Locked Between Truths (One Shot)

We often talk about love at first sight, but does that exist really? or rather it's a curiosity to know about someone at first sight.

sometimes you just look at someone and your mind goes.."Who are They.?"

That pull can feel intense enough to be mistaken for love, but it’s more like the beginning of a story, not the story itself.

And sometimes, that curiosity—when it refuses to fade—is even more powerful than instant love, because it keeps pulling you back, making you stay, making you learn.

here is an one shot on Ariya about something at first sight.

Locked Between Truths

The mall was packed, long before the inauguration was set to begin.

Lights blazed across polished glass, and marble ,banners hung in different symmetry ,and a restless crowd pressed against the barricades ,their excitement humming through the air.

Security was everywhere ,uniforms at every entrance ,eyes scanning, voices low and constant over comms.

This was just not an opening , but an event and he was right in the middle of it.

Among the officers assigned to the detail ,he stood slightly apart ,not in position, but in presence.

His posture was precise , his gaze sharp as it moved across the shifting crowd ,catching details others might miss ,he was there to do the job ,nothing more nothing less.

The kind of focus came from discipline, not interest..in the event.

The minister's visit had put the entire place on high alert days in advance, protocols tightened, routes mapped, where he had been assigned to oversee the inner security layer ,keeping the perimeter tight, the access controlled.

"Sir, something is wrong with Monitor room one."

The voice crackled through intercom, strained not loud, but enough to get his attention.

"Repeat that."

He said , voice low and controlled.

"Monitor room one..feed is glitching.

Visuals clear nahi hain, aur na hi signal aaraha hai. "

The man over the intercom explained , and he moved making his way to the monitor room one to check it himself.

"Go for the second access. Har camera pe najar rakho, jab tak mai ye clear nahi karta."

He ordered taking long strides through the corridors ,his eyes scanning through the security with each step.

"yes sir."

"Hold position near the entrance."

He ordered again.

"yes sir."

Near the monitor room one, the moment he crossed the threshold of the room the silence in the air, except the faint hum of the equipment engulfed him.

He found it odd since no operator was to be seen in the sight,but then his eyes locked on to the figure at the table.

A girl, leaning over the system, her fingers moving fast on the keyboard and without wasting a second he pulled out his gun aiming it at her, since he knew there was no girl in the operating team.

"Hands up."

The girl stopped whatever she was doing, turning to him instantly and he noticed she didn't look startled or didn't panic but her eyes widened as he started pushing the door shut with one hand, still holding the gun in the other.

"Hey..Hey ..Hey.."

She started moving fast, heading straight for the door ,meanwhile his gaze narrowed and he extended his free hand across her path not touching her, but blocking her way.

"Stop."

His tone came out firm ,the gun in his hand still aimed at her.

She didn't pay hid to his threatening voice or the gun, her all attention occupied by the door as she watched it shutting down completely.

"What the......"

This time She moved her gaze to the guy beside her ,slightly irritated as she completes her sentence.

"F**k."

"Kaun ho tum? Aur yahan kya kar rahi thi.?"

He asked glaring down at her.

She didn't bother to reply him ,instead pushed his hand off from her way trying to sidestep by moving past him and he reacted fast, his hand shot out catching her wrist firmly.

She whipped her head to him twisting her wrist sharply, enough to make his grip loosen and caught his wrist in return with her other hand, turning it, angling his arm off balance.

He resisted immediately, trying to counter attack but she was quicker than he expected.

In one smooth movement she stepped in ,pivoted and pinned his arm behind his back.

His jaw tightened, refusing to yield completely ,when her uneven breath brushed past his shoulder from behind and he heard a light chuckle.

He shifted his weight, testing her hold for a moment, eyeing the gun that had fell off to the floor before looking back over his shoulder and the next thing she knew his arms reflexed under her hold slipping partially out of her hold and his hand pulled her to his front ,as he stood facing her.

They stood closer than either of them intended ,her grip still on his wrist ,his hand still around hers ,his eyes met hers and stayed there for a moment.

He could see there was still no trace of fear in them, just steadiness and something sharper beneath it

His eyes shifted for a brief second taking in the details..her hair had come loose from whatever had been holding it back ,strands falling across her shoulder from the force of his pull ,a few brushed against his sleeve, close enough to notice, close enough to distract.

She didn't look shaken , she looked composed ,fierce ,the kind of presence that needn't to prove itself.

His eyes flicked back to hers, finding her gaze narrowed at him as if she had already caught him checking her out.

He regained his posture pushing her lightly off him ,and directed a glare at her recalling she was a suspect there and he had a job to finish.

"2 minute hai tumhare paas batane ke liye ki tum kaun ho, aur yahan kya kar rahi thi.

