ARAKSHI FF - Chalte Chalte - IMP NOTE on Page 48 - Page 2

Chapter 3 - Hauntings from the past

She was here, finally! Mumbai seemed exactly how she had left it 15 years ago. Still the same busy streets, the honking of the cars and the people. Sakshi smiled as she headed towards her home. Although, it is not going to be much of a home now. Not alone. But at least, she has a place she could return to every day. At least her father did something good - left her the home she had once loved.

She didn't know what to expect when she got there. Will he be there? Why was she even expecting him to be waiting for her after all these years? She kept twirling her bracelet out of excitement and anticipation. No, it was best not to expect anything at all. But oh how her heart leaped at the thought of him. She smiled and peeped out of her window. It all seemed so familiar. The taxi, her old street... just one thing was missing. Him.

As the taxi came to a stop in front of her gate, she leaped out and glimpsed at the house next door. It still looked the same - the white fence was still there where she first met him. The steps where they had had many conversations. And the tree - she could just make out the branches peeping out from behind the house.

"Madam! Paise to dijiye."

She snapped back into reality again. She handed the money to the taxi driver, grabbed her bags and walked through her gate. All sorts of memories kept playing in her head as she opened the door to her house. Her father had been renting it out all these years. Unknown people living in her room, her house - she didn't like it. But when he passed away a couple of months ago, she decided to go back. After all, she had always wanted to.

The house seemed empty, forlorn and forgotten. Her footsteps echoed around her as she walked into her room and switched on the light. From her window she could make out the tree.

The tree that she had climbed numerous times with Arjun.

As her gaze fell on the house, she noticed why it was so quiet. Completely dark and abandoned. As if the house hadn't been inhabited by anyone for quite a few years. The gardens were full of weeds, overgrown grass and no trace of flowers. Despite of its appearance, it brought back many sweet memories.

Mumbai, 1995

Bang!

Sakshi woke up with a start. What was that? Was it the monster under her bed? She closed her eyes, too scared to look.

Bang!

There it was again. What was it? She quickly switched her lamp on and the whole room flooded with light. There, much better! She hated the dark.

Bang!

This time the sound made her glance towards the window. The sound was coming from there wasn't it? She tiptoed towards it, afraid that her father would wake up in the next room and shout at her again for waking him up. As she glanced out of the window, she could make out the rough outline of Arjun standing below her window - hunting for a...rock? She quickly glanced at her clock - 2.10 am. What was he doing here so late?

"Psssht! Kya hai?" she whispered as loud as she could.

"Neeche aa!"

"Itni raat ko? Papa ghar se nikaal denge. Pagal ho gaye ho kya?"

"Main upar aata hoon phir!"

Just as he began to climb the tree that grew right outside her window, she panicked and shouted again as low as she could, "Nahiii Arjun gir jaoge. Main aati hoon."

Not understanding what he wanted at this time of the night, she crept down the stairs making sure her father doesn't wake up. Quietly she exited the house and shut the door behind her.

He was standing there, a wide grin on his face.

"Tum marwaoge mujhe!"

"Chal mere saath!"

He grabbed her hand and started running. Confused as to what was happening, she tagged along, angry and sleepy.

"Kahaaan?"

He didn't answer, just kept running. She was annoyed - his secrecy was making her mad. What did he want?

The streets soon opened up into the main road. Her surroundings grew brighter from the cars whizzing past, and the street lights. He kept running until they reached a big bright building. To Sakshi, all this was very scary. After all, she was only 6 years old and new to this big city! Yet, he didn't seem to be scared at all! Running alone through the streets in the middle of the night!

He took her up the stairs at the back of the building. By the time they reached the terrace of the building - probably about 10 floors - they were breathless and tired.

And then suddenly, out of the blue, he burst out laughing - the innocent and happy kind of laugh of his. She couldn't help but join in. For several minutes they just rolled on the terrace - their stomachs hurting from laughing. And then, they were lying side by side, staring up at the dark sky, dotted by the stars and lit up by the moon. They could hear the city - the cars, the train. Everything seemed so alive from there!

