"Agli baar samhalke! Samjhi tum?"
Riya winced. Arjun then realized something wet on his hands. Riya focused the light on his hands, they were covered with blood. Riya's blood!
He snatched the mobile from Riya's hand and examined the wound on her hand. It was a deep cut, short but deep.
He immediately picked up her dupatta and covered the wound.
"Sir! Mera dupatta!" Riya said now cringing at the sight of her dupatta satined in blood.
"Itni chot lagi hain aur tumhe dupatte ki padi hain Riya?" Arjun asked her, with anger apparent in his voice.
"Sorry sir."
"Aur kahan chot lagi hain?"
"Pata nahin," she said.
Arjun shook his head and asked her to get up slowly.
She got up with Arjun's help but when she tried to take a step forward, "Ouch!" she faltered and clutched Arjun's hand for support. He immediately caught her, "Kya hua?"
He was concerned now, but was careful not to show too much concern.
"Shaayad mere right ankle sprain huyi hain sir'" she said wincing in pain.
"Great Riya! Ab ek sprained leg ke saath',"
"Sorry sir, main jaanti hoon iss sprained leg ke saath I'll slow you down," Riya didn't let Arjun complete his sentence. "I'm unnecessary trouble now. Just an'," Riya was now cut short by Arjun.
"Ab ek sprained leg ke saath tum iss cave se baahar aa paogi? Mein bas vahi poochne wala tha," he said as he lifted her up in his arms.
Riya was stunned by his sudden move.
She kept quiet the whole way out, leaving Arjun to think about what she had just said to him.
He remembered the many times he had hurt her with his harsh words. He had even told her to return to the research desk. Yet, this girl never gave up. She had been a fighter, proving herself to him every time he ridiculed her. But the words she just blurted out showed him how much she was hurt inside. She thought he would ridicule her again, blame her again. So it was better for her to say it herself rather than hearing it from him.
So that's how her thought process was? Was that the opinion she had on him? He felt hurt. "Kya farak padta hain mujhe? Ye ladki mere bare mein kya sochti hain, usse mujhe kya farak padta hain? Aur farak panda bhi nahin chahiye!"
He carried her out of the cave and made her sit on the sand.
"Dikhao mujhe," he said kneeling down in front of her. But Riya was too shocked to speak. Her beautiful white dress was destroyed beyond repair. Even the dry cleaners wouldn't be able to revive the beauty the dress had been.
"Riya?" Arjun said again, but now understood what she was doing.
"Ab bas bhi karo Riya. Batao chot kahan lagi hain," Arjun said getting impatient.
"Right ankle," Riya said her voice quivering. She was almost on the verge of tears.
"Pagal hain ye. Ise apne chot se zyada apni dress ki padi hain," Arjun thought as his hand approached her ankle. Riya had removed her sandals. He touched her foot and Riya snapped back into reality. She turned her gaze towards him. He gently rubbed his thumb over her sore ankle. She had chills run down her spine.
"Duk raha hain?" he asked unaware of his effect on her.
Riya could barely manage to shake her head indicating a no.
She was lost in him. He then cupped her foot with his right hand and his left hand cupped her sore ankle. He twisted it.
Riya cried out in pain and gripped his shoulder tightly.
He twisted it the other way now.
"Stop!" Riya cried out, now gripping his shoulder more tightly digging her nails into it.
Arjun winced, he was human afterall and he felt pain too.
Riya opened her eyes and realized right away that she was hurting him. She removed her hand from his shoulder right away. "Sorry," she said embarrassed.
Arjun rolled his eyes, "Tumhe andaza bhi hain Riya, ki subah se kitni baar sorry keh chuki ho?"
"Sorr'," she was about blurt out again, but stopped. Instead she just smiled sheepishly.
"Ab uthne ki koshish karo," saying Arjun got up, helping her up along with him. She held onto his hand and got up. She put a step forward to walk. Magic! It seemed fine, even though there were still minute traces of the pain. So, her ankle wasn't sprained like she had thought. She took another step forward. She was able to walk now, even though she had slight limp.
Arjun let go off her hand and Riya felt like life was sucked out of her. She wanted to hold onto his hand. She felt secure in his arms. She could feel his warmth through his hands. If he was with her, she needed nothing else!
For the first time she felt jealous. Jealous of his wife, a woman who was fortunate to be loved by him; who was blessed with the fortune to feel the warmth of his embrace, his care and concern. But the very instant pain pierced through her heart realizing that she was no more. She was killed for no reason. Her heart wept again, realizing his wife's pain, the torment she might have gone through when she died. The excruciating pain that would have killed her while she was breathing her last, when she would have realized that she wouldn't be coming back to him, that she wouldn't be able to love him anymore. The thought itself would've been the death of her.
She watched Arjun as he walked ahead of her towards the crime scene, leaving her standing in the sand. For the first time, she realized the depth of his pain; 'their' pain.
For the first time, her heart wept not for herself, but for Arjun and his wife.
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Hello! I'm back with my update. Part 2 on its way! 😉
I hope you guys liked this part... *fingers crossed*
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Chapter 7-2: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3198907&TPN=28
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