Part 4A
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5:00 PM
Riya's phone beeps. SMS from her sister.
"operation successful. will be taking 8:00 PM flight, will reach at 10 PM"
Riya replies.
"OK, will plan to pick u up"
She again gets involved in the case. Case is solved. They find out that the victim's friend killed him because he thought the victim was having an illicit relationship with his wife, which was not true. The friend was just trying to help his wife to make him realize that he shouldn't be doubting her love and loyalty.
Arjun(to the culprit): Kisi bhi rishtey ki buniyad hota hai vishwaas ... agar tum apni patni par vishwaas nahi karte to iska matlab tum usse pyar hi nahi kartey... tum sirf apni zid ki khatir usey apne saath baandh ke rakhna chahtey ho... tum to pyar ka matlab bhi nahi samajhtey...
Sameer: Aur nahi tum apne dost ko samajh paye... tumhara dost sirf tumhari patni ki madad kar raha tha tumhare is shaq ki aadat ko mitane ke liye... jisse ki tumhari shadi-shuda zindagi khush-haal rahey... wo to tumhe khush dekhna chahta tha... afsos tum in dono rishton ki ahmiyat nahi samajh paye... tumhe tumhare gunah ki sazaa milegi... Chhotu... arrest karo isey...
After the case is over Sameer goes to commissioner office for some urgent meeting at around 7:00 PM and rest of the team goes to ETF office to file the records.
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At ETF office, Around 9:00 PM.
Arjun after he finishes reviewing the records that team has updated, gets up to leave.
Arjun: Maine sab check kar liya hai... sarey records theek hain... der ho gayi hai... mai nikal raha hoon... tum log bhi nikal jao... Shree, Riya ko safely ghar drop kar dena...
Trio is shocked to see Arjun "Akdu" Rawte leaving early today (Yes, 9:00 PM is early for him ;) ) They were not even in a position to react.
Shree barely manages to nod to his instruction about dropping Riya.
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Around 10:00 PM Arjun reaches lodge, freshens up and orders for food.
While waiting for food he is lost thinking about the events since morning and how it all started with what happened previous day. He was a little restless when Sameer told him that he is going to sports club and also told him the time.
Arjun pretended to ignore but he couldn't. In fact it added to his anxiety with his past moments of the game flashing in front of his eyes. And Riya added fuel to it by trying to mediate between him and Sameer frustrating him further. And in his frustration he snubbed the poor girl.
Flashback begins*
Previous day, on the way to Riya's home.
Riya strikes the conversation.
Riya: Sir, Thanks a lot...
Arjun(his usual plain and rude tone): Kisliye?
Riya: Wo aapne bataya tha na ki Rathod sir ko Gajar ka Halwa pasand hai... us liye... aapne bataya is liye hum unke liye ye surprise plan kar paye...
Riya stops to observe if Arjun reacts to it. But Arjun is quiet without giving any reaction, continuing the drive looking staright at the road.
Riya: Rathod sir bahut khush huye... unhe Halwa pasand bhi aaya... aur unhone Thanks bhi kaha... (a little pause)... aapko...
Arjun is snapped at this and gives her his usual glare.
Riya: wo... matlab... humne unhe nahi bataya ki apne humein gajar ke halwe ki baat batayi... unhone to bas itna kaha ki... jisne bhi humein ye bataya hai... usko Thanks bol dein... isliye...(stops again)
Arjun looks back to the road.
Riya: waise... pata nahi mujhe aisa kyun laga ki... shayad unhone guess kar liya tha ... ki ye baat aapne hi humein batayi hai...
Arjun gives an annoyed look to indicate that he is bored of her talks, but she continues.
Riya: Sir... mujhe lagta ki... aap dono ek dusre ko jitna achchhi tarah se jantey ... hain utna kabhi dikhate nahi... agar aap log ...
Arjun(snaps her short in his usual attitude, without looking at her): Riya, Mujhe aur Rathod ko kya karna chahiye aur kya nahi... ye hum dono achchhi tarah se jaantey hain... tumhe ye sab sochne ki zarurat nahi hai...apna dhyaan kaam par lagao to zyada behtar hoga... door raho in baaton se..(shooting his glare towards her)...ye baat tum samjhi ya... samjhaun?
