A New Chapter
The sunrays entered through the window disturbing Arjun's sleep. He lazily woke up and stretched. Everything was the same, the room of Ravi lodge, his early morning cutting and his duty yet there was a difference, it was a new phase in his life, a new beginning, on a new path.
He reached office sharp at 8, first as usual. Arjun took his seat in the conference room, bored without any work. All the paperwork had been completed the previous day itself. Besides it wasn't as if he had to do much of it. His eyes fell on the opposite seat. He glanced around. Making sure no one was there, he went to her seat. Arjun opened the drawer. A diary, few markers, rubber bands, tissue papers and a silver coin was placed in it. He squinted seeing the coin and picked it up. It was dented. Realising she had picked up hers, he put it back in his place. He took her diary and retired to his cabin.
Picking up a pen, he settled in his swivel chair and opened a fresh page in the diary. Arjun leaned behind, resting his legs on the table and started writing with a smile on his face.
I used to wonder what destiny had in mind for me, now I know, it wanted me to become immune. However, I still have to figure out why. I remember the first time I saw you or rather your reflection, at Raghu sir's house and we had a fight and then we landed up in a romantic position instead of a you being on the ground and me shooting you for attacking me. I must say you are a good fighter. I wanted to tell you that at that moment but then I was angry because of Sheen's kidnapping and then Rathore and then Pathan etc, etc. The only other thing I picked up about you at that moment were your eyes. And I am glad I did, honestly, woh mere zindgi ke sabse ache kaamon mein se ek tha. Tumhari aankhein aise baatein karti hai jaise ki koi unme movie dikha raha ho. No matter what you do, they tell me everything that you feel, even the emotions that you desperately keep trying to hide from me. Yes, I mean exactly what you think I mean. Tumhe kya laga? Jo Arjun Rawte, ek sui se khooni tak pahunch sakta use ye samaj mein nahi aayega ki tum use pasand karti ho? Next time, make sure that you don't keep stealing glances at them every time they are in the same room. Also, don't keep blushing and stammering every time you have a casual conversation. Having said that, I'm sorry that I scolded you the other day. I was angry that you went behind my back to know about me. I did ask you if you wanted to know, didn't I? I hated it when people told me that everything would be alright and normal. It can't! But I could see the genuineness in your eyes. I wanted to share with you, I wouldn't have minded telling you but instead you chose to go behind my back. But I know, I was probably a little too harsh and I'm sorry for that. I feel terrible about adding on to your sorrow that day. I don't know why you took leave, or who was on that call to make you feel so miserable, I still don't but I know that my dismissal made you feel even worse. Like I said before, your eyes are an open book. I hope you forgive me for being so insensitive.
A big thank you for ordering my chai the other morning when I had locked myself in the car. My head was bursting. I would have strangled Rathore if he hadn't given us a break in the next 2 minutes. It was really very thoughtful of you and low-key weird that my once upon a time friend didn't realise I needed refreshment but a girl I met barely few day ago did. You always managed to take my breath away. Be it with your skills and beauty when I felt like you were my oxygen or when you made stupid mistakes and put your life unnecessarily in danger exasperating me. And no I'm not just talking about the time you decided to help me, who was perfectly safe in a bullet proof van in a closed godown with jammers I am also talking about the time when you decided to enter that stupid hotel filled with those so called Naxals that too with the excuse of staying on the terrace because you were talking to your boyfriend? Seriously? Couldn't your Rathore sir give you a better excuse? I still can't believe that they believed you...not that my excuse was any better, fir bhi yaar! Boyfriend kyun? Tabhi mera khayal nahi aaya tumhe? By the way, jackets suit you. You looked beautiful in that red one and even more when you had dressed up traditionally for that under cover case we had to solve. You didn't just take my breath away that morning but my sanity too. It all came back only when that lady called me your husband and I was genuinely annoyed at that. Sharing with you was a different dimension but relations? They were something I had not wanted to work upon at all. Kabhi socha hi nahi tha ki mera dil firse kisi ke liye dhadkega.
