Chapter 30

Post Credits-

Another morning in the office when Arjun was early. He sat in his usual place with a file in his hand but his mind wasn’t paying attention to the paper in front of him. He zoned out into space and that’s how Riya found him.

Riya(taking her seat): good morning! (but he didn’t reply, feeling weird she waved her hand in front of him) hello!!!

Arjun jerked back to Earth: are….ha…hi, kab aayi tum?

Riya: abhi aapke saamne se toh aayi

Arjun: sorry dhyaan nahi tha mera

Riya: kya hua? You look a little off

Arjun: kuch nahi woh bas…aaj papa ka janam din hai toh thodi yaad aa rahi thi

Riya looked at the man in front of him in disbelief.. He was still thinking about his father who had never even tried to look in his direction. He was too sensitive for his own good. Seeing his sullen face she tried to cheer him up.

Riya: are toh itna tension kyun le rahe hai aap? Aap ek kaam kijiye, aaj chutti le lijiye aur jaa kar unse mil aayiye. In fact na, hum dono chalte hai, usi bahane main bhi apne hone waale sasur ji se mil lungi

Arjun gave her a blank look: taaki tum unhe bhi suna sako, haina?

Riya giggled: maine aisa kab kaha? I mean, idea bura nahi hai par…

Arjun: no thank you! achi tarah se jaanta hun tumhare dimag mein kab kya chalta hai, you know what?

Riya: what?

Arjun: dusro ko chodo, mujhe kabhi-kabhi tumhare reactions se dar lagne lagta hai

Riya was about to say something but Rathore, Ayesha and Shree entered just then and took their seats.

Rathore(surprised): Arjun, tumhe Riya se dar lagta hai? socho baakhi sabka kya haal hota hoga?

Arjun: taana apne paas rakho Sameer, tum uske baare mein kuch nahi jaante ho

Rathore felt like laughing: ha of course mujhe kaise pata hoga? haina Riya?

Arjun: I’m serious! Tum jaante ho usne Vikram sir ke saath kya kiya??

Hearing the commissioner’s name the trio rapped into attention.

Shree: Riya tune commissioner sir ko bhi nahi choda?

Arjun: nahi aur…..(confused) ek minute! Commissioner sir ko bhi matlab?

Sameer(shocked): nahi, ek minute, commissioner sir ke saath kya kiya?

Arjun: dhamkaya tha usne phone par…(They let out a collective sigh of relief confusing Arjun and making Riya burst into laughter) tum log itna casual kyun behave kar rahe ho?

Ayesha: sir dhamkaane mein kaunsi badi baat hai? jaha humare standards khatam hote hai waha se toh Riya ke shuru hote hai, kyun Riya?

Riya winked at her and she chuckled in reply.

Arjun(confused): kya?

Shree: are sir, commissioner sir ko toh sirf dhamki mili na, koi baat nahi, Rathore sir ko toh firsthand experience hai

Arjun: Rathore ko mat…(he suddenly remembered the incomplete conversation)

“main Rathore hi hun aur karne ka kaam tumhari girlfriend, Riya ka hai, mera nahi”

Arjun: Riya! kya kiya tumne?

Rathore tried to fend it off, a little worried if it would create a tiff between the two of them: are kuch nahi baba, Shree aise hi mazaak…

Riya: I slapped him

Arjun: YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!

Riya closed her ears: baap re! itna kyun chilla rahe hai aap?

Arjun fumbled for words being completely shocked: you…tumne…tum….Ra…ky…

Riya roll her eyes and dragged him to his cabin. Arjun did not understand what was happening. He just followed Riya like a lost child.

Arjun(tensed): Riya

Riya: boliye

Arjun: kya bolu? Tum…tumne Sameer ko…

Riya: ha I slapped him, I was angry aur sirf thapad nahi punch bhi maara tha aur kuch?

Arjun: KYAA?!?! TUMNE USE…… Lekin Kyun?

Riya: kyun ka kya matlab hai? How Dare He Hurt You?

Arjun: par…

Riya held his shoulders: Arjun, I love you and I’m not going to tolerate nonsense from anyone against you aur….agar koi mujhe pareshaan karega toh kya aap use sabak nahi sikhayenge?

Arjun’s emotion shifted: sabak? Goli na maar du main use?

Riya: toh fir main kyun nahi kar sakti?

He was at a loss of words and just gazed at her. Riya smiled and hugged him. His hands automatically wrapped around her.

Arjun sighed: sach mein tum kabhi-kabhi mujhe dara deti ho

Riya looked at him innocently: par main toh sirf aapse pyaar karti hun, baakhi sab apne aap ho jaata hai

Arjun: ha of course, dikh raha hai mujhe, apne aap hi haath pair, sab chalne lagta haina tumhare? (kissing her nose) paagal!

Riya giggled trying to get away: Arjun!

But he didn’t let her go: hmm?

Riya: gud-gudi hoti hai

Arjun smiled: acha?

He kissed her nose again making her scrunch and kissed her cheek.

Riya: Arjun? Aap bahot miss kar rahe hai apne papa ko?

Arjun sighed: kya faayda Riya, he isn’t bothered and (tearfully) will never be

Riya: jab woh yaadein aapko sirf dukh deti hai toh kya unhe yaad karna zaroori hai?

Arjun: par woh mere papa hai, chahe humara rishta ho ya na ho, fact se toh nahi chut sakte na?

Riya: chut nahi sakte lekin peeche ki baaton ko peeche toh rakh sakte haina? Aapko yaad karna hai yaad kijiye lekin dil mein is tarah bojh rakh kar nahi, jab unhe farak nahi padta toh aapko farak rakhne ki kya zaroorat hai? aap samaj rahe haina?

Arjun nodded lightly and buried his face in her neck: tum nahi hoti toh mera kya hota?

Riya: woh toh mujhe nahi pata, main toh yahi huna? Aapke saath? Humesha ke liye?

Arjun smiled: aur main bhi (tightening his grip on her waist) I love you!

Riya smiled: I love you too!!

Officially The End……………………