Riya understood that his SYS meant he wants her to shut up. The remaining drive to her house was quiet.
Flashback ends*
He closes his eyes and in a few seconds he hears a voice... Roshni's voice calling him.
(Note: Roshni in present whom Arjun talks to is not Roshni's spirit. It is Arjun's happy mind voice. It is his happy self hidden somewhere back of his mind.
He had all happy memories with Roshni so everything that gives him happiness, his mind associates it with Roshni and tells him that it is Roshni telling him. He talks to her in mind with closed eyes and not aloud)
Roshni: Arjun...
Arjun(surprised): Roshni...
He opens his eyes and looks here and there. He thinks he is hallucinating due to stress. He again closes his eyes and the voice calls him again.
Roshni: Arjun... mujhe bahar kahan dhoondh rahey ho... mai to tumhare andar hoon...tumhare dil mein... tumse milne aayi hoon
He looks at her photo kept on the table once again closes his eyes and goes into the trance.
Arjun(with pain): agar tum mere andar thi to ab tak mujhse milne kyun nahi aayi tum?
Roshni(smiling): dekho... ye hi wajah hai ki mai tumse milne nahi aayi... mai tumhe takleef mein nahi dekh sakti... par aaj pata hai mai kyun aayi hoon?... aaj tumhe kitne dino baad maine muskurate huye dekha...tum bilkul pehle wale Arjun ban gaye they aaj... kyunki aaj tum akele nahi they... tumhara Sam tha saath mein...kal shaam se dekh rahi thi... bahut bechain they tum, jab se Sam ne tumhe ye bataya ki wo sports club jaa raha hai... nahi rok paye na khud ko...pahunch hi gaye Sam ke bataye time par... aur ek baar jo wahan pahunch gaye to court ke andar bhi gaye na... aur wo basket ball ka match (giggles)... tum dono ab bhi waise hi ho... sirf ek dusre se ball cheentey rehtey ho...ek baar bhi basket nahi kar paye
Arjun: kya matlab? hum dono to aaj khele hi nahi...
Roshni: achchha...tumhe kya lagta hai? wahan court mein wo Shree aur Riya khel rahey they? maan lo is sachchayi ko... wo tum aur Sam hi khel rahey they... unke moves to tum dono ke control mein they...
Arjun(smiles): baat to tumhari sahi hai...
Roshni: waise Maan-na padega Riya, Shree aur Chhotu ko... Riya ne Sam ki kal ki baat yaad rakhi... aur Chhotu kya keh raha tha? Sam ne kaha ki Shree alsi hai...zaroor un ki bhi kuch baat huyi hogi... Aur ye baat in teeno ne ek dusre ko batayi aur andaza laga hi liya ki tum dono aaj saath mein waha zarur aaoge... aur isliye wo teeno bhi pahunch gaye... achchha plan banaya uhnone tum dono ko wapas saath mein laane ka...tumhare saath reh kar kaafi smart ho gaye hain tumhare team members...
Arjun(chuckles): wo to honge hi...
Roshni: ab aagey ka kya?
Arjun: kya matlab?
Roshni: Riya...
Arjun is taken aback at her mention and doesn't speak up
Roshni: arrey... usko basket ball sikhana hai na? achchhi player hai... tum sikhaoge to jaldi seekh jayegi... waise uska naam sunkar ekdum chup ho gaye... kya sochne lagey?
Arjun(relieved): nahi kuch nahi... haan sikhaunga na usey...
Roshni: waise achchhi ladki hai wo... mujhe to bahut achchhi lagi... aur tumhe bhi to wo achchhi lagti hai na? kitni khoobsurat aankhen hai uski... tum to jaise kho hi gaye they na?
Arjun(surprised): kya matlab? nahi... aisa kuch nahi hai...
Roshni: ACP Arjun Rawte... maine kaha na ki mai tumhare dil mein hoon... isliye tum chaah kar bhi mujhse apne dil ki koi baat chhupa nahi saktey... mujhe to waise hi sab pata chal jata hai... aur ye baat kabhi mat bhoolna (chuckles)
Arjun is quiet.
