Ariya The Wait - Page 9

Part 4

Arjun sighed: I wish!..............................

Cursing their luck, they went to the conference room where Rathore briefed them about a new case. They got caught up in the dealings of the case, barely having time to breath for the rest of the day. Finally, after a 3rd degree from the already agitated second-in-command, the ETF were free to go home.

Arjun did not wait a second longer and went straight to the parking lot. Sakshi was again going to be a barb in between when Riya came hurriedly.

Riya: are Sakshi, ruko, Shree tumhe bula raha hai

Sakshi: kyun?

Riya: pata nahi

Sakshi: chodo, woh bhi toh neeche hi aata hoga

Riya: nahi, nahi, use shayad apne system mein kuch update karna hai toh use time lagega, usne tumhe bulaya hai

Sakshi: acha? Theek hai main dekhti hun, thanks

Riya: no problem

She made her way back to the lift. The second the elevator door closed, Riya heaved a sigh of relief and turned to find an amused Arjun staring at her.

Arjun: Shree huh?

Riya rolled her eyes and sat in the passenger: aapse toh kuch hone waala nahi tha

He smiled and took his seat: dinner?

Riya: of course

Sharing a comfortable silence, with melodies on the radio and her head on his shoulder, they reached the restaurant. Arjun removed his phone and left it on the seat.

Arjun: ab aur koi nahi, warna main sach mein paagal ho jaunga, jab se aayi ho tab se kabhi Rathore, kabhi Shree toh kabhi commissioner, man toh kar raha tha ki unki kabar bana du

Riya laughed and switched off her phone, leaving it inside as well. They walked in.

Riya: aur kabhi Sakshi

Arjun: oh ha woh bhi

He pulled out a chair for her. She smiled and sat down. The waiter handed them a menu as Arjun sat opposite her.

Riya: kya lenge aap?

Arjun: tum

The waiter suppressed his smile as Riya blushed.

She whispered a scolding: kuch bhi bolte hai aap

She quickly ordered two dishes and sent the waiter away. Arjun winked at her. She hid her face.

Riya: aap bahot bure hai

Arjun took her hand in his: ab jaisa bhi hun, atki toh tum ho mere saath….forever

She tightened her grip on his hand: I’d rather be stuck with you

He smiled: so?

Riya(confused): so?

Arjun: kaisi ho?

Riya(thoughtfully): honestly….pata nahi, I mean khush hun, bahot khush especially waapis aane ke baad. You know, maine kabhi socha hi nahi tha ki I will end up in this profession, socha tha ki ek normal si degree lekar, ek normal si 9-5 ki job lekar, kisi din shaadi karke apne pati ko pareshaan karungi and then….badi hui toh laga ki agar main apne maa-baap ko insaaf nahi dila sakti toh aur kaun dilayega? Papa ne apni jaan par khel kar mujhe bachaya and this is definitely not the way main unhe repay karna chahungi. Pichla ek saal….ek…almost ek sapne ka jaise tha. jab ETF se transfer liya, undercover jaane ki taiyaari kar rahi thi toh lag raha tha ki aane waala waqt bahot lamba hoga aur ab peeche dekhti hun toh lagta hai jaise sab kuch chutki bajate hi khatam ho gaya. main actually isse jaldi aa jaati but woh gang ka head toh maara gaya, lekin uska ek khaas admi bhaagne mein kamyaab ho gaya aur meri sachayi baahar aa gayi thi toh mujhe 2 mahine underground hona pada

Arjun turned serious: kya woh pakda gaya?

Riya: ha, ha pakda gaya aur jail main hai warna mujhe ETF mein aane ki permission nahi milti

Arjun: pakka na? ye log bahot khatarnaak hote hai

Riya : ha sir pakka, it is finished

Arjun nodded in relief.

Riya: aapko pata hai, woh aakhri din, jab main us admi ko expose karne waali thi….un dino bahot dar lag raha tha, pehli baar aisa kuch karne jaa rahi thi, kabhi aisa experience nahi mila tha, uski tasveer tak dekhti toh woh bhayanak din mere aankhon ke saamne cha jaata (Arjun squeezed her hand in comfort) dar lag raha tha ki main mission pura kar bhi paungi ya nahi, ki maa-paap ke gunehgaaron ko saza dila paungi ya nahi, agar end moment par kamzor pad gayi toh kya hoga? uska toh jo hoga so hoga, par mera patta zaroor kat jaayega…par fir (glancing at the ring) aapko yaad karke, kisi tarah himmat juta li

Arjun smiled and kissed her finger. Their eyes locked with each other’s as red adorned her cheeks. He placed his second hand on hers and was about to say something when the waiter interrupted them.

Waiter(placing the dishes down): your order, sir

They came out of trance and retracted their hands.

Arjun: next time….hum ghar par hi khaana bana lenge

Riya: landline bajegi

Arjun: are connection nikalne mein kitna time lagta hai?

Riya: aur ghanti baji toh?

Arjun: fir toh ek hi option hai, tumhara idea hi use karte hai (she looked at him confusion) bhaag jaate hai, kisi pahadi par jaha par network hi na ho, aur sabse kareeb waala gaav kam se kam 20 km door ho

She laughed as she picked up her spoon and started eating: idea bura nahi hai mujhe bhi paahad bahot pasand hai

Arjun: done then! Agli date Himalaya ki kisi choti par karenge

He raised his glass and she clinked it, signing the deal on her end. They continued to talk over dinner, enjoying the moments they both had yearned for since the past year.

Arjun looked at his watch: bahot late ho gaya hai, hume chalna chahiye

Riya: 10 hi toh baje hai

Arjun: ha wahi toh late ho gaya hai, come on let’s go

Riya: are lekin…

Before she could protest, he called for the bill and paid the waiter. She was surprised to seehim act suddenly so strange. Just 2 hours ago he had whining about not being able to spend enough time with her and now he wanted to go home?

