SS: The Guilt (Discontinued NOTE at page 42)! - Page 19

PART-5

Riya sat on the couch next to the wall. Arjun came back and sat on the chair in front of the couch. He was facing riya now.

Arjun: "to riya tum khud batana pasand karogi ya mein apne tarike se puchun?"
riya: (was horrified at that statement) "sir mein ne kaha na yehi wajah hai…ap kyun peche par gae hain is baat k?"
arjun: "riyaaa….(with a sigh) lagta hai mujhe hi nikalwana parega tumhare muun se such. Waise tum itni achi shooter ho mujhe pata nahin tha." He said with a little smile on his face.

Riya: "sir ap……ap ne bhi dekha tha wo?"

Arjun: "mein andha to nahin hun riya….mein ne sub kuch dekha tha, tum ne jaise shooting ki wo bhi aur jaise tumhare hath se wo gun chooti wo bhi"

Riya lowered her gaze in embarrassment.

Arjun: "riya kiya tumhe koi cheez pareshan kar rahi hai? Sirf us research desk wapis bhejne wali baat pe to tum itna bada decision nahin le sakti…koi aur baat hai riya….tum research desk k name se itna chidti kyun ho?"

Riya: "sir mein ne wahan nahin jana aura b ap please is baat ko yahin khatan kar dein."

Arjun: "ye baat to tab tak khatm nahin hogi jab tak tum mujhe jawab nahin de deti. Kiya research desk mein kuch hua tha?" arjun looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

Riya looks at him in disbelief….then immediately looks the other way.

Arjun: "to ye baat hai. Kiya hua tha riya?? Aj to such bol do?"

Riya: "sir please ye meri personal problem hai aur ap hi to kehte hain k..."

Arjun: (cutting her half way) "agar us personal problem ka asar tumhare kaam pe parega to mein zrur puchun ga tumse aur tumhe jawab bhi dena parega…..samjhi ya samjhaun!!"

Riya grabbed the sofa-side n was pressing her nails in it….arjun noticed her hesitation...he rested his back on the chair and folded his arms around his chest, giving her the much needed space and waited for riya to speak. Few minutes passed riya remains silent. Arjun came near her and said: "riya please batao kiya baat hai, I promise you ye baat is room se bahar nahin jaegi. Itna bharosa to hai na tumhe mujhe pe."

Riya looked at him. Those coal black eyes, the concern in them, gave her the much needed courage she was looking for.

Riya mustered up the courage as those images flashed through her mind once again.

*******flashbacks*********

One year ago, she stepped into the research department it was her first day at work. All the faces seemed estranged as she walked inside the main door but then she noticed her smiling at her.
riya: "neha (hugged her), thank god tum yahan ho….mein tumhe call karna ka soch hi rahi thi."

Neha: "riyaaa….kia yar mein ne yahan nahin hona tha kiya? Akhir aj meri best friend a first day hai job pe (she said with a wide smile). Welcome Ms. Riya Mukherjee." (she winked at her).

Riya: (burst out laughing) "thank you madam." (she winked back at her)

Neha: "chalo ao tumhe office mein sub se milwa doon. Aj rohan sir late aenge."

Riya: "ooohhh rohan SIR…..!!"

Neha: "shut up….sir hain wo"(she narrowed her eyes looking at her)
riya: "oh matlab koi chance nahin hai tumhara." Neha raised her brows looking at riya and both started laughing.

[riya and neha were childhood friends. Neha was a year older than riya, both of them were neighbours and moreover their fathers were great buddies. Neha completed her training and joined the research department. Riya came a year later and as always neha was there to guide her.]

Neha introduced her to all her colleagues and seniors. Riya then seated on her desk and was about to start her work when neha came running and said: "riya jaldi chal yar, sir a gae hain. Wo tujhe bula rahe hain."

Riya : "chalo." They walked towards his room. Riya held neha's hand tightly. Just near the door neha said: "chalo jao andr and don't worry rohan sir is a really nice man."
riya: "tum nahin chal rahi mere sath?"
neha: "riya ye hamare college ki canteen nahin hai, sir ka office hai. Mein nahin a sakti tumhare sath, tum jao jaldi." She pushed her towards the door.

Riya knocked at the door. "Come in." a voice came from inside. She opened the door and stepped inside. The man turned his chair to look at her. Clad in blue jeans and white top, with her hair loosely tied at the back of her head with a single strand while rest were left untied, she looked immensely attractive. Riya: "good morning, sir."

Rohan dutt, a tall handsome man wearing a black suit, said: "so you are Ms. Riya Mukherjee. Welcome!

Please have a seat."
riya sat down in front of him. "Well Ms. Mukherjee, your degrees do give an impression that you are pretty good with your statistics. Hope you can be a great help to us here. Ms. Neha Sharma will guide you about the work."

Riya: "sir! I will try my best not to disappoint you." (she said with a smile)
rohan smiled back at her: "You can resume your duties now……hmmm…is it ok if I call u riya?"

Riya: "of course sir, it's fine with me. Have a good day sir." She got up and exited the door.

Rohan (to himself): "nice girl."