"Kya hua?"

She knew something was wrong, else he wouldn't drag her from bed in the middle of the night on to this terrace. She had grown used to his unpredictable behaviour these past few weeks. Sometimes he would come fuming (usually after fights with his father) into her house, drag her out and take her to the weird places in the neighbourhood. And then just a few minutes with her would make him calm again. Sometimes they would just go for an ice-cream - she had gotten to know that was the best way to make him happy when he was low. Like her, his father was ignorant about his whereabouts. At least Sakshi had had a mother who had loved and pampered her. But Arjun hadn't even had that. His mother had abandoned him when he was younger. It hurt her to think how alone he was.

"I want to be a police officer when I grow up."

She smiled and said with a deep voice - "ACP Arjun Rawte!"

He smiled and looked towards her. For a moment the smile disappeared and he said, "Papa nahi chahte ki main police officer banu. He was so mad when I mentioned it. Kaha ki phir se bola toh is ghar mein rehne ki zaroorat nahi hai. I couldn't sleep after that."

"Toh koi nahi, tum mere saath reh sakte ho."

She smiled and that brought back the wide grin to his face. She always knew what to say to make him happy again. Sometimes, just her smile would make things right. He got up and offered her his hand to help her get up.

"Chal kuch dikhana hai."

She took his hand and walked to the edge of the terrace. The view from there left her speechless. She couldn't help but gasp at all the twinkling lights. The entire city stretched before her. She could even make out the waves of the sea crashing against the shore.

"Main kal yahan aya tha. Mujhe laga ki tujhe bhi pasand aayega." he said with a smile.

She nodded and continued to gaze at the city below her. So alive, so full of dreams.

They sat there for hours, gazing at the lights, at the sea, not a wink of sleep in their eyes. Waiting for the sun to come up.

Sakshi would never forget that night for years to come.

***

Mumbai 2013

Whilst Sakshi was lost in memories in her old room, below on the road, a car stopped by. The car had ETF written on the doors and on the hood. A man lowered his windows and peeped out at the house he knew so well. The lights in her room were on. His brow creased as he hadn't thought it would be occupied anymore. The family who was renting that house had moved out months ago... then...? He considered walking up to the door just to check who was there. But then, why should he? She will not be coming back anymore. Will she? Plus, he had other things to take care of. He started his car and darted past his own abandoned house and into the roads beyond.

He didn't know why he kept coming here. Maybe because that place gave him peace, made him calm, which no other place in this world could. It took him away from his horrific past, his wife Roshni's death, and the brutal crimes he came face to face with every day. It took him away from the guilt he carried around with him every day. It made him wish to be a child again, to be 7 years old again and spend all those moments with Meethi. All over again.

Chapter 4 - New beginnings

"Sakshi? This is Aisha. Neha ne bataya tumhare baare mein. Toh tum aa rahi ho na?"

"Hi Aisha! Tumse finally baat karke bahut acha lag raha hai. Neha toh hamesha tumhari baat karti rehti hai! Aisha yeh, Aisha woh! Of course main aa rahi hoon. Address?"

"Emergency Task Force headquarters. Auto wala samajh jayega."

"Ok, I will be there. Thanks a lot Aisha."

"No problem yaar. Waise bhi Rathod sir bahut dino so ek crime investigative journalist dhoondh rahe the - to cover our cases. But ab tak koi mila nahi. Tum aao na phir unse milati hoon."

"Ok, see you then. Bye!"

"Bye."

Oh my God. Was this for real? She was really going to be a crime investigative journalist? She couldn't stop smiling as she got ready for her first day. Neha was her best friend in London, and oddly enough she had a sister living in Mumbai - Aisha. Neha was the one who had helped her find a job - a job she really wanted! Sakshi sent a quick text to Neha thanking her again.

She had to look perfect! She had had a tough night thinking about where he could be, wondering why he left. The empty house and its unfamiliar surroundings, the silence didn't make it any easier for her to fall asleep.