Room service boy comes with the dinner. The door is open. He comes in, keeps the food on table as usual and leaves closing the door.
Roshni: chalo... khana aa gaya hai... aaram se khao aur so jao... mai jaati hoon...
Arjun: Mat jao na Roshni...
Roshni: abhi tumhe khane par concentrate karna hai aur uske baad thoda rest bhi karna hai... mai fir aungi na tumse baat karne
Arjun: Kab aaogi?
Roshni: jab jab tum muskuraoge... khush hogey... dusro ko khushi dogey... Sam ke saath rudely baat nahi karoge... apni team ko bhi bina wajah nahi daantoge... unhe ye apna "Akdu" attitude nahi dikahoge...tab tab mai aaungi tumse baat karne...
Arjun: tumhe bhi lagta hai ki mai "Akdu" hoon?...
Roshni: haan... ho tum ekdum Akdu...kal Riya ko nahi dikha rahe they apna ye attitude? bechari tumhare bhale ke liye hi to bol rahi thi...aur kuch galat bhi nahi bol rahi thi... tum pareshan they... Sam ki baat sunkar...aur apna frustration us bechari par nikal diya...
Arjun is quiet remembering how he snubbed Riya.
Roshni: par pehle tum aise nahi they... mere jane ke baad kyun ho gaye tum aise... mai tumhe aise nahi dekhna chahti... please mere pehle wale Arjun ban jao...
Arjun is again quiet.
Roshni: achchha theek hai... ye sab baad mein sochna... ab khana kha lo... bahut bhookh lagi hai tumhe... hum baad mein baat karenge...
Arjun comes out of the trance.
He has the dinner and goes to sleep. After so many days he was feeling a little lighter. Though his revenge was yet to be taken and Sikandar was yet to be punished, but still he felt as if a burden was taken off his shoulders.
There were two reasons for it - First, after a long time he was with his friend Sam today and not his chief Sameer with whom he is always at loggerheads and second reason, today he took a little step towards a new beginning. He had developed a liking towards Riya for a last few days but was in denial of this feeling.
He always liked to see her with Chhotu and Shree. She always used to smile and laugh with them. He never failed to notice the dimple on her cheek when she used to smile. He never felt like taking his eyes off her when she was smiling. But he always avoided looking directly into her eyes, because it used to give him a guilty feeling.
But today he looked into her eyes. She had beautiful eyes and for a few seconds he was lost in them. And he couldn't say no to those pleading puppy eyes. He agreed to be her coach.
Somewhere while talking to the happy voice inside him, he accepted the first reason to himself, but was still scared to accept the second reason though his happy voice accepted it without any guilt.
He sleeps peacefully that night.
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Few hours back.
Around 9:55 PM
Sameer too is on his way back home after his meeting. He remembers that after 2 days, they have to present a crucial video recording in the court. He calls up Shree to remind him to keep a copy of thar recording ready.
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Shree is to drop Riya back home. They are close to Riya's home when suddenly Riya remembers that she had to pick up her sister from Airport at 10 PM. Shree tells her that it will take another 40 mins for them to reach airport. She tells him to turn back to airport. She tries calling Anwesha, but her phone is still switched off.
Riya is exteremly upset with her stupidity and curses herself.
Suddenly, Shree's phone rings. It's Sameer calling. He receives the call.
Shree: hello sir
Sameer: Shree, tumhe yaad hai na... wo dancer ki jal kar death ho gayi thi... uski video recording and baki ke logo ke recorded statements humein parso court mein dikhane hain... wo tumne taiyar kar diye?
Shree: Haan sir... wo sab maine ready kar diya hai... aur aunthencity certificate bhi hai uske saath...
Sameer: Good...office se nikal gaye tum?
Shree: Haan sir... Riya ko drop karne aaya tha ... aur hum almost uske ghar pahunch gaye they... par tabhi usey yaad aaya ... ki uski didi abhi 10 baje ki flight se aa rahi hain... to abhi hum nikle hai airport jaane ke liye... abhi uske ghar ke paas hi hain...