Within two months, riya had become quite popular among her colleagues. She and neha were a sight to watch. They did their work with sheer brilliance and at the same time enjoyed their stay at the office. From discussing day's gossips, teasing their colleagues about their affairs to finishing all the paper work, their team was the best. Everyone enjoyed their chirpy nature including rohan dutt, with whom they both shared a cordial relation. Rohan had become friends with neha and riya. They were thoroughly professional in the office but they often hang out after the working hours.
neha had developed a soft-corner for rohan and riya didn't fail to notice that, even rohan's actions indicated that he liked neha. Both started dating. Riya was very happy for both of them as they made such a cute couple. Next week, rohan called neha in her office and asked her to accompany him to a workshop in delhi. Neha was a bit hesitant in the beginning but she agreed after a little insistence from rohan. Neha told riya that she will be going on a workshop with rohan for ten days. Riya smiled and winked at neha: "han han pata hai mujeh kaunsi workshop pe ja rahe ho tum dono."

Neha was blushing: "chup kar kuch bhi bolti hai. Kaam se ja rahe hain."

Riya: "oye hoye bada blush kar rahi ho tum, kaam to pata nahin kaise karo ge tum dono. Sirf ghumte hi raho ge."

Neha: "riyaaa bohat bolne lag gai ho aj kal tum. Acha suno ma, papa ka khayal rakhan aur apna bhi."

Riya: "u don't worry uncle, aunti ka khayal rakhun gi mein aur tum apna aur apne hone wale UN ka khayal rakhna."

Neha laughed at her statement and hugged her: "goodbye riyu."

Riya: "bye neha."

Riya talked to neha in the first five days of her stay in delhi and neha seemed quite happy about the trip and rohan. The next three days, riya tried to call neha but her phone was switched off. She contacted rohan but again the same result. She got worried and asked rohan's secretary to tell his whereabouts. She said that rohan sir has asked her not to disturb him as he is extremely busy with work. He will be back after 4 days. Riya went back to her desk still not satisfied with this answer. She again called neha but no response. A day passed and riya's anxiety increased. She made up her mind that she will go to delhi tomorrow. Next morning, she packed her bags and was about to leave when she received a call from neha's number. She picked it up in no time.

Riya: "hello neha….kahan ho tum?? Kab se call kar rahi thi tumhe. Kitni pareshan thi mein."

Neha: "riya jaldi se office building ki back side pe a jao."

Riya(tensed): "kiya hua? Neha tum.."
neha: "waqt zaya mat karo riya jaldi ao."
riya: "mein a rahi hun."

She reached there in 10 minutes driving as fast as she could.

She went to the backyard and saw neha standing there, with her back towards riya.
"neha." She shouted.

Neha turned around. She looked pale. "riya acha hua tum a gai. Mein jane se pehle tumse milna chahti thi ek baar."

Riya: "jane se pehle? Tum kahan ja rahi ho neha?"
neha: "tum meri bohat achi, nahin sab se achi dost ho riya. mera ek kaam karogi."

Riya: "ab mujhe dar lag raha hai neha…kiya keh rahi ho tum?"

Neha: "ma papa se kehna k mein unse bohat pyar karti hun magar mein unse sharminda nahin karna chahti. Please unka khayal rakhna riya."

Riya: "kiya bol rahi ho tum neha…meri baat suno…" she came closer to neha but neha moved back and took out a gun from her bag and out it on her forehead.

Neha: "sub khatm ho gaya riya…sub kuch…" (her eyes were filled with tears)

Riya: "neha ruko ….kiya kar rahi ho tum." She was about to take the gun from her hands but she pressed the trigger and BANG!!!!!

In just a few seconds neha sharma was a history.
************flashback ends************
riya came close to arjun held his shirt n asked him: "us ne meri aankhon k samne dum tor diya sir, wo mujhe aise hi chod k chali gai. Meujhe ek baar batay bhi nahin k usne ye ub kyun kiya aur sir ap jante hain k aunty (neha's mom) mujhe uski death a zimedar (responsible) samajhti hain…mujeh aj bhi yaad hain unke wo karwe alfaz.(words) ..YOU ARE A CURSE RIYA, ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU, I AM NOT GOING TO FORGIEV YOU, NEVER EVER…(she fumbled) magar siiirrr…..mag…magar sir (she placed her thumb and index finger on her neck) I swear mein kuch nahin janti, mein ne kuch nahin kiya neha ki death k baad uski body ko postmortem k liye le kar gaye to pata chala k …."she started crying miserably "k….uska rape hua tha….wo bhi gang rape…mein ne rohan ko bohat dhunda magar wo aj tak lapata hai. Mein ne itni police complaints kit hi magar kuch nahin pata chala, phir kuhc arse baad pata chala k ek accident mein rohan dutt ki death ho gai hai. Sir, aj bhi jab mein gun uthati hun aur kisi par fire karne lagti hun to neha ka chehra meri ankhon k aage a jata hai, uski aankhon se chalkti wo bebasi, aj bhi mujhe khaufzada kar deti hai….mein kuch nahin kar saki uske liye, shayad aunti sahi kehti thi, meri hi wajah se wo mar gai, kitni buri dost hun mein (she looked at arjun and asked) mein bohat buri hun na? mein usko bacah bhi nahin payi"

Arjun was out of words…he was staring at riya. For a minute, it looked as if he was standing in front of a mirror. He felt the same when roshni was murdered right in front of his eyes. She died in front of him and he was helpless. A tear escaped from his left eye and without thinking any further he took riya in his arms, hugging her as tightly as he could as if trying to protect her from that pain that was evident in her cries. Riya placed her arms on his back and hugged him back with equal passion, digging herself deep into his wide chest as if trying to hide herself from every living being on this very earth. SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES!!! They lived this phrase in that very moment.