Jab tak tum nahi bataogi ,yahan se bahar nahi jaa sakti."

He threatened , his tone firm.

"jo abhi tumne kiya hai , usse mai kya tum bhi yahan se bahar nahi jaa sakte."

She replied without batting an eye , then walked past him towards the door while he stood confused, some crease lines appeared on his forehead as he turned around that instant finding her trying to open the closed door.

He took one step ahead suspecting she was trying to flee away ,instead found her kicking the door frustratedly before turning to him with a glare, for some reason unknown to him.

"Ye door faulty hai, ek baar band ho jaata hai toh jab tak bahar se koi aake nahi kholega ye khulega nahi."

She said monotonously , but it didn't help clearing his confusion rather it grew.

"What.?"

"Koi police wala itna dumb kaise ho sakta hai.? Jis jagah ki security dekh rahe ho, uss jagah ke baare me tumhe pata hi nahi hai. "

She scoffed walking back toward the table and grabbed a chair taking a seat on it casually.

He glared at her remark, then stormed towards the door trying to open it while she sat watching his futile attempts.

As the door didn't buzz he picked up the intercom from the floor ,pressing it hoping to hear anyone's voice.

"Hello? Koi sun raha hai mujhe.?

Hello.?"

His voice echoed faintly among the walls, thus he ditched the intercom pulling his phone out of his jeans pocket.

"Signal nahi hai iss room me."

She said calmly and suddenly his fingers stopped on the mobile screen realizing she was right.

Earlier they had stopped the signals in one room deliberately for precaution ,to not interfere the security measures at the peak time and a groan escaped from his lips as he glanced down at his wrist watch.

it was almost time for the minister to arrive and there he was, locked in a room with a suspect with no phone signal and no backup.

Speaking of the suspect---

He angled his head to the girl with an intent look, where she sat playing with the rubik's cube she had found near the desk.

"Iss room me signal nahi hai ye tumhe kaise pata?

Kaun ho tum.?"

He asked.

"Chor hun."

Her reply came too fast, and his jaw tightened as his gaze hardened on her.

He wasn't surprised though, she was sharp, trained ,knew how to fight and the way she was not bothered by the circumstances clearly told him something about her was..off.

"Only if the door wasn't locked..."

He thought in mind. Because if it wasn't he would have handled it differently.

By the book, he would have handled her the way criminals are meant to be handled and made her feel the weight of what she had just confessed casually.

He would have broken through that calm of hers and made sure there was atleast a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"Yahan monitor room me kya chori karne aayi thi.?"

He asked still not diverting his gaze from her.

"Chori nahi mai yahan dekhne aayi thi ki vo jewellery store ke paas kitni security khadi hai.

Per yahan pe toh ye dabbe kaam hi nahi kar rahe hain."

She replied ,with her all attention on the cube and he almost rolled his eyes at how casual she was with her answers.

"Aur yahan jo 2 operator the? Unka kya kiya.?"

He asked again, thus she looked up to him with a pointed look.

"Tum pakke police wale hi ho. Ab tumhare staff apna kaam nahi karte , toh mujh pe hi ilzam laga rahe ho ki maine unhe kuch kar diya.?"

"Zabban sambhal ke baat karo, jaanti ho kisse baat kar rahi...."

"Arjun Rawte , Emergency task force. "

She chirped interrupting him in middle, then raised a brow at him.

"Yahi hai na tumhara naam aur kaam.?"

He zipped his lips together not answering her, but gritted his teeth quite irritated with her presence and attitude.

As she shifted her focus back to solve the cube in her hand ,he exhaled slowly forcing the tension out of his shoulders reminding himself she was just a girl, a thief ,and he needn't to lose his calm over her.

Without another word he walked ahead dragging the second chair from near the table, placing at a deliberate distance from her then sat down, waiting for someone to come and unlock the door.

Even in that stillness in the room he was aware ,of her presence , of the strange lack of fear in her.

And though he didn't look at her again, not once but his mind hadn't stopped circling back to her.

Tearing his gaze away from the closed door, he looked at her again.

She sat there ,completely at ease ,the rubik's cube turning smoothly between her fingers ,unhurried ..like time meant nothing to her.

Like the locked room, the silence, him..none of it mattered.

His brows drew together slightly.

Was she serious?

No restless shifting, no nervous glances at the door ,not even the fact that she was locked in with a stranger was bothering her..he gritted his teeth and his curiosity stirred.

"Kabse ye kaam kar rahi ho.?"

The question left his lips, and he watched how she didn't look up while answering him.

"Cube? Abhi abhi shuru kiya hai."

"Chori."

He chirped straight, and the next moment heard her deep chuckle.

"Ab ye kaam bhi tum log khudse karna nahi chahte?