Riya: thodi der wait karte haina

Arjun: nahi yaar, late ho raha hai, tum chalo na

Confused she followed him to the car. He turned on the ignition and the wheels rolled on the streets of the city of dreams. He could see her bewilderment but managed to suppress his smile successfully.

Riya: Arjun sir, abhi thodi der pehle aapko paahad par bhaagna tha aur ab aapko ghar bhaagna hai?

Arjun ignored the question completely: kya Riya ab toh sir bulana chodo

Riya blushed lightly but decided to tease him: aap gaadi rok dijiye toh shayad sir bhi ruk jaaye?

He raised his eyebrow: acha? Aisi baat hai?

She shrugged: you never know

Arjun: fir toh rehne hi do (her eyes widened) waise bhi, tum jab Arjun sir kehte hue mujhse baat karne ke bahane dhundhti rehti ho mujhe bahot acha lagta hai, kitni cute lagti ho jab tum nervously nazre jhuka kar mere paas aati ho

She pretends to be offended: how dominating, isliye mujhe ring di thi?

Arjun: ring toh tumhe nishaani ke liye di thi, agar waha jaa kar mujhe bhul jaati toh mera kya hota?

Riya: kya hota? Haina aapki ever ready girlfriend aapse ring lene ke liye?

Arjun made a face: Riya!!!

It was her turn to tease now: ha sir?

Arjun: tum bahot buri ho

Riya: aur aap bahot khadoos hai

They burst into laughter, just as he pulled up to their destination. The surroundings brought Riya back to earth.

Riya: ye kya? Hum…ETF office kyun waapis aaye hai? aapka koi samaan reh gaya?

Arjun(getting out): nahi toh

Riya(removing her seat belt) : toh hum yaha kyun aaye hai?

He held her hand and pulled her along: chalo sab pata chal jaayega

Riya: lekin yaha kyun? Koi bhi nahi hai yaha par

Arjun: obviously Riya, warna kya fir se disturb hone ke liye le aata?

He led her to the steps.

Riya: ab hum terrace par kyun jaa rahe hai?

Arjun: chalo toh sahi

Riya shook her head in disbelief. Suddenly he stopped her before she could open the door.

Riya: kya hua?

Arjun: aise nahi…ek minute

He went behind her and closed her eyes confusing her even more.

Riya: okay….ab meri deduction skills keh rahi hai ki koi surprise hai

Arjun chuckled as he opened the door: good, I’m proud of you...(nudging her forward)sambhal kar step hai (He guided her onto the terrace) aankhein khol raha hun(she nodded) 1…2…and 3!

He removed his hand as she slowly opened her eyes. The sight in front of her took her breath away. Fragrant candles were burning all around. A small gazebo was decorated with flowers and fairy lights. On the ground in front of her, a huge heart was made with rose petals in which a few numbers were written.

Riya was spellbound as she took in the beauty of the place: beautiful!!….(turning to him) par, ye sab…

Arjun wrapped his arms around her: ab…jab humara bichad na yaha hua tha toh…milan bhi toh yahi hona chahiye na?

She felt her heart burst with happiness and she jumped up to hug him: Arjun!!

He buried his face in her shoulder. They stayed like that for a few moments before separating. Her eyes fell on the numbers in the heart.

Riya: ye numbers kyun likhe hai yaha par?

He hugged her from behind: ye numbers nahi dates hai

Riya: date? 24-9-26? 2026 ki date kyun likhi hai aapne?

Arjun laughed: ye 2026 ki date nahi hai, ye teen alag dates hai, 24th June, 9th October aur 26th November aur ye teeno tumhare options hai

Riya(confused): options? Aap kyun paheliyan bhuja rahe hai? batiye na seedhe-seedhe

He smiled: ye humari shaadi ke liye teen options hai, ab tum bolo kab shaadi karni hai

Riya raised her eyebrow at him: shaadi ke liye options?

Arjun: ha, ab will you marry me toh puch kar faayda nahi hai, tum ha hi toh bologi,toh options

Riya squinted: how convenient

He kissed her cheek: I know, ab jaldi bolo kaunsi date chahiye, personally I prefer October, kyunki June bahot jaldi ho jaayega aur December tak main wait nahi kar sakta

Riya: par mujhe toh December wali date hi chahiye

He turned her around: itni door? Kyun?

Riya: are October mein kitni garmi hoti hai, main taiyaar kaise houngi? December aur January mein weather kitni achi hogi toh shaadi ke baad honeymoon par ghum bhi sakenge na

Arjun raised his eyebrow: weather tak toh theek hai but, honestly, bold of you to assume ki honeymoon par main tumhe kamre se baahar jaane dunga

Riya blushed red and tried to run away: shut up Arjun

But he caught her again, crashing her to him. He caressed her cheek.

Arjun: tum sharmaate hue bahot pyaari lagti ho

She blushed further and hid her face in his chest. He smiled and raised her chin.

Arjun: waise ye washroom nahi hai, kiss karna allowed hai?

She laughed and wound her hands around his neck: bilcul allowed hai

Arjun muttered a thank you and kissed her, tightening his grip around her waist as they lost themselves.

He led her to the gazebo and switched on the music player. A romantic melody wafted into the surrounding as they danced in each other’s arms, lost in each other’s eyes and lived in each other’s love.

The End………………………….

Note:-

hey guys, I've had to filter my pm list because of the technical difficulties of pm not sending to users if even one of them had their inbox full and also just the 20 user window. I apologise if I have missed someone, please resend buddy request and I will continue sending pms. Hope you understand.