You know it's ironic that I never believed in God yet I realised Roshni's intensity of love when I was on a dangerous mission and she said she'd pray for me. I got stuck, badly and I don't know how or who but an unknown help arrived at the last moment making my mission a success. I realised the intensity of your love when you placed that silver coin in my pocket and it saved me from a bullet. Maybe I do believe deep down somewhere, else I would have passed them off as coincidences. I don't know, it's complicated. I realised I had started to feel responsible for you when I lied to get you shoot that criminal. The day you cried on my shoulder and I first saw you in such a vulnerable state, I felt like taking you in my arms and hiding you away from the world. Ek taraf man kar raha tha ki tumhe itna dukh dena ke liye khud par hi goli chala du aur dusri taraf man kar raha tha ki tumhe apne seene mein samet ke saare dukhon se door kar du. It scared me more than it gave me warmth that I was falling for you. It was scary because I thought my emotions had died with my wife and somehow, I don't how, you managed to revive them, you managed to beat my heart with an emotion other than revenge, you managed to make me feel alive again and for that...I will forever be grateful to you. You thanked me for helping you become a better officer but in reality the truth is that I was selfish. I just tried to facilitate your survival because without you, I am but a humane-less human. And! For the record, You are always welcome! Tum kehti ho na ki ant mein jeet meri hogi par meri har jeet ko pura karnewaali sirf tum ho!
Ab ye dekho, tumhari tarah baaton ko gol-gol ghumane lag gaya. Itni saari baatein likh li lekin wahi nahi likha jiske liye tumhari diary uthayi thi. I Love You...Too!
Yours lovingly, faithfully and sincerely,
Arjun
P.S I heard you wanted to throw me off the building. Well then sweetheart, it wouldn't have been of any benefit to either of us, would it? I'd actually prefer falling with you on the bed. A better option don't you think?
Arjun closed the diary with satisfaction. He sat up straight and kept his pen away. Just then Shree knocked on the door.
Arjun: come in
Shree: sir, Rathore sir bula rahe hai, ek murder hua hai
He nodded, gesturing that he would follow. Shree left. Arjun safely kept the diary in his cupboard and left. The day continued normally as the ETF scanned the crime scene and returned to office after gathering the evidence...well, normal until the reality came to bite all of them.
Shree was busy in his laptop: are Ri, call records waali file paas kar na
Three pairs of eyes turned to him. Earning no response from her, Shree repeated.
He turned to her: Are Ri file
His words died abruptly as he realised that her chair was empty and it was going to be...forever. A heavy weight rested on his chest as he glanced to the others. Chotu teared up. Rathore's heart sank seeing his team in such a position. The wound of the research specialist sacrificing herself was still fresh in their minds. It had only been a day since her funeral. But they all knew, no matter how far time took them, the memory would stay etched in their minds.
Arjun on the other hand was not feeling sympathy for any of them. In fact, he was slightly amused at the blunder. He shook his head as a slight smile came on his face and turned his head to the evidence board. However, his reaction did not go unnoticed by the Chief. The fire inside Sameer fuelled on seeing Arjun's insensitive demeanour.
Rathore snapped at him: Tum Itne Pathar Dil Kaise Ho Sakte Ho Rawte?
Arjun: tum sawaal puch rahe ho ya jawab de rahe ho?
Rathore: Shut Up Rawte! I Won't Tolerate This Sort Of Bullshit!
Arjun: oh I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings sir?
Rathore: Rawte enough! Apna ravaiya theek karo warna...
Arjun gave him a bored look: warna kya? Nikal doge? Jab tak mera kaam nahi hota main kahi nahi jaane waala agar tumhe problem hai toh shauk se transfer le lo, (turning back to the board) mujhe koi farak nahi padta
Rathore threw daggers at him: tumhe bhale hi farak na pade Rawte, lekin ek baat kaan kholkar sun lo! Tum jis raaste par jaa rahe ho us par ek din aisa aayega ki 100 kadam peeche jaane par bhi koi tumhare saath khada nahi hoga
Arjun rolled his eyes: tumhara lecture khatam ho gaya ho toh case par dhyaan de? Khooni abhi bhi hume hi dhundhna hai
Rathore muttered under his breath as left the room in anger: you're impossible!
Arjun raised his eyebrows but didn't bother to look back. He focused on the photographs in front of him. Destiny had finished it's training. He was immune...to loss and pain. She had taken the broken shards lying in his chest and left never to return them again. Arjun Rawte was a new man, devoid of everything that made him human.
Khwaabon ki duniya mukamal kaha hai
Jeene ki khwaish mein marna yaha hai
Manzil yahi hai, yahi karwaan hai
Jeene ki khwaish mein marna yaha hai
Sar pe uthaya hai kyun aasman ko
Agar badh hai jaati teri dhadkane
Sehmi hai dhadkan
Seehri hai dhadkan
Thehri hai dhadkan
Toh kya ho gaya
The End...
Book Talk
424