Sameer: kya? par tum logo ko to bahut der lagegi aane mein? aur flight to almost pahunch gayi hogi..(looks at his watch)..kyunki 10 baj rahey hain abhi...
Shree: haan sir... par kya kar saktey hain?
Sameer: ruko... mai airport ke bahar se hi nikal raha hoon... tum Riya ko wapas drop karo... mai uski didi ko receive karne jata hoon aur usey Riya k ghar drop kar doonga...(he turns his car to airport)
Shree: ek minute sir...(to Riya) Riya... Rathod sir keh rahey hain ki wo airport ke bahar se hi guzar rahey hain abhi... wo tumhari didi ko pick up karke tumhare ghar drop kar denge... lo baat karo sir se
Riya takes the phone.
Riya: sir... aap?
Sameer: haan Riya... mai almost airport pahunch gaya hoon... tumhari didi ka number bhej do... to mai unhe contact kar loonga...
Riya(embarrassed): I'm sorry sir... wo aapko pareshan hona pada...
Sameer: That's fine Riya... don't worry...
Riya: sir wo didi ka phone switched off hai abhi...
Sameer: to theek hai... unhe mera number aur meri gadi ka number SMS kardo... phone on kartey hi unhe mera number mil jayega aur wo mujhe contact kar lengi... don't worry...
Riya: ok sir...
Shree turns the car again for Riya's home and drop her back and leaves.
At Riya's home:
Riya sends the SMS.
" My chief coming to pick u up ACP Rathod 91XXX45, Black Mahindra XUV no MH04 LY 3XX8"
After 5 mins
Riya's cellphone beeps "message delivered". She is relieved. After 2 mins she calls her sister.
Anwesha: Chinki... kahan ho tum... aur ye sms... tumhare chief?
Riya: sorry Annu di... poori baat mai aapko baad mein batati hoon... aap Rathod sir ko call kar lo...
Anwesha: ok...
Call disconnected.
Riya calls up a near by restaurant and orders food for herself and Annu and watches TV.
After 10 mins, she gets a call from Annu that she had met Sameer and left the airport.
After another 15 mins, she gets another call from Annu which surprises her. She follows what Annu told her to do and calls up the restaurant to change the food order. Luckily the delivery boy had not left, so they accomodated the changes.
Riya is surprised with Annu's instructions but quickly snubs it. She switches off the TV and goes to the balcony.
Riya while waiting for Annu remembers her conversation with Arjun previous day. She already had a little discussion with Sameer regarding the abnormal reationship between Arjun and Sameer. She took a chance and tried to talk to Arjun too, but failed. Arjun still flaunted his "Akdu" attitude.
But she was satisfied that she at least gave a try to it. She didn't mind Arjun's words because she knew that something was already bothering him and moreover she was used to his rude behaviour now.
Later in the evening, when Shree and Chhotu told her that Sameer and Arjun used to play basket ball earlier, she decides to take a chance. She tricks Shree and Chhotu to convince them to go too the club next day. She couldn't directly tell them about her discussion with Sameer and Arjun. Her trick works.
In the morning she was happy to see that both Sameer and Arjun got involved in the game forgetting their differences. She also convinced Arjun to be her coach. And she knew Shree would have done the same with Sameer. She planned to make Sameer and Arjun to show them a demo game, but the case came up and they had to leave.
She was a little surprised when Arjun agreed to be her coach after the attitude he had been flaunting right from their first meeting. And after what happened previous day, it was a big risk talking to Arjun. But she took a chance looking at his passion towards the game and she succeeded.
She remembered the moment when their eyes met. He never looked into her eyes earlier, but today was something different. She was always attracted towards him since the day she saw him for the first time. Even after he used to snub her, she knew he was actually hiding his pain. She couldn't understand what exactly was in his eyes today, but definitely there was no anger for her. She felt a little better.
Her chain of thoughts were interrupted by sound of Rathod's vehicle entering her society. She looked down and saw Annu and Rathod getting out of the vehicle. She sprints towards the door to open it.
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Part 4B in the following post.
Edited by bgargate - 12 years ago
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