She slung her bag over her shoulder, ran her fingers over the bracelet for luck - she still wasn't going to wear it - and headed for the ETF HQ.

***

"Hi! Sakshi Anand."

She stretched out her hand towards ACP Sameer Rathod. He looked up from his desk with a quizzical expression.

"Sir, yeh Sakshi hai. Maine kaha tha na aapse? Investigative journalist hai. Meri behen Neha ki friend hai. Yeh London mein ek newspaper mein kaam kar chuki hai. I know her work, she is good."

He stood up and extended his hand towards her.

"Hi. Toh phir theek hai. Aisha ka recommendation hai toh kuch galat nahi ho sakta", he gave Aisha a secret smile, "Let us see how it goes for a few days. Welcome to the ETF Team."

"Thanks Sameer!"

She felt like jumping up and down with excitement! Finally - something she had really wanted to do.

Aisha introduced her to three other team members - a small nerdy looking person - the techie expert - Shree, a well-built guy who looked like he could knock her down with a finger, called Chotu - she giggled comparing his name to his physique - and last of all, the forensic expert - Lisa.

"Arjun sir abhi bahar gaye hai. But woh aayenge toh tumse introduce karwa doongi."

Sakshi froze.

"Kaun?"

"Arjun sir. ACP Arjun..."

"Arrey, humare kharoos boss!" Shree chimed in.

Aisha laughed and said "Seriously yaar. Aj tak kabhi hanste hue nahi dekha."

She breathed out, not having realised that she had been holding her breath all this time. It obviously wasn't who she thought it was. After all, the Arjun she knows so well does not go a day without smiling. He simply cannot. But then doubts propped into her mind. What if this was him? ACP Arjun...can it really be him? No, her heart replied, my Arjun cannot forget smiling.

***

He could hear her laughter as he entered into his cabin. There was something very familiar about it. He pulled his chair out and stood by his desk, listening hard for what he just heard. Laughter? That loud? No one in the office laughs that loud. Weird, how little things made him angry these days. After a while, he could take it no longer, and stormed out of his office into the conference room where the sound was coming from.

He could hear the faint sound of bangles mixed with that laugh.

Really annoyed now, he burst out, "Yeh sab kya ho raha hai?"

A girl clad in a pale yellow kurti and jeans turned around, flinging back her long straight black hair. Her smile froze. Something about her face seemed so familiar to him. Had he met her somewhere? There was something very annoying and yet... so familiarly sweet about her. Her smile.

Aisha interrupted his thoughts and said, "Sir... woh... yeh Sakshi hai. Aj se yeh ETF ke cases cover karegi. Investigative journalist."

He nodded and walked towards her.

"Hi ACP Arjun. I am Sakshi Anand."

His mind started buzzing with all sorts of memories. That name...he couldn't place where he had heard it. But he could feel it - the name was very dear to him.

***

"Hi", came the curt reply, "ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte."

The world suddenly stopped for her. She was staring at the person she had been waiting for since she was 10. And suddenly, out of the blue, destiny had brought them together yet again. Could this be for real? Could this really be him?

But this person, standing before her was someone completely different to the Arjun she knew. She could see pain hidden behind that stern expression. His eyes had lost that twinkle they once had. His dimples were no longer visible. She took his hand and shook it. So different... so strong. Gone were those gentle hands which used to drag her to those weird places in their childhood. It was like somehow, time had turned him to stone. He was just there. Not living, just there. His soul, seemed to be elsewhere. Lost.

***

Why was she looking at him like that? It made him uncomfortable. It almost felt like, she could read his feelings. He felt like an open book. The walls he had so carefully built around him, were breaking down. Before they completely collapsed, he needed to get out.

"Sir?"

Aisha's voice jerked him again. What just happened?

Before she could say anything else, he walked out of the room.

***

She knew. This was him. This was her Arjun - her best friend. And she wouldn't stop smiling after that. She had found him.

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Doneee. Hope it wasnt too long or boring? i m going to be besharam and ask you to please leave comments 😆