi jabki sab kuch mere saamne tha
Arjun: isliye Rathore kabhi-kabhi baarikiyon ke chakkar mein...
Riya: saamne rakhi hui cheez nahi dikhayi deti
Riya completed his statement. He smiled.
Ayesha: ha par is baar pata kya problem hui? Record file sirf maine aur Arjun sir ne dekhi thi. Sir ko toh chupani hi thi aur mujhe nahi pata tha ki ye wahi ladki hai jo ETF mein thi
Arjun: bhabhi aapko lagta hai record file dekhne ke baad bhi is idiot ki batti jali hoti?
Sameer glared at him
Ayesha: main unki baat thodi kar rahi hun? Main toh apni baat kar rahi hun, agar Sameer woh dekhkar mujhe bata dete ki woh wahi ladki hai jo ETF mein bhi aapke saath thi toh mujhe pehle hi pata chal jaata
Arjun: ha...
Sameer: AYESHA!!!
Ayesha: are kyun chilla rahe hai aap?
Sameer: tum kiski biwi ho?
Ayesha: hey bhagwan! Kitni baar ek hi sawaal puchte hai aap! Aap marriage certificate ki copy jeb mein lekar ghuma kijiye...huh!!
Liza piped in before the argument escalated further: are yaar! Ramayan-Mahabharat chodo! Ho gaya sab kuch, koi ye toh batao ki (turning to Riya) tumhara naam kya hai?
The group burst out into laughter.
Riya: mera naam Riya hai
Arjun: ha aur, Ayesha ke baare mein toh tumhe sab pata hai, fir Liza join hui thi, humari forensic expert aur fir...Sakshi
Riya: you really think mujhe us chudail ki padi hai?
Shree giggled: are uska toh mast ho gaya yaar, jhuta ilzaam aur defamation ki use zyaada saza nahi milti lekin woh Shirke ki beti hai, toh us par bhi saare charges lagenge...
Riya: nahi Shree! Us par woh sab mat lagana
Her statement confused them.
Sameer: kyun?
Riya: kyunki sir, Sakshi ko khud bhi nahi pata tha ki Shirke naatak kar raha hai. ha, use uske purane dhandhe ke baare mein zaroor pata ho sakta hai lekin use jab Shirke ke baare mein hi nahi pata toh is sab ke baare mein kaise pata hoga?
Sameer(confused): tumhe kaise pata ki use kya pata hai aur kya nahi
Riya: kyunki usne mujhe maarne ki koshish ki thi
Chorus(except Ayesha and Arjun): WHAT?!?!?
Shree: kab? Kaise aur..
Arjun: kal Riya bhi toh wahi par thi..
Chotu: are ha, aapki girlfriend. Lekin kuch samaj mein nahi aaya
Riya calmly explains all that she had seen there and what had happened.
Riya: Shirke ne Sakshi ko yahi keh kar bhadkaya ki main Arjun ke saath hun, ye keh ke nahi ki maine uska business thap kiya hai, I'm pretty sure us maamle mein woh innocent hai
Ayesha: kya farak padta hai?
Riya: nahi, use sirf use sirf un gunaho ki saza milni chahiye jo usne kiye hai
Chotu: Ri...usne bhi toh Arjun sir par jhuta ilzaam lagaya na?
Riya: iska matlab ye nahi ki hum bhi wahi kare, warna usme aur hum mein kya farak?
Ayesha(incredulously): She deserves it!!
Riya sighed and took Arjun's phone. After switching it on, she opened the gallery and...
Arjun: Riya tum kya...
But she pressed the button. Arjun glared at her.
Sameer(confused): ye kya hua?
Arjun(annoyed): usne Shirke ke khilaaf jo evidence bheja tha woh delete kar diya, ab sirf uske paas woh video hai
They all looked at her in shock
Riya: sabut chahiye toh meri baat maaniye end of story! warna jo case us par pehle laga tha jiski wajah se usne coma ka naatak kiya tha sirf wahi chalega
The boys groaned hearing decree but they were not surprised. It was Riya after all, how could they expect anything else? On the other hand it was all new for Ayesha and Liza, they stared at her in shock.
Arjun tried to reason with her: Riya! Us Admi Ne Tumhe Hume Humse Dur Kar Diya! Tumhari Jaan Lene Ki Koshish Ki! ACP Harshit Aur Alok Ko Marwa Diya, Tumhe Is Tarah Chup-Chup Kar Jeene Ke Liye Majbur Kar Diya! Un Ladkiyon Ke Saath Itna Ghatiya Kaam Kiya Aur Tum Uski Tarafdaari Kar Rahi Ho?
Riya: main uski tarafdaari nahi kar rahi hun Arjun, main bas ye nahi chahti ki Sakshi ko aisi galti ki saza mile jo usne ki hi nahi. (firmly) Usne Jo Bhi Kiya Mere Saath Kiya Hai, Aapko...(she stopped herself from saying anything bitter and took a deep breath) main use saza dene se nahi rok rahi hun, use saza milni chahiye lekin uski jo usne ki hai na ki uski jo usne nahi ki hai
Arjun knew it was no point in arguing with her. Besides, he knew deep down she was right.
Arjun: Fine! Lekin main us par attempt to murder ka charge lagaunga!
Riya: shauk se lagaiye, main toh kehti hun police officer par mental torture ka bhi case dijiye (Arjun raised his eyebrow) ha toh usne aap par jhuta ilzaam lagaya toh aapko tension nahi hua?
Shree: ha ye waala acha hai, extra add kar dete hai, ab chodiye na un sabko. (whining) Hum apni baate karte hai!! Arjun sir aapne kaha tha na ki hum jitni chahiye utni Riya se baat kar sakte hai toh abhi hum use chura lete hai thodi der ke liye, okay?
Arjun smiled: be my guest
Shree and Chotu happily sat with Riya in between them and started chattering with her. Liza and Ayesha too piped in excited to discover the relationships they had had. Sameer and Arjun looked on fondly with a smile on their faces. Arjun excused himself for a glass of water and went to the kitchen. Thinking something, Sameer followed him in.
Arjun: coffee?
Sameer: ha
Arjun pointed to a shelf: udhar hai, bana le
Sameer got the bottle: tu nahi sudharne waala
Arjun: main bigda hi nahi hun
Sameer prepared the vessel: of course...sudharna toh puri duniya ko hai
Arjun: exactly, woh nahi sudharte toh main kya karu?
He shook his head in disbelief as they laughed: par ek baat kahu?
Arjun: na bolunga toh bhi tu pakayega, fir puch kyun raha hai?
Sameer: Riya itne time se tere saath thi, tune hum mein se kisi ko bhi kuch kyun nahi bataya?
Arjun placed his glass down and half-smiled: kya batata yaar? Woh achanak mere paas aa gayi, aur fir usne mujhe puri kahaani batayi, mujhe toh kuch samaj hi nahi aa raha tha aur fir agle hi din Sakshi ne mere khilaaf complaint kar di toh sab usme ulajh gaye.
Sameer: fir bhi, hum tere ghar par bhi aaye the tab bhi tune...
Arjun: woh bahot dari hui thi Sam, already Raana ki wajah se aur fir jaise-jaise case aage badhta gaya, complications badhti gayi(he took a deep breath) aur sach kahu toh woh kabhi saamne aana hi nahi chahti thi
Sameer(shocked): kyun?...
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