Sab kuch humse puchh loge, hum bata denge aur tum log hame jail bhej ke khud aaram se jaake ghar me so jaoge. "

She replied quickly ,and for a second he just stared at her , his jaws clenched.

She was testing his patience, insulting his work something he worships all together, without a damn fear.

"Yahi kaam hai hamara.

Tum jaison ko ghasit ke police department ki rules, regulations aur tameez sikhana."

He said in a low intimidating tone, and that is when her eyes shot up making him smirk a little.

"apne rules aur regulation ko apne departement ke jev me ghusana ACP.

Tum logon ki jev khali nahi rehni chahiye."

She gave him a smile, right on his face well aware of how his fingers crawled in to a fist before he released the fingers quickly to not let her notice her words triggered him.

"Tumhe darr nahi lag raha hai, yahan se bahar nikalne ke baad tumhare sath kya hoga.?"

He asked in a low intimidating tone, leaning forward on the chair ,his elbows rested on his knees and she stared at him for a moment then put the cube aside getting up from the chair walking straight towards him ,making his gaze lift instinctively.

He neither stopped her, nor moved ,just his eyes followed her each step until she stopped right in front of him.

Before he could react she bent down, lowering herself to his level leaving her face just inches away from his. Both of her palms rested on her knees as she leaned slightly forward and he dropped his gaze meeting hers.

"Tumhe pata hai yahan iss room me ,tumhare sath kya kya ho sakta hai.?"

Her voice was calm, unwavering and he didn't move an inch, not diverting his eyes from her as if his eyes searched something deeper into hers ,maybe fear.?

Because up this close, she still didn't look afraid.

His breath slowed, jaw tightened again when she raised a hand extending a finger bringing it close to his nose, then narrowed her eyes at him silently asking for permission if she can touch him and he, without breaking the eye-contact pushed her hand aside, watching her nodding as if she understood the silent message.

He took a moment to ease his jaw the tension not leaving him fully, since neither of them stepped back.

"Naam kya hai tumhara.?"

He asked in a straight tone and she, without leaving his eyes chuckled softly.

"Abhi abhi toh maine yahan kuch hone ki baat ki thi, aur achanak itna interest.?"

Her answer came laced with sarcasm ,almost like she was brushing him off on purpose.

Maybe waiting for him to snap, or threaten her again, but this time he didn't react ,or interrupted, or scoffed.

He just watched her quietly ,his eyes stayed locked onto her patient ,unyielding that said he wasn't dropping the question ,not until she gave him a real answer.

"Hmm.. Aaj tak kisi police wale ne mera naam puchha nahi hai, toh kisi ko toh yaad rehna hi chahiye.

Riya."

She answered after a pause ,and his gaze shifted downwards to the floor letting the name roll in his mind ,then he lifted his eyes back to hers.

"Riya.

Hmm.. Ye asli naam hai ya phir iss chehre ki tarah ye bhi ek jhuth hai.?"

The corner of her lips twitched as she rolled her eyes at him, as she answered.

"Pata nahi.

Agar ye naam achha nahi lag raha hai toh apne hisab se koi bhi naam rakh lo, aesa toh nahi hai ki zindagi me hum phir kabhi milenge aur tum mera naam loge."

She chirped nonchalantly standing up straight, and he too straightened up leaning back on the chair.

"Milenge.

Kuch aur ho na ho , ye jarur hoga."

She narrowed her gaze at his confidence, just when the door was pushed open and an operator stood near the door step eyeing between them , before settling his gaze on him guiltily.

"Sorry sir...."

"Hey, ek toh tum yahan bulate ho aur phir ye door bhi lock ho jaata hai. Mai kitna pareshan ho gayi thi yahan pe."

He craned his neck to her ,surprised at how different her tone was while conversing with the operator.

Also the lies.. She was not at all worried during her stay inside, and wait...the operator knows her?

He thought standing up from the chair.

"Tum isse jaante...."

Before he could complete his question, she interrupted him quickly still eyeing the operator guy.

"Sare system switch off karke on kardo, ho jayega. Minor error tha.

Mai chalti hun, already late ho chuki hun."

She gave him a quick wave and walked towards the door without waiting for his response.

"Sir .mai system restart karta hun pehle, event chal raha hai niche."

The operator guy said rushing towards the table,while he stood rooted on his spot watching her slowly disappearing from the sight.

She didn't look back, not once but her name echoed faintly in his mind.

His brows drew together slightly a faint frown settled in ,as he failed to conclude something.

Which one was real? The one he met in the room- calm, sharp, almost teasing ,meeting his authority without any fear , or the one who just walked out –quiet, composed, distant in a way that didn't look like someone running from anything.

He wasn't sure what she was.. A thief, a liar or something else